THE FULL REPORT
Team: Ashfaq Aarbi – Conservation Officer
Hameed
Khan – Field assistant
Highlights
·
9 water
conservation voluntary work projects during the month – built 1 check dam, cleaned
8 water bodies
·
Assisted in fighting fires in forest on 3
occasions
·
14 awareness programmes on forest fires
·
2 programmes to provide birds with water
containers
·
Organised 2 Krishi sanvad Programme, 6 awareness
programmes on solar fencing , organic farming and drip irrigation
·
10 forest patrols jointly with Forest Department
·
Organised celebration of World Wildlife Day,
World Sparrow Day, International Forestry Day, World Water Day and World Climate Day
·
Arranged Nature Orientation camp 2018
·
Organised Lantana training programme at Matkuli
·
Medical camps in 6 villages – 131 patients treated
Conservation
During March, we organised 9 programmes related to water
conservation.
On March 6, we organised a programme to clean a water body
in the jungle around 2 km from Pisuwa village. The water body was covered with
leaves and organic litter and animals were finding it difficult to drink. Our
team, consisting of field assistant Hameed Khan and 17 children from Government
Middle School, Pisuwa, cleared the litter and made the water body accessible to
the animals again. Spotted deer are regularly spotted around this water body while
there are occasional sightings of sloth bears, wild dogs, leopards and other
wildlife.
Seven similar programmes were organised at Mehandikheda,
Matkuli, Aaritodiya, Duddi and Almod on March 8, 29, 30, 31.
On March 22, we organised a programme to build a check dam
on a stream around 2.5 km from Jhirpa village. A team comprising of 8 villagers
of Jhirpa, Mr. Shivnarayan Devda (Forest Guard) and Hameed built the dam. The
resultant water body will benefit wildlife at nights. Spotted deer, monkeys and leopards are spotted in the area.
With the onset of summer, forest fires are a major hazard in
the dry, deciduous forests across the landscape. Wherever possible, our teams
make it their top priority to assist in fighting fires. During March, Ashfaq
and Hameed assisted staff of the Forest Department in fighting fires on 3
occasions – at Mehandikheda (March 30 in different compartments) and at
Matkuli, on March 31.
During the month, our team organised 14 awareness programmes
on forest fires. Fires are a recurring hazard during summers – both deliberate
and accidental. Sometimes, villagers start fires as they believe that tendu leaves sprout better after such
fires. In our awareness programmes, we explained the dangers that such fires
cause to the forest and to wildlife and how they could harm villages if they
blazed out of control. In 4 of the meetings, local staff of the Forest
Department joined us in addressing the villagers.
With the onset of summer, water has become scarce and birds
are struggling to get water to drink. Satpuda Foundation encourages villagers
across the landscape to provide water for birds by placing old bottles, pots
and cans in suitable locations for birds to get water. During March, we conducted
2 programmes in Matkuli and Jhirpa in which we promoted awareness about the
importance of birds in the ecosystem and the need to ensure their survival by
helping them with water.
Awareness programme on solar fencing, organic farming and drip
irrigation
During the month, we organised 6 awareness programme and 2 meetings
on solar fencing, organic farming and drip irrigation. Satpuda Foundation
encourages villagers across the landscape to take up solar fencing, organic
farming and drip irrigation.
On March 11, we organised a programme at Pisuwa. This
programme gave information to farmers about solar fencing, organic farming and
drip irrigation system. Participants in the programme included Agriculture
Executive Officer, Pipariya, Smt. Laxmi Bai Yadav (Sarpanch of Pisuwa) and
farmers of Matkuli, Tekapar and Pisuwa.
A similar programme was organised at Jhirpa on March 15.
Forest patrolling
During the month we joined staff of the Forest Department in
patrols at Pisuwa, Karer, Aaritodiya, Jhirpa, Duddi and Bandhan on March 2, 7,
16, 25 and 26. Participants included Mr. Shivnarayan Devda, Mithlesh Kumar and
Vimlesh Byalsha (Forest Guards), forest choukidars and Village Eco Development
Committee members.
World Wildlife Day
On March 3, we organised a function to celebrate the World
Wildlife Day at Matkuli. This programme was attended by Mr. Tiwari (Range Officer), Shri Dwivedi,
Principal, Govt. Higher Secondary School, Jhirpa, Shri Kamal Kishor Pal (Sarpanch-
Matkuli) President and members of Eco
Development Committee.
World Sparrow Day
On March 20, we organised a function to celebrate the World
Sparrow Day at Matkuli. This programme was attended by Shri Kamal Kishore Pal
(Sarpanch of Matkuli), Bio-diversity Committee members, villagers of Mohgaon
and Matkuli and staff of the Forest Department. To celebrate the Day, we
organised a programme to provide water for birds by placing old bottles, pots
and cans in suitable locations for birds to get access. During the programme,
we promoted awareness about the importance of birds in the eco-system and the
need to ensure their survival by helping them with water.
International Forest Day
On March 21, we organised functions to celebrate the
International Forest Day at Matkuli and Jhirpa. We organised a drawing contest
at Saraswati Shishu Vidhya Mandir, Matkuli and a film show at Government Higher
Secondary School, Jhirpa.
World Water Day
On March 22, we organised a function to celebrate World
Water Day at Jhirpa. We arranged to show a film on water conservation and promoted
awareness on the need to conserve water. This programme was held at Government
Ashram School, Jhirpa.
World Climate Day
On March 23, we organised functions to celebrate World
Climate day at Matkuli and Pachmarhi through an awareness rally at Pachmarhi
and a film show at Matkuli.
Nature Orientation
camp
On March
4-5, we organised a Nature Orientation camp at Parraspani for East Pachmarhi and
Denwa buffer school children focused on wildlife, nature and environment conservation.
We also organised a visit to the relocated village of Parraspani.
Participants
included Mr. R.S. Bhadoriya (Asst. Director, Satpura Tiger Reserve) Mr. G.S.
Nigwal (Range Officer- Denwa buffer), Mr. Abhijeet Dutta (Ass. Director SF),
Mr. Khare (Rtd. SDO), Mr. O.P. Tiwari (Deputy Ranger), Mr. Pushpendu Mandal
(Tourism Manager) and 20 children from
schools in our area of operations.
Employment Cell - Training programme
Satpuda Foundation and Bio-diversity Management Committee,
Matkuli, jointly organised a non-residential training programme to train
villagers to make products from lantana such as furniture and fancy items. We selected
15 Biodiversity Management Committee members from Matkuli, Tekapar and Pisuwa
villages for the 5-day programme, which ran from March 24 to 28. The entire
cost of the programme is being borne by Bio-diversity Management Committee
Matkuli.
Mobile Health Service (MHS)
Satpuda Foundation organises medical camps at which
villagers get free treatment and medicines. These camps, whose schedule is set
in conjunction with the management of the Tiger Reserve, are run by the Mobile Health
Service (MHS) of Satpuda Foundation.
There were health camps in 6 villages in March.
