Read about NCSA's recent course as experienced by a participant, Pintueli Gajjar. Incidentally, she's a teacher with a special interest in environment education and she was 2005 winner of the Green Teacher award (also awarded to NCSA President Prof. Nishikant Kale).
Click here for Pintueli's report in her blog, Songs of the Wind.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Kishor Rithe's talk at TEDx Mumbai, 3 April 2010
SF President Kishor Rithe explains how "Saving Tigers = Saving People."
Report on the Wildlife Conservation Course in Melghat TR, April 10-14, 2010
“Wildlife Conservation” is must today to conserve the landscapes which actually provide many ecological services for the sustainable development of humans. However for doing the same, the country cannot only rely upon one agency. As per the Constitution of India, it’s a responsibility of every citizen to participate in protecting wildlife and their natural resources in any ecosystem.
However there are hardly any efforts to make every section of society capable of exercising their responsibilities towards wildlife conservation. Knowing this, the Nature Conservation Society, Amravati designed a five-day long certificate course in “Wildlife Conservation.”
The course was scheduled 10-14 April 2010 at the Muthawa Community Resource Centre of NCSA near Melghat Tiger Reserve. Around 15 participants were selected from Nagpur, Pune, Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore, Chattisgarh and Rajkot for the course.
The course participants were trained in Applied Environment Education, Bio-diversity Conservation, Land Management (resettlement and eco-restoration), Wildlife Research and social studies, Climate Change and Environmental Laws. The training modules included interactive sessions, field exercise and assignments, films and open university sessions where participants were to present on the subjects.
Wildlife conservationist Kishor Rithe, Prof. Nishikant Kale, Dr. G. N. Vankhede, Mr. Mohan Atalkar, Mr. Rohan Mukerjee and Vishal Bansod conducted the sessions.
Introduction to Community Resource Centre:
On Day 1, participants reached the Muthawa Community Resource Centre (CRC) at Melghat and mixed in no time with the diverse friends participating from different states and different backgrounds. The organizers took the group on a tour of the Muthawa Community Resource Centre which is the ideal place in Melghat to understand many village development-related activities. They appreciated the waste water treatment plant, solar lighting system, bio-diesel unit, nursery and vermi-compost plant. Prof. Nishikant Kale and Kishor Rithe made this visit very informative and meaningful. The first evening was memorable due to a few owl calls and also the screening of conservation films on Melghat Tiger Reserve.
Biodiversity Conservation:
If you want to know biodiversity conservation you must go to the forest. That is what participants did on the second morning. The organizers took the participants to locations in Melghat Tiger Reserve where they got the opportunity to see Gaurs, sambar, chital, Crested Serpent Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Crested Hawk Eagle along with 27 other species of birds. They also visited the Nature Interpretation Centre at Semadoh where they liked the depictions of tribal culture, unique flora of Melghat, wildlife and wildlife management.
Wildlife Research:
I use to think that wildlife research meant “wear a hat, drive a green Gypsy, have a good camera, tranquilise the tiger, put a radio collar to the tiger and get your own picture with the big cat.” My impression was broken when I heard the presentation by Dr. G. N. Vankhede on spiders in Melghat Tiger Reserve. Dr.G.N.Vankhede who is head of the Zoology Department of SGB Amravati University, Amravati has done extensive research on spiders in Melghat. His talk on ‘Spider Diversity in Melghat’ was eye-opening for participants. Vishal Bansod also explained the methodologies for studying birds and herpatofauna.
Applied Environment Education:
This was great fun as well as learning. Green Teacher award winner Prof.Nishikant Kale showed the participants how small activities can be used to teach environment education. The systematic approach of designing the education campaign, identifying the target audience, identifying small activities, selecting the media, designing tools like nature games etc were discussed.
Land Use Management:
Land management is a very important aspect in an overpopulated country like India. The participants were taken to Kund Meadow to see how the landscape responds after the resettlement of any village from a tiger-bearing area. After returning from the field visit, Mr. Kishor Rithe conducted an interactive session on Resettlement in Melghat Tiger Reserve. Participants could learn the process of resettlement from the stage of Gramsabha meetings to actual resettlement at the new location. He also enlightened the participants on habitat improvement/manipulation works at the vacated site. Afternoon participants visited the field to work on the assignments given to them on Applied Environment Education and Protection. They visited some of the protection camps to understand the field issues regarding ground level protection. Participants promised to support the field staff by several programmes in the near future. They also designed a campaign on local specific environmental issues. After the field visit, participants also delivered their individual proposals.
Social Studies and Issues:
13 April 2010 - the visit to the tribal village Chauarkund was an amazing experience for participants. Community participation is a crucial thing in Landscape Conservation. This visit made the participants think about the issues related to development of villages, encroachment, employment, health and education. The discussion on this topic was an eye opener for all participants after returning from the village visit. They understood the role of local people in wildlife conservation. Mr. Vishal Bansod conducted the session.
Role of Media:
Mr. Mohan Atalkar, a senior district correspondent of the daily Loksatta, also interacted with participants on the role of the media and how conservationists should prepare to bring conservation issues to the notice of the masses.
Eco-restoration and Climate Change:
Mr. Rohan Mukharjee, a young and dynamic Project Manager of Satpuda Foundation who is handing the Eco-restoration project near Melghat, spoke on his project and on climate change. He also spoke on the emerging carbon market and the potential to boost wildlife conservation initiatives in the landscape to benefit both the locals and the wildlife.
Environmental Law:
Kishor Rithe conducted a thought-provoking interactive session on Environmental Law. His style of teaching a law was unique. He explained many interesting natural history events, past situations, circumstances and the legal weapons introduced. His presentation actually made the participants aware about the state of forests, wildlife and environment between 1850 to 2010. He reviewed the Indian Forest Act 1927, Forest Conservation Act 1980, Environment Protection Act 1986, Wildlife Protection Act 1972 as amended in 2006 and the Forest rights Act 2006.
Evening Films:
The film "Man-eating Tigers" was appreciated by all participants as it made them aware about one of the most important issues in wildlife conservation: human-animal conflict. The discussion on this topic ended with some interesting solutions to resolve conflict.
Delicious food!
Participants enjoyed the delicious food at Muthawa though it was simple. The “pana” of kaccha mango and “mattha” of buttermilk were superb relief in the scorching heat. (It actually made post-lunch sessions difficult to attend. The Course Coordinator brilliantly kept assignments and group discussions after the heavy lunches).
Open University sessions:
Every day was concluded with an "Open University" session where participants delivered a presentation on a topic of their own choice.
Participants enjoyed birdwatching sessions and specially the sighting of a Nightjar during the day time along with sightings of the largest herd of gaurs (as big as 50 in number) and sloth bear, wild boar, jackals, chitals and sambar deer. The participants were awarded a certificate of completion at the hands of Mr.Vinod Marathe of Daily Hindustan, Prof. Nishikant Kale, President of NCSA and Kishor Rithe, President of Satpuda Foundation.
Report by Ar.Vishal Bansod, Course Co-ordinator, NCSA
Friday, March 26, 2010
Melghat!
Baby Rhesus Macaque by the roadside. He begged for food for a while, making a cute noise at us and even standing up on his hind legs. Truck drivers and other people have got monkeys into the terrible habit of hanging around in the road for handouts. Many get killed in car accidents thanks to this stupidity. What a pity Indians think it kind to give unnecessary snacks to so many creatures. It would be kinder to leave most of them alone.
Above: In the forest
Above: Gajanan, who along with Pradeep conducts the education programme of NCSA in the 39 villages of Melghat's Multiple Use area. This is next to the Sipna river at Semadoh.
Above: Chital
Above: Snake skin
Below: Fallen Mahua flowers. These are used by tribals to make a liquor of the same name. It's ironical that there happened to be a matchstick lying next to the flowers. Villagers often start fires under Mahua and Tendu trees, to "clear" the ground before the flowers and leaves fall. They often "clear" large sections of the forest as well.
I made my first trip to Melghat Tiger Reserve earlier this week. It was a very brief trip, just one and a half days, but there was a lot of new information I tried to absorb in that short time and I am trying to let it all settle into my head!
This was the only SF/NCSA project area I had never visited. So I decided to make a quick visit after going to Pench for some follow-up work (more on that later). It's always a privilege to talk to SF President/founder Kishor Rithe, and I was lucky to have his company for the whole trip. As always I plagued him with hundreds of questions which he answered very patiently. This is such a vast region and the issues impacting the tiger are so varied and complex that my questions will probably never end, but I am certainly a lot clearer in my mind about lots of things - exactly how reforestation is being done at Akot (south of Melghat Tiger Reserve), how barren land is made fertile, agro-forestry, forest legislation from the 1870s till the present day.
The first part of the trip was spent exploring the Community Resource Centre belonging to NCSA. I'll put those pictures in another post. In the evening I accompanied the Duda education van to a village called Chikli. The next morning was spent exploring the tourist zone of the Reserve. This series of images are of the forest and wildlife.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Duda Education van schedule for March-April 2010
The schedule for NCSA's Duda education van, March and April 2010. For an earlier post about this programme click here.
The Duda van unlike the MHU doesn't return to Amravati/Nagpur after 4 days but travels from village to village for 2-3 weeks, covering all 39 villages in the buffer zone. Volunteers are welcome to join for five or six days or longer if they wish. Here's a post by one of last year's interns, Abhishek Surana, who accompanied the Duda van.
The schedule:
Name of Village - Date
1 Dabiya - 13/03/2010
2 Gadaga Bhandum - 14/03/2010
3 Bhandum - 15/03/2010
4 Sawarya - 16/03/2010
5 Tarubanda - 17/03/2010
6 Raksha - 18/03/2010
7 Patkahu - 19/03/2010
8 Keli - 20/03/2010
9 Bhiroja - 21/03/2010
10 Kesarpur - 22/03/2010
11 Chikhali - 23/03/2010
12 Harisal - 24/03/2010
Inverter Charging 25/03/2010
13 Tangada - 26/03/2010
14 Chawarakund - 27/03/2010
15 Rangubeli - 28/03/2010
16 Kund - 29/03/2010
17 Dhokada - 30/03/2010
18 Khamadakheda - 31/03/2010
19 Khokmar - 04/04/2010
20 Bhutrum - 05/04/2010
21 Ruipathar - 06/04/2010
22 Domi - 07/04/2010
23 Chilati - 08/04/2010
24 Simori - 09/04/2010
Inverter Charging 10/04/2010
25 Ektai - 11/04/2010
26 Sumita - 12/04/2010
27 Kuhi - 13/04/2010
28 Hataru - 14/04/2010
29 Sarwarkheda - 15/04/2010
30 Marita - 16/04/2010
Inverter Charging 17/04/2010
31 Barugavhan - 18/04/2010
32 Kamida - 19/04/2010
33 Jarida - 20/04/2010
34 Mehariam - 21/04/2010
35 Awagad - 22/04/2010
36 Ghana - 23/04/2010
37 Khandukheda - 24/04/2010
38 Khadimal - 25/04/2010
39 Chunkhadi - 26/04/2010
If you'd like to participate, please email vishal.p.bansod@gmail.com and manish.sawankar@gmail.com
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The Melghat wildlife estimation exercise - Krishna's blog
Nature lover Krishna Dave has been a member of our Facebook group "Tigers of the Satpudas" for some time. When she read our invitation to volunteer for the wildlife estimation exercise being carried out by Melghat Tiger Reserve, she jumped at the chance to visit and work in this beautiful forest. Her report about the experience brought Melghat alive for me - I have still to go there! Borrowed from her blog Forestogue:
It's been almost a month since (part of me) came back from the forests of Melghat, and ever since then, I have been making plans of going there again...
January 2010 began for many of us with an ever increased concern of losing tigers. At a time when I get wrecked about the dwindling numbers going out of reality - with only 1400 or God forbid minus tigers left, the loss seems inevitable...in the midst of these, when I received an invitation message from Rajashree Khalap of Satpuda Foundation about an estimation exercise, I pounced on the opportunity and got myself to Semadoh, one of the ranges in the three divisions of Melghat Tiger Reserve (1676 sq km). It is located in the northern part of Amravati district in Maharashtra.
Semadoh, as my mum says, is a hindi colloquialism for borders, geographically I cannot say, but metaphorically this place is indeed of "borders," as I could vividly see the two distinct worlds - one that I came from and one that I lived in for seven days.
Travel to Semadoh was a joy ride - from Badnera/Amravati, the landscape on either side of my ST bus was only plains and plateaus and from Paratwada onwards it was only mountains and valley. Indian landscapes have always amazed me with this - anywhere between the radius of 50-60 kms, the landscape just alters and the beauty diversifies. Semadoh is situated on the banks of river Spina.
At Semadoh
From 26 January to 2 February, I was scheduled to be in this forest! I was allotted a beat that was under the supervision of Forester Ms Sheetal Dhande, my camera went berserk taking photos when I would see her in the forester's uniform!
The Semadoh range has around 8 foresters, each has been allotted a beat of roughly around 3000 hectares (30 sq kms), along with three guards and around 8-9 choukidars. Semadoh is one of the five ranges in the division Spina, the other two territorial divisions are Gugamal and Narnala. Along with me the beat was supposed to have two more volunteers, who did not turn up.
My home-sweet-home was the checkpost at Kuwapatti (around 10 kms away from the Semadoh village). Less than 100 sq ft accommodated seven of us, with Your Highness having one room all to myself! At times like these I get inspired to write a book titled "This can happen only in India."
27 January evening, while on a rustic bamboo bench I was cross-examining - how within a span of just 24 hours, I was altogether in a different mental and physical paradigm, with the forest's incessant whistling, dusk falling on treetops, the gridded sky view through a dry canopy, and stars ogling through this grid, in the midst of these glades - was totally ballooned with the thought of being one with the forest for the
next six days...!!
Each day was unique, special and a revelation: the first three days were for carnivorous animals estimation, for which we were given instructions to look for pugmarks, scats and any and all other evidence to estimate the presence of various species of carnivores in our allotted compartment. On an average, every day we climbed (the guards galloped) around 7-8 kms across our allotted area (please see the map below).
Our day would begin at 6 a.m., starting our march at 6.30, all the guards left in different directions, accompanied by one choukidar.
I was fortunate to accompany one on either day, we usually got back by 12.30 - 1 p.m. to our base camp, to have a bath, eat monstrously, write log, fill up forms, meet our forester, either visit her at her quarters in Semadoh or she would visit us at Kuwapatti, both were equally delightful, as that was the only time when our entire team would be together. The last three days we moved along the transect for the herbivore estimation, the guards and we had instructions to cover (to and fro) an allotted transect of 2.5 kms and thus make our observations. (To make it easier, rather than giving you a rundown on each day, I will provide a consolidated version of my overall observation about the forest a little later in my text).
The evenings were for sharing endless talks, as I had a bagful of questions and so did Mr More, one of the guards, who had a strong affinity towards Mumbai - so he would often exhaust me with questions on and about Mumbai. Each time he would pause to dwell on what I said, I tried shifting the conversation asking about the Korku tribesmen, their history, culture and traditions, or to the guards about the forest life, management and their family back home, so this went on for almost all evenings. The evenings were also interspersed with some grocery shopping, cooking, singing folk songs and sighting of flying squirrels - best of all!
Meeting Sundarmala
There was an excellent reason why all three guards stayed together in the same checkpost, in spite of them having one for each. The three checkposts wer Pipalpadav, Kuwapatti and Chadupatti, and we kept meandering between Pipalpadav and Kuwapatti as Chadupatti was home to an elephantess - Sundarmala - which indeed she was, a 55 year old beautiful majestic elephant. She gave us a very touching farewell by taking us on a 4 km ride. Wow! Totally electric.
Random observations
As a southern dry deciduous forest, vegatative diversity varied from around 4-6 tree species per 100 sq mts (approximately), with around 50-60 individuals, the dominant ones are teak, medium sized babool and khaire. The soil is red and with good water retaining capacity. One of the key indicators here is the diversity of shrubs found other than mere lantana, as unlike many forests in the Western Ghats. This certainly confims that there is very little or no human interference. There were some patches, where the diversity was hardly 1-2 species in an area of 100 sq mts. Mainly these were teak and khaire.
Bamboo bushes though planted were well spread across the forest, one of the two species that I noticed has just begun its fatal bloom. The canopy was unusually green due to the November shower. Bird sightings were comparatively poor; the best sighting was of the Serpent Eagle.
Also I must confess I was more gripped in experiencing the core forest than on tracking bird notes. Crows of treepie, bee-eaters, large and small barbets, racket-tailed, ashy and white-bellied drongos...yet the list is quite full.
There were some patches that we visited in the course of our survey which were now completely undisturbed, we were so prone to get lost in the teak labyrinth, eventually getting better with sense of direction. The choukidars seem to have inbuilt binoculars mounted in their eyes. From nowhere they could sight sambars, chital, bison, barking deer, wild boar etc etc...even identifying pugmarks and scats was done by them.
The tigress' territory
My last day's walk was with Thorat, a guard who was allotted the transect near Pipalpadav. It was known that a tigress (whom they are yet to name) has homed in this place since three years now and not bred even once, a lingering indicator of a shrinking gene pool perhaps??
We found fresh pugmarks of her graceful walk all across the banks of a stream that empties near a waterhole named Fitkaripani. One of the Arjuna barks smelt of her territorial marking; the spray was fresh and filled the space with her presence. Drinking water from this stream made me remotely eperience what it is to call a place "my territory" that is not confined to any department, or state, or country. There is no external significance to this territory, but a survival strategy that has worked over evolution, left the place with this thought of oneness and the water within, that has trickled from across forests - an experience that is simply irreplaceable.
Like my little postcard...
Even after extending my stay, like all good things, this too had to come to an end. While I write this to you, I can imagine that the forest will be in its complete fall, simmering golden forest floor with a clear sky embedded in bare branches, the star-kissed sky and the floating flying squirrels, all of these and more is my ticket back there!
I deeply acknowledge Satpuda Foundation/NCSA for sending this angelic invitation, and also my two best friends who came down after my estimation, for whom I happily extended my stay!
Text and photos: Krishna Dave
Melghat Tiger Reserve
It's been almost a month since (part of me) came back from the forests of Melghat, and ever since then, I have been making plans of going there again...
January 2010 began for many of us with an ever increased concern of losing tigers. At a time when I get wrecked about the dwindling numbers going out of reality - with only 1400 or God forbid minus tigers left, the loss seems inevitable...in the midst of these, when I received an invitation message from Rajashree Khalap of Satpuda Foundation about an estimation exercise, I pounced on the opportunity and got myself to Semadoh, one of the ranges in the three divisions of Melghat Tiger Reserve (1676 sq km). It is located in the northern part of Amravati district in Maharashtra.
Semadoh, as my mum says, is a hindi colloquialism for borders, geographically I cannot say, but metaphorically this place is indeed of "borders," as I could vividly see the two distinct worlds - one that I came from and one that I lived in for seven days.
Travel to Semadoh was a joy ride - from Badnera/Amravati, the landscape on either side of my ST bus was only plains and plateaus and from Paratwada onwards it was only mountains and valley. Indian landscapes have always amazed me with this - anywhere between the radius of 50-60 kms, the landscape just alters and the beauty diversifies. Semadoh is situated on the banks of river Spina.
At Semadoh
From 26 January to 2 February, I was scheduled to be in this forest! I was allotted a beat that was under the supervision of Forester Ms Sheetal Dhande, my camera went berserk taking photos when I would see her in the forester's uniform!
The Semadoh range has around 8 foresters, each has been allotted a beat of roughly around 3000 hectares (30 sq kms), along with three guards and around 8-9 choukidars. Semadoh is one of the five ranges in the division Spina, the other two territorial divisions are Gugamal and Narnala. Along with me the beat was supposed to have two more volunteers, who did not turn up.
My home-sweet-home was the checkpost at Kuwapatti (around 10 kms away from the Semadoh village). Less than 100 sq ft accommodated seven of us, with Your Highness having one room all to myself! At times like these I get inspired to write a book titled "This can happen only in India."
27 January evening, while on a rustic bamboo bench I was cross-examining - how within a span of just 24 hours, I was altogether in a different mental and physical paradigm, with the forest's incessant whistling, dusk falling on treetops, the gridded sky view through a dry canopy, and stars ogling through this grid, in the midst of these glades - was totally ballooned with the thought of being one with the forest for the
next six days...!!
Each day was unique, special and a revelation: the first three days were for carnivorous animals estimation, for which we were given instructions to look for pugmarks, scats and any and all other evidence to estimate the presence of various species of carnivores in our allotted compartment. On an average, every day we climbed (the guards galloped) around 7-8 kms across our allotted area (please see the map below).
Our day would begin at 6 a.m., starting our march at 6.30, all the guards left in different directions, accompanied by one choukidar.
I was fortunate to accompany one on either day, we usually got back by 12.30 - 1 p.m. to our base camp, to have a bath, eat monstrously, write log, fill up forms, meet our forester, either visit her at her quarters in Semadoh or she would visit us at Kuwapatti, both were equally delightful, as that was the only time when our entire team would be together. The last three days we moved along the transect for the herbivore estimation, the guards and we had instructions to cover (to and fro) an allotted transect of 2.5 kms and thus make our observations. (To make it easier, rather than giving you a rundown on each day, I will provide a consolidated version of my overall observation about the forest a little later in my text).
The evenings were for sharing endless talks, as I had a bagful of questions and so did Mr More, one of the guards, who had a strong affinity towards Mumbai - so he would often exhaust me with questions on and about Mumbai. Each time he would pause to dwell on what I said, I tried shifting the conversation asking about the Korku tribesmen, their history, culture and traditions, or to the guards about the forest life, management and their family back home, so this went on for almost all evenings. The evenings were also interspersed with some grocery shopping, cooking, singing folk songs and sighting of flying squirrels - best of all!
Meeting Sundarmala
There was an excellent reason why all three guards stayed together in the same checkpost, in spite of them having one for each. The three checkposts wer Pipalpadav, Kuwapatti and Chadupatti, and we kept meandering between Pipalpadav and Kuwapatti as Chadupatti was home to an elephantess - Sundarmala - which indeed she was, a 55 year old beautiful majestic elephant. She gave us a very touching farewell by taking us on a 4 km ride. Wow! Totally electric.
Random observations
As a southern dry deciduous forest, vegatative diversity varied from around 4-6 tree species per 100 sq mts (approximately), with around 50-60 individuals, the dominant ones are teak, medium sized babool and khaire. The soil is red and with good water retaining capacity. One of the key indicators here is the diversity of shrubs found other than mere lantana, as unlike many forests in the Western Ghats. This certainly confims that there is very little or no human interference. There were some patches, where the diversity was hardly 1-2 species in an area of 100 sq mts. Mainly these were teak and khaire.
Bamboo bushes though planted were well spread across the forest, one of the two species that I noticed has just begun its fatal bloom. The canopy was unusually green due to the November shower. Bird sightings were comparatively poor; the best sighting was of the Serpent Eagle.
Also I must confess I was more gripped in experiencing the core forest than on tracking bird notes. Crows of treepie, bee-eaters, large and small barbets, racket-tailed, ashy and white-bellied drongos...yet the list is quite full.
There were some patches that we visited in the course of our survey which were now completely undisturbed, we were so prone to get lost in the teak labyrinth, eventually getting better with sense of direction. The choukidars seem to have inbuilt binoculars mounted in their eyes. From nowhere they could sight sambars, chital, bison, barking deer, wild boar etc etc...even identifying pugmarks and scats was done by them.
The tigress' territory
My last day's walk was with Thorat, a guard who was allotted the transect near Pipalpadav. It was known that a tigress (whom they are yet to name) has homed in this place since three years now and not bred even once, a lingering indicator of a shrinking gene pool perhaps??
We found fresh pugmarks of her graceful walk all across the banks of a stream that empties near a waterhole named Fitkaripani. One of the Arjuna barks smelt of her territorial marking; the spray was fresh and filled the space with her presence. Drinking water from this stream made me remotely eperience what it is to call a place "my territory" that is not confined to any department, or state, or country. There is no external significance to this territory, but a survival strategy that has worked over evolution, left the place with this thought of oneness and the water within, that has trickled from across forests - an experience that is simply irreplaceable.
Like my little postcard...
Even after extending my stay, like all good things, this too had to come to an end. While I write this to you, I can imagine that the forest will be in its complete fall, simmering golden forest floor with a clear sky embedded in bare branches, the star-kissed sky and the floating flying squirrels, all of these and more is my ticket back there!
I deeply acknowledge Satpuda Foundation/NCSA for sending this angelic invitation, and also my two best friends who came down after my estimation, for whom I happily extended my stay!
Text and photos: Krishna Dave
Melghat Tiger Reserve
Sunday, February 21, 2010
This time in Pench...
Cub of the collared tigress. One of last year's litter of four.
Chital stag. Sadly, in their frenzied pursuit of the stripes, few tourists stop to admire these beautiful creatures, no doubt believing that they are relatively "common" and numerous. (Is any wild species really numerous these days?)
Lone Nilgai near Totladoh lake
Golden Jackal
White-eyed Buzzard. Pench is a birder's paradise. Didn't see vultures this time though.
Crested Hawk Eagle (formerly called Changeable Hawk Eagle), clutching a baby langur it had killed.
Photos: Rajashree Khalap
14-15 February, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Our IT education programme launched at Sawra, Pench
Finally - we started the first phase of the IT literacy programme we’ve been planning for villagers near Pench Tiger Reserve.
All of us involved are on a bit of a high, because it's taken quite a lot of co-ordination and it was great to see it go off so well. This is the brainchild of Mumbai volunteer Kirti Chavan. He is too modest to say this himself, so I'm saying it for him. Kirti is an IT professional and one-time trainer with NIIT. Read about his preliminary visit here.
Mumbai volunteer Bipasha Majumder was instrumental in working out our collaboration with the NGO Pratham for this scheme. She works for Pratham and it was she who linked us up, juggling dates and details with amazing persistence. Those who ask what they can do for tiger conservation - here's a possible answer - use your unique skills and position to find the best way you can help the cause.
Here's Kirti's report on the initial training programme, 13, 14, 15 February 2010:
The IT literacy scheme is the latest project of our Employment Cell which teaches new skills to villagers in/around tiger reserves, so they can abandon their traditional forest-destructive livelihoods and at the same time aim for better incomes.
Through this phase we want to impart basic computer education to children of the village. This will not only equip them with new skills but also give them a feel of the progressive world outside the village. As part of the second phase we want to provide specialized training to young adults so that they will be well-equipped to find good jobs in cities.
We selected Sawra village near the reserve boundary as the best site to introduce this programme on a pilot basis. If it works well we will extend it to other villages in the Pench region and then (we hope) to other Reserves as well.
For this project we have collaborated with Pratham, one of the largest NGOs working for education of underprivileged children. As per their model, the trainees selected for the course will (after reaching the required level of competence) then train school children in the village.
On earlier trips to Sawra, Kirti and Sikander Lokhande (Pratham) spoke to children, villagers and school teachers to understand what they wanted to do and what domain of computer literacy would work best for them. The entire exercise was facilitated by SF Conservation Officer Anoop Awasthi, who has a close rapport with the villagers. It was decided that a basic computer learning module was needed which would not only teach children how to use computers but also help them perform better in their school curriculum. As for young adults, there is an immediate need for specialized training which will make them “industry-ready” and will increase their chances of employment. Trainers were identified who could be taught by Pratham and could then act as full-time/part-time trainers who will teach at the village computer centre set up by us.
On 13, 14 and 15 February, two trainers from Pratham visited Sawra with Kirti and carried out their “Train the trainer” programme. Four people did the course: two primary school teachers, Manoj Mankar and Sachin Ambadkar, and two students, Sachin Kodape and Sita Uikey. Trainers Rakhi Mali and Jyoti Phadke shared their lesson plan and teaching tips with them. They did a wonderful job, specially considering that they had to work in a new and unusual environment, and schedule the classes in between power cuts! Do visit our group album to see the photos.
Two desktops had been donated to us for this programme by Mr Bhaskar Shetty (Mumbai) and a laptop by Gautam Berry (Mumbai). We’d like to thank both of them for the donation, and we also thank TCI, who transported them from Mumbai to Amravati without any charge.
The trainees will now practice on assignments and CD-based tutorials for a month, after which Kirti will visit to review their progress. After that they will begin to teach school children.
Feedback about the course has been very encouraging and the children are enthusiastic about this project. This is great news because IT literacy really is a life-changing skill. And needless to say, wildlife there will benefit immensely if these communities stop living off forest resources.
We will need more computers to implement the next stage of this programme. The minimum system requirements are:
Pentium III Computer ( recommended pentium IV upwards )
Processor can be AMD Athelon or Intel or even Celeron
512 MB RAM ( Recommended 1GB )
8GB Hard disk space (Recommended 10GB upwards)
The computer should have CD drive ( working condition) and a USB port
If you can help with this, please email rajashree DOT khalap AT gmail DOT com. Please circulate this to others who may be interested in donating a computer.
Photos: Kirti Chavan
Sawra, Pench Tiger Reserve
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Learn how to be a "Wildlife Conservation Trainer" - NCSA/SF course for young nature lovers
Nature Conservation Society Amravati and Satpuda Foundation have launched a joint programme for young conservationists to become professional "Wildlife Conservation Trainers." Interested young nature lovers would be given an opportunity to learn training techniques under experts like Kishor Rithe, Prof. Nishikant Kale, Prof. Prakash Laddha and Dr. G.N. Vankhede. Specialised training would be given while conducting different training programmes for CBSE school students in Melghat. Young nature lovers can apply for this programme.
If selected, you would be provided an opportunity to participate in the training programme. You will get a certificate of completion at the end of the programme. If the person undergoes at least 4 such training programmes, we will assess them and award them the certificate as a "Wildlife Conservation Trainer". We will also provide these qualified trainers an opportunity to work with NCSA and SF in arranging several training programmes for us in the Satpuda Landscape for which they will also receive honorarium along with travel and other expenses.
Topics covered in the training course:
1) How to conduct a nature study camp
2) How to guide nature walks - exlaining bio-diversity importance properly.
3) How to conduct different nature games
4) Ample knowledge about hard-core conservation issues through lectures of experts
5) How to conduct different field assignments (on conservation and livelihood issues)
6) Time management and activity management
7) Jungle ethics, discipline required for sustainable living
8) Ways of giving back something to the earth
Qualifications:
You should have completed your graduation (in any branch) but MUST have a passion to become a wildlife conservation trainer.
The training fees:
The training fees for trainees would be only Rs.500 per course. This includes mainly their food expenses. They need to bear their own travel and other expenses. Free accommodation and training material.
Dates for course:
Apply for February and March training programmes as follows -
1 Feb-6 Feb 2010
15 Feb-20 Feb 2010
22 Feb to 27 Feb 2010
12 March to 16 March 2010
Selection: The applicants should contact - Rajashree Khalap (rajashree.khalap@gmail.com), Manish Sawankar (manish.sawankar@gmail.com) and Dinesh Kothari (dineshkothari1@gmail.com) and submit their applications. We encourage electronic communication only. The applicants would be informed about their selection in six working days from the date of their application.
If selected, you would be provided an opportunity to participate in the training programme. You will get a certificate of completion at the end of the programme. If the person undergoes at least 4 such training programmes, we will assess them and award them the certificate as a "Wildlife Conservation Trainer". We will also provide these qualified trainers an opportunity to work with NCSA and SF in arranging several training programmes for us in the Satpuda Landscape for which they will also receive honorarium along with travel and other expenses.
Topics covered in the training course:
1) How to conduct a nature study camp
2) How to guide nature walks - exlaining bio-diversity importance properly.
3) How to conduct different nature games
4) Ample knowledge about hard-core conservation issues through lectures of experts
5) How to conduct different field assignments (on conservation and livelihood issues)
6) Time management and activity management
7) Jungle ethics, discipline required for sustainable living
8) Ways of giving back something to the earth
Qualifications:
You should have completed your graduation (in any branch) but MUST have a passion to become a wildlife conservation trainer.
The training fees:
The training fees for trainees would be only Rs.500 per course. This includes mainly their food expenses. They need to bear their own travel and other expenses. Free accommodation and training material.
Dates for course:
Apply for February and March training programmes as follows -
1 Feb-6 Feb 2010
15 Feb-20 Feb 2010
22 Feb to 27 Feb 2010
12 March to 16 March 2010
Selection: The applicants should contact - Rajashree Khalap (rajashree.khalap@gmail.com), Manish Sawankar (manish.sawankar@gmail.com) and Dinesh Kothari (dineshkothari1@gmail.com) and submit their applications. We encourage electronic communication only. The applicants would be informed about their selection in six working days from the date of their application.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Wildlifers can participate in wildlife estimation exercise, Melghat Tiger Reserve
Melghat Tiger Reserve is presently busy in planning their wildlife (carnivore and herbivore) estimation exercise by the line transect method. The Field Director has decided to take the help of serious wildlifers. Those interested in participating in the exercise should enroll their names with Mr. Vishal Bansod (09422916150) before 20th January 2010. You need to fill up their form and submit it to Vishal. The scrutiny committee will soon inform you about your selection on 21st January.
The estimation exercise will take place from 27th January '10 to 2nd February '10 .You need to be physically fit as there is a lot of walking involved, and you will also have to follow all the rules and regulations of MTR.
Winter Nature Study Camp at Melghat - extreme cold didn't bother these enthusiastic youngsters!
NCSA's beautiful Community Resource Centre (CRC) at Melghat is the hub of many exciting activities - it's a biological research station, a meeting place for villagers and government officials, the venue for many skill-building workshops, an organic vegetable farm - and last but not least, it's where bands of enthusiastic school kids come for regular nature study camps.
A report by our Conservation Officer/Education Officer (and Sanctuary Young Naturalist Award winner) Vishal Bansod, on the Nature Study Camp, December 25-28, 2009:
Above: Some of the participants at the Camp
Above: Nature Study Camp group, December 2009
Above: Trekking
Above: The kids with Forest Protection Camp staff, Matakol
Above: At a tribal village
Below: Nature game
“What do you mean by Nature? Conservation? This is the place where you can actually understand these complex terms and issues,” said one of the participants of the Nature Study Camp organized by NCSA during 25-28 December, '09 at our Muthawa Community Resource Centre.
42 kids from Shri Ramkrishna Krida Vidhalaya, Rajeshvari Vidhya Mandir, Golden Kids English High School and School of Scholars participated in this four day Nature Study Camp along with four teachers.
After reaching to the campsite a well-planned programme was conducted right from the initial ice-breaking to the evaluation of the camp. On the first day Vishal Bansod gave an introductory talk to the kids about the area i.e. Melghat Tiger Reserve. During the evening the kids toured the Community Resource Centre (CRC) where they got information about organic farming, bio- diesel and its significance, the plant nursery and its working, water conservation, waste water treatment and other topics. Mr.Kishor Rithe made this visit more meaningful by making it easy for the kids to understand the importance and working of the CRC.
The first day started early in morning with a nature walk. We divided the children into three different groups and visited Thadada Area, Matakol Forest Protection Camp and Junada waterhole. This was a great experience for the kids because many of them for the first time entered a forest on foot. The kids got the opportunity to see many species of birds, plants and butterflies along with mammal pugmarks, a machan, waterholes etc. Afterwards the kids took part in a lively discussion on what they had learned during the walk.
We held some brainstorming sessions conducted by NCSA President Prof. Nishikant Kale and Mr. Prakash Laddha on eco-friendly festivals, Reuse-Reduce-Recycle, climate change and other topics. All the topics were explained with the help of different interactive nature games. These games played a vital role in giving the children important information informally, and many solutions came out during discussions.
On the last day Mr. Kishor Rithe delivered a lecture on “Importance of the forest and its relation with human beings.” During the afternoon session the kids visited the tribal villages Kotha and Bori. During this visit they came across many issues like livelihood, health and education. We held a separate discussion on this topic and the kids realized that not a single piece of forest can be protected without the help of local people living there. To evaluate the Camp we had organized a nature quiz. All three groups did well in this nature quiz but the Dolar group did exceptionally well and win the game.
Mr. Atul Tikhe, Amit Wadatkar, Adwait Keole, Neharu Yeole, Gajanan Shanware, Maroti Alokar and Sachin Ingole took painstaking efforts to make this camp possible.
Vishal Bansod
Conservation Officer & Education Officer
NCSA
A report by our Conservation Officer/Education Officer (and Sanctuary Young Naturalist Award winner) Vishal Bansod, on the Nature Study Camp, December 25-28, 2009:
Above: Some of the participants at the Camp
Above: Nature Study Camp group, December 2009
Above: Trekking
Above: The kids with Forest Protection Camp staff, Matakol
Above: At a tribal village
Below: Nature game
“What do you mean by Nature? Conservation? This is the place where you can actually understand these complex terms and issues,” said one of the participants of the Nature Study Camp organized by NCSA during 25-28 December, '09 at our Muthawa Community Resource Centre.
42 kids from Shri Ramkrishna Krida Vidhalaya, Rajeshvari Vidhya Mandir, Golden Kids English High School and School of Scholars participated in this four day Nature Study Camp along with four teachers.
After reaching to the campsite a well-planned programme was conducted right from the initial ice-breaking to the evaluation of the camp. On the first day Vishal Bansod gave an introductory talk to the kids about the area i.e. Melghat Tiger Reserve. During the evening the kids toured the Community Resource Centre (CRC) where they got information about organic farming, bio- diesel and its significance, the plant nursery and its working, water conservation, waste water treatment and other topics. Mr.Kishor Rithe made this visit more meaningful by making it easy for the kids to understand the importance and working of the CRC.
The first day started early in morning with a nature walk. We divided the children into three different groups and visited Thadada Area, Matakol Forest Protection Camp and Junada waterhole. This was a great experience for the kids because many of them for the first time entered a forest on foot. The kids got the opportunity to see many species of birds, plants and butterflies along with mammal pugmarks, a machan, waterholes etc. Afterwards the kids took part in a lively discussion on what they had learned during the walk.
We held some brainstorming sessions conducted by NCSA President Prof. Nishikant Kale and Mr. Prakash Laddha on eco-friendly festivals, Reuse-Reduce-Recycle, climate change and other topics. All the topics were explained with the help of different interactive nature games. These games played a vital role in giving the children important information informally, and many solutions came out during discussions.
On the last day Mr. Kishor Rithe delivered a lecture on “Importance of the forest and its relation with human beings.” During the afternoon session the kids visited the tribal villages Kotha and Bori. During this visit they came across many issues like livelihood, health and education. We held a separate discussion on this topic and the kids realized that not a single piece of forest can be protected without the help of local people living there. To evaluate the Camp we had organized a nature quiz. All three groups did well in this nature quiz but the Dolar group did exceptionally well and win the game.
Mr. Atul Tikhe, Amit Wadatkar, Adwait Keole, Neharu Yeole, Gajanan Shanware, Maroti Alokar and Sachin Ingole took painstaking efforts to make this camp possible.
Vishal Bansod
Conservation Officer & Education Officer
NCSA
Friday, January 15, 2010
December '09 Activity Report
Lots of community conservation activities as always in our project areas. Here are some snaps sent by our VP Giri Venkatesan:
Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve:
Above: Kalapani waterhole before "shramdaan" (voluntary work)...
Above: ...and after
Above: Cleaning approach road to Moharli Gate of plastic litter
Above: Wildlife film screening at Mudholi
Pench National Park
Above: Field Assistant Dilip Lanjewar talks to school children at Zinzeria (Pench Maharashtra)
Above: Sawra villagers learn the art of selling T-shirts (Pench, Maharashtra)
Above, below: School kids learn about nature and wildlife - Turia (Pench, Madhya Pradesh)
Above, below: Building stop dam at Sawra (Pench, Maharashtra)
Below: The result of their labours - the check dam! These little dams are very important because they create water bodies which act as drinking spots for animals (wild and domestic). They also help recharge the water table.
Above: Villagers help build a stop dam at Khamrith (Pench, Madhya Pradesh)
Above: Creating a waterhole near Ghatpendari (Pench, Maharashtra)
Below: The waterhole
Kanha National Park
Above: Awareness programme for school children
Above: Workshop on functioning of village development committee, Chapri
Above: Anti-plastic campaign at Batwar
Above: Making a check dam at Sautiya
Above: Check dam at Patpara
Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve:
Above: Kalapani waterhole before "shramdaan" (voluntary work)...
Above: ...and after
Above: Cleaning approach road to Moharli Gate of plastic litter
Above: Wildlife film screening at Mudholi
Pench National Park
Above: Field Assistant Dilip Lanjewar talks to school children at Zinzeria (Pench Maharashtra)
Above: Sawra villagers learn the art of selling T-shirts (Pench, Maharashtra)
Above, below: School kids learn about nature and wildlife - Turia (Pench, Madhya Pradesh)
Above, below: Building stop dam at Sawra (Pench, Maharashtra)
Below: The result of their labours - the check dam! These little dams are very important because they create water bodies which act as drinking spots for animals (wild and domestic). They also help recharge the water table.
Above: Villagers help build a stop dam at Khamrith (Pench, Madhya Pradesh)
Above: Creating a waterhole near Ghatpendari (Pench, Maharashtra)
Below: The waterhole
Kanha National Park
Above: Awareness programme for school children
Above: Workshop on functioning of village development committee, Chapri
Above: Anti-plastic campaign at Batwar
Above: Making a check dam at Sautiya
Above: Check dam at Patpara
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
