Activity Update June 2019: Tadoba

Highlights:

Mudholi - In community assistance programme,
volunteers clean blocked drainage canal

Katwal - Saplings prepared by school children,
 to be used for planting during the monsoon

Katwal - Village children prepare saplings from seeds of local plants 

Khutwanda - Members of women's SHG make bags from old newspapers

Khutwanda - Paper bags made by members of women's SHG

Khutwanda - Young villagers participate in a forest patrol 

 Khutwanda - Young children set off on a nature trail 

Kondegaon - A nature game to teach how all life on the planet
is inter-connected

Kondegaon - Villagers dig pits for a plantation drive 

Mudholi - Meeting to discuss use of solar-powered fencing
on farms to mitigate crop depredation by wildlife

Mudholi - Our colleague Kishor conducts
an environment education programme in village school

Mudholi - Villagers dig pits for planting saplings 

THE FULL REPORT

Team: 

Conservation Officer: Mr. Ajay Poddar

Field Assistant: Mr. Kishor Dudhbarai

Highlights of the month:

• 3 programs to clean areas around bore wells and remove plastic litter to reduce chances of man-animal conflict - 85 villagers participated
• 260 pits dug for plantation - 22 villagers participated
• 1 foot patrol – 8 local young villagers participated 
• 6 environment education programs-176 students attended 
• 1 nature club activity - 50 saplings prepared - 15students participated 
• 8 women’s SHG meetings organised - 104 members attended 
• 7 VEDC meetings organised - 147 members attended

On June 6^th, 13^th and 17^th, we organised cleanliness and anti-plastic programs at Katwal, Khutwanda and Mudholi. The programs were organised in order to sanitise the area around villages, as litter sometimes leads wildlife to venture into the village and causes man-animal conflict. We collected over 5 kilograms of plastic litter through public participation ('shramdaan.') A total of 85 villagers including members of women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and children volunteered. 

On June 22^nd and 24^th, ahead of the monsoon, we organised a pre-plantation drive with villagers of Mudholi and Kondegaon. Villagers dug 260 pits for plantation around their villages through voluntary work project. A total of 22 villagers participated in the drive. 

Following recent reports of snares and wire traps in sensitive areas, on June 11^th, we organised a foot patrol in the buffer area around Khutwanda village involving local young villagers with Forest Guard. Participants learned about key points to notice during patrol like scat identification, directions etc. A total of 8 local young villagers participated in the patrol. 

Education Program (See Table 3)

During the month of June, we visited and organised environment education  programs in Kondegaon, Katwal Mudholi and Khutwanda villages. We organised these programs with students and teachers to make them aware of the importance of biodiversity and conservation. We taught them about nature and wildlife’s value through interactive sessions and various nature games. A total of 176 students participated in the programs. 

Students of Nature club ‘Ashwal’ from Katwal village prepared 50 saplings to be planted around their school’s premises. A total of 15 children participated in the activity and said they were willing to prepare more saplings. 

Employment Cell (See Table 2)

During June, we organised 7 Village Eco-Development Committee (VEDC) meetings and 8 women Self-Help Group (SHG) meetings, focusing on alternative livelihoods which would reduce dependence on the forests that leads to man-animal conflict and degradation of forests. A total of 251 villagers attended these meetings and shared their thoughts. 

In the SHG meetings, we discussed several livelihood-related issues. We also formed groups of interested members who are willing to take up training in making paper bags and in embroidery. A total of 104 members attended these meetings. 

In the VEDC meetings, we discussed the proposed plantation to be done, collection and distribution of saplings. We also focused on increasing usage of solar-powered fencing in farm lands to prevent herbivore conflict as well as carnivores and other wildlife from being electrocuted by electric fencing. We also discussed and explained short- and long-term benefits of fodder plantation. We discussed the increasing number of man-animal confrontations in Moharli buffer area and how to prevent it by adopting cattle sheds and stall feeding for their cattle, which often fall prey to medium and large carnivores around the area. A total of 147 villagers attended these meetings.