Activity Update August 2018: Satpura Tiger Reserve

Highlights:

Ashfaq assisting the Forest Department in identifying villagers who will
receive LPG connections - Aaritodiya

Sapling plantation in Aaritodiya

Plantation program in Almod

Dr Khode at our free health camp at Chirrai

Villagers registering for free treatment at our health camp, Chirrai

Tree plantation at Jhirpa

Hamid Khan conducts a survey to identify recipients for LPG connections

Nature education at Matkuli

Our team joins the Forest Department on patrol

THE FULL REPORT

Team: Ashfaq Aarbi – Conservation Officer

Hameed Khan – Field assistant

Highlights

·      1,000 saplings planted

·      Monitoring of plantation carried out in previous month

·      7 awareness programs on plantation

·      5 foot patrols with Forest Department

·      Classroom visits to 14 schools as part of our environment education program – attended by 826 students

·      6 films shows on wildlife and nature conservation- attended by 277 children

·      Organised meetings with unemployed youths on livelihood options

·      Organised meetings with villagers on fisheries

·      Organised livestock management meeting

·      Conducted survey to identify candidates for LPG connections

·      Medical camps in 6 villages - 140 patients treated

Conservation

Across the landscape, our teams have been working to motivate villagers to plant saplings to take advantage of the monsoon. In August, our team organised planting of saplings in Aaritodiya, Almod, Matkuli and Singanama villages. A total of 1,000 kosam, kathal and sagwan saplings were planted with the support of Eco Development Committees, School Administration and Forest Department staff. We also followed up and monitored plantations carried out in previous months and provided organic compost to saplings from vermi compost pits.

Foot patrolling

During the month we participated in foot patrolling work with Forest Department at Aaritodiya, Jhirpa, Chandanpipariya, Pisuwa and Matkuli. Mr. Shivnarayan Devda, Vimlesh Vyalsha, Srinarayan Bhalavi and Pankaj Yadav (Forest Guards), forest choukidar and Eco Development Committee members participated in the patrols.

Education  

During the month, our team organised 14 lectures to educate students about nature and wildlife conservation.

Education Van

During August, our team conducted a total of 6 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation.

Employment Cell

During the month, we arranged awareness programs for villagers in which we gave them information about skill-developmnet programs under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission training program scheme, governemt loan schemes like Mukhyamantri Swarojgar Yojna, Mukhyamantri Udhmi Yojna, Mukhyamantri Arthik Kalyan Yojna, and Mudra Yojna. We also told them about programs being conducted by professional training institutes run by Ashok Leyland, CII, IL&FS and RSETI. We identified 15 youths from relocated villages who started training in poultry farming in August with our assistance. This program was organised by RSETI.

Villagers meeting for fisheries

During the month, we conducted 5 programs to give details to villagers about Fisheries Department schemes, fish pond management and maintenance. The Fisheries Inspector, Block Pipariya, participated in the programs.

Livestock management

During the month, we organised 7 awareness meetings on livestock management (cattle shed, stall feeding, improved fodder techniques and cattle castration etc.) with the Forest and Animal Husbandry Departments. Dr. Jain (VAS), Dr. J.P. Sarathe (AVFO), Smt. Laxmi Yadav (Sarpanch- Pisuwa), Smt. Uma Mehra (Sarpanch- Tekapar) and villagers participated in the programs.

LPG Survey

During the month, we conducted a survey to identify candidates for LPG connections. We arranged 5 programs in Aaritodiya, Duddi, Bandhan, Mehandikheda and Khari.

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 August.