SAIIER 2018:Awareness camps on bio-diversity conservation

Factors and interventions influencing students' attitude towards mathematics		Aurofilm
Awareness camps on bio-diversity conservation A project of Aranya Forest

Entity::Aranya is a service unit primarily focusing on awareness about natural and cultural perspectives, ecology and environment, for school-going kids, teachers, teenagers, local communities and NGOs.

Aranya started as a soil reclamation project done on 100 acres, funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Since then the Aranya community has been in existence. The forest has been established and various activities have been taken up to explore awareness in Natural Resource Management and Conservation, primarily for school students and other interested groups. Aranya works closely with SAIIER towards awareness and education on environmental issues, bio-diversity conservation, natural resource management, etc.

Description of project:

This project aims to increase awareness on bio-diversity conservation and revitalize traditional knowledge and culture through hosting camps and visits at Aranya. Children attend awareness camps where they explore our Adventure Zone and are exposed to various landscapes of forest, canyons and lake ecosystems. They learn to identify birds, butterflies, snakes, reptiles and animals, play on the rope bridge, flying fox, and tree huts, and are offered our display of posters, books, periodicals and audio-visual equipment.

Outcomes:

We provided trainings, workshops and seminars to the school students, teachers, research scholars, NGOs, self-help groups, Government organizations, and Panchayat leaders. Members of bio-diversity conservation groups participated through nursery raising and plantation activities in Aranya Forest.

Under the supervision and guidance of the Project Director, experts on plants, animals, ecology, social and cultural sectors were involved during the programme days. Around 3,000 school children and others were benefitted from these activities as detailed below (see table in PDF report).