Kathmandu is recognised internationally as a special city for different reasons: its environment, its people, the architecture, the landscape, the culture. When I arrived here in January and started walking around the towns, three aspects attracted my attention: the Valley itself and the surrounding mountains, the architecture, including the temples and the palace squares, and that unusual open area, a kind of park in the middle of all the urban confusion: Tundikhel.

I was impressed to see that large open space being used by Kathmandu people. Some were playing football or cricket, others having a picnic, others only crossing to the other side, boys and girls flirting with some "open privacy". But in the past few months I have noticed that this unique place has been closed off to the public. Everyday I check to see if it has been re-opened, but the only difference now is an iron fence ringing the green.
I grew up in a very difficult urban environment and I know how hard it is to live in a place deprived of parks and open spaces. Sao Paulo, in Brazil, is a young city compared to Kathmandu. Rapid urbanisation without planning has created a critical situation for its 18 million inhabitants who live in a polluted environment and are deprived of enough areas for sports, recreation or even simply for a rest.

In the 1980s I worked for a government agency responsible for the protection of the natural and cultural heritage of Sao Paulo. There was a "People's Park" without significant greenery, but with seven football fields. The area was unique not only because of the dense urbanisation around, but also due to its intense use by the population, especially the poorest, who had no access to private clubs. It was not easy to convince the authorities about the importance of the area, in the face of all the other economic interests involved. But today the park is protected by law and it is recognised as a heritage site by Sao Paulo State.

There are many reasons why it is so important to protect green and open spaces in urban areas. Some environmental reasons are: to recharge groundwater, preserve the microclimate, provide habitat for fauna (especially birds), and minimise the air pollution. From a social perspective, areas like Tundikhel are responsible for reducing urban stress, creating opportunities for sports and recreation, improving the landscape of the city, and helping promote tourism.

It is hoped that the local authorities will be sensitive to the protection of Tundikhel. Not only is it important to keep the area free of new encroachments, but also to maintain it as a public and open space. Tundikhel may not be a heritage for entire humanity, but it could be a national heritage site for Kathmandu and its inhabitants.

(Luis Paulo M Ferraz is a Brazilian geographer currently living in Dholahiti, Kathmandu Valley.)