Activity Update February 2019: Tadoba

Highlights:

Adegaon - Meeting organised by us to discuss use of solar-powered fencing

Dewada - Kishor engages students in a nature game

Dewada - Our colleague Kishor briefs members
 of a women's SHG about skill-development programmes

 Dewada - Students collected over 15 kgs of plastic litter
from around the village

Katwal - Village youths participate in village cleanliness drive

Khutwanda - Villagers construct a check dam 

Kondegaon - Villagers clean a perennial water body adjoining their village

Kondegaon - Villagers clear area filled with invasive shrubs 

Sitarampeth - Students of Zilla Parishad school watch
a film about human-animal conflict

Sitarampeth - A villager getting free treatment at our medical camp

THE FULL REPORT

Team:

Conservation Officer: Mr. Ajay Poddar

Field Assistant: Mr. Kishor Dudhbarai

Highlights of the month:

·      3 check dams built through voluntary work project - 34 villagers participated

·      7 VEDC meetings were organised - 192 members attended

·      5 anti-plastic programs and programs to clean areas around hand pumps - 141 villagers participated

·      Nature orientation camp - 25 students and 4 teachers participated

·      5 environment education programs- 171 students attended

·      6 women’s SHG meetings were organised - 86 members attended

·      50 eligible young villagers identified for four-wheeler driving training

Nature Orientation Camp 2019

On February 5^th and 6^th, Satpuda Foundation organised a 2-day nature camp for 25 students from four villages. Various nature-oriented activities were organised during the camp with the support of teachers from Zilla Parishad schools of Khutwanda, Kondegaon, Mudholi and Katwal and the Forest Department.

The camp was held at the Forest Department’s nature camping site at Agarzari village.

A range of activities were organised for the students including trekking, nature trail, nature games, bird watching, presentations on wildlife conservation, wildlife documentaries and film shows, anti-plastic and cleanliness programs. We also organised a safari inside the Tiger Reserve for the students and the teachers during which they had sightings of spotted deer, four-horned antelope, mongoose, various birds and iconic tigress Maya with her 2 cubs. The students enjoyed the whole experience of the tiger safari organised by us, with the support of the Tiger Reserve management.

Satpuda Foundation has been conducting nature camps for students since its establishment in 2001 in all of our operational areas, as we believe engaging young villagers in such activities from an early age helps in motivating them to protect the nation’s magnificent biodiversity.

At the concluding session, TATR- Moharli Range Forest Officer, Mr. R. G. Moon addressed the gathering and distributed certificates to the students. Students and teachers were positive about their experience.

Conservation

On February 2^nd, 10^th, 13^th, 16^th and 20^th, we organised cleanliness and anti-plastic programs with villagers of Mudholi, Katwal, Kondegaon, Khutwanda and Dewada. The programs were organised in order to sanitise the area around villages by removing litter which sometimes leads wildlife to venture into the village and causes human-animal conflict. We collected over 15 kilograms of plastic litter through voluntary public participation. A total of 141 villagers, including some members of women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) volunteered for these activities.

On February 9^th, 19^th and 21^st, we constructed check dams in Bhamdeli, Kondegaon and Mudholi villages through voluntary work projects, with 34 villagers volunteering.

Education Program

On February 2^nd, 4^th, 11^th, 18^th and 27^th, we organised environment education  programs in Mudholi, Sitarampeth, Dewada and Kondegaon. We  organised these programs with students and teachers in order to make them aware of the importance of biodiversity and conservation. We taught them about nature and wildlife through interactive sessions and various nature games. A total of 173 students participated in the programs.

Employment Cell

We organised 7 Village Eco-Development Committee (VEDC) meetings and 6 women’s SHG meetings, focusing on alternative livelihoods which would reduce dependence on the forests that leads to human-animal conflict and degradation of forests. A total of 278 villagers attended these meetings and shared their thoughts. We have submitted a list of 50 eligible young villagers to the Forest Department to be considered under their planned program to train villagers in driving four-wheelers.

In the SHG meetings, we discussed forming a group of interested members who are willing to be trained in making paper bags and in embroidery. Training will be provided by Nehru Yuva Kendra, Chandrapur. 86 members attended these meetings.

In the VEDC meetings, we focused on increasing usage of solar-powered fencing in farms to prevent crop depredation by herbivores as well as to prevent wildlife from being electrocuted by electric fencing. We also discussed and explained short- and long-term benefits of fodder plantation. We also discussed increasing numbers of man-animal confrontations in the Moharli buffer and how to prevent them by adopting cattle sheds and stall feeding for cattle, which sometimes fall prey to medium-sized and large carnivores around the area. 192 villagers attended these meetings.

Details of the programs are given below:

Mobile Health Unit (MHU):

Team:  Dr. Sarang Dhar, MHU driver – Mr. Gajanan Shanware, MHU coordinator - Mr. Deepak Gayna

6 camps were organised by us in February in which a total of 361 patients got free treatment and medicines.