Melghat children enjoy green lessons on World Sparrow Day and World Forest Day

29 March, 2015

Nagpur

Tribal children in Melghat celebrated World Sparrow Day on 20 March and World Forest Day on 21st March, by learning and sharing their ideas on wildlife and forest conservation. Satpuda Foundation in collaboration with Nature Conservation Society, Amravati (NCSA) organized a special nature camp for them on 20-21 March at the Muthawa Community Resource Centre near Harisal in Melghat Tiger Reserve. 30 children from six buffer zone villages (Tangada, Kotha, Harisal, Keni, Chorakhund, Bhiroja and Tarubanda) participated in the camp.

Assistant Education Officer Ashok Athawale conducted an introductory session and made students aware of the importance of both the days. The nature camp was financially supported by IndusInd Bank.

Education Officer Jyoti Sorout explained about the biodiversity of India and threats to it, the role of carnivores in the tiger reserve, the food web, and human-wildlife conflict. She motivated the children to follow simple steps to conserve the forest and sparrows, like making water available for birds in their backyard, planting trees, and avoiding the use of plastic. Students also played nature games to get several conservation messages.

Forester Mrs Dehankar spoke on birds and the actions to be taken on World Sparrow Day. A wildlife documentary was shown to the children during the evening session. Assistant Conservation Officer of NCSA Rahul Kalmegh shared his practical knowledge on various techniques and methods of water conservation works.

Students were also taken to the forest to get first-hand experience. They were told about tracks and signs of wild animals during trekking in the forest. A jungle safari was also arranged by Melghat Tiger Reserve. The children saw wild boar, a goldenback woodpecker, a treepie, Indian Roller, Paradise Flycatcher and many other birds.

Students learned about medicinal plants and their uses at the nursery established at the Community Resource Centre. Mr Neharu Yeole, Bhura Kasdekar, Gajendra Gayan and Narayan Gayan of the CRC worked hard to make this nature camp successful.