July 2012 Activity Update: Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

Highlights

• Plantation programme in 4 villages
• 2 nature trails for village children
• Anti-plastic programmes in 4 villages
• Vegetable patches set up in 3 schools
• Environment education lectures in 10 schools – attended by 315 students
• 10 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation – attended by 446 people
• Medical camps in 6 villages  - 270 patients treated
• Two visits to Bhagwanpur to follow up status of relocated villagers
• One visit to Kolsa

Conservation

Kutwanda - posters put up by the Hemendra Kothari Foundation at the school

With the onset of the monsoon, our team has been organizing plantation drives in villages across the landscape. In Tadoba, our field assistant Bandu Kumare organized plantation in 4 village schools. 

Katwal - students pose with saplings before planting

Katwal - a teacher planting a neem sapling

The Forest Department supplied neem saplings free of cost and we distributed them for planting in 4 village schools. Details are given in the table above.

Kondegaon - students collect seeds of local trees for planting

School children at Sitarampeth at the clean-up drive

Above: On July 2, Bandu organized an anti-plastic programme at the ZP Primary School at Adegaon in which school students cleaned up the main village road of plastic litter and waste. They then cleaned up the school premises. The litter/waste was then buried in pits. Similar programmes were organized on July 5 at Sitarampeth and on July 11 at Chorgaon. 

On July 2, Bandu led 16 students of ZP Primary School, Adegaon on a nature trail in the jungle adjoining the village. Bandu, who earlier worked as a guide in Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, helped the children identify local flora and fauna and explained the need for nature and wildlife conservation to them.

A similar bird-watching trail was organized on July 19 at Chorgaon for 23 children of the village.

Adegaon - vegetable patch being prepared

Kondegaon - vegetable patch set up with our help

Above: In June, our team joined hands with school teachers to prepare vegetable patches (parsbagh) in school premises. This activity was done to develop interest among students to develop similar parsbagh in their houses, so they can get nutritious vegetables at home. Such vegetables are not usually available in forested regions. 

In July, we helped set up three such vegetable patches at ZP Schools of Chorgaon (July 4), Adegaon (July 12) and Kondegaon (July 16).

Education

In July, our environment education programme covered 10 schools. 

Sitarampeth - Bandu Kumare talks to school children about local flora and fauna

Education Van

There were 10 film shows on nature and wildlife in July. 

Kutwanda - film show in progress

Wildlife film show in Mudholi

MHU

There were health camps in 6 villages in July.

Kolsa villagers collect free medicines from our ambulance

Kolsa medical camp in progress

Bhagwanpur - resettled village

Yogesh and Bandu visited Bhagwanpur on July 14. Bandu again visited the village on July 18-19 to follow up on the status of the relocated villagers. Below: a meeting with resettled villagers to hear their issues.

   

Kolsa - a meeting on resettlement, with villagers who have not yet shifted out of the National Park