Eco Club Activites 2018-19
“It is inconceivable that humankind, with all its noble achievements, can stay indifferent to the destruction of
bio-sphere any more. We must imperatively change our attitudes and agree to
live modestly and realistically – all for the sake of the future- which is not
ours but which we have borrowed from future generations.
Humans are running the environmental equivalent of deficit budget, which is
only sustained by plundering our capital base. Over exploiting fisheries,
overgrazing pasture until it becomes desert, destroying forests and polluting
our oceans and atmosphere”.
With the above concepts in mind,
volunteers of Vanodaya approached
the schools to catch the young students at an impressionable age. Eco Club is
one of the growing activities for Vanodaya.
From a just one school since the idea germinated, the branches widened to three schools this year. We zeroed
on Chottanahalli, Dhangur and Byadarahalli Government High Schools this time to expose children to
nature and instill an awareness,
and the need for sustaining
biosphere for our own benefits. The target group was about fifty ninth standard students from each school, as the 10th standard students would
have more responsibility towards studies and we did not want to burden them.
The event started in July
‘18, a day in a month spanning over 5 months. The students were segregated into 6 groups with name of animal or birds of
their choice. The students were first introduced to the complex Eco-system through a PPT on varieties of Flora and
Fauna, types of forests in India and Karnataka, importance of forests in maintaining ecological balance, a video on Nagarahole Sanctuary, followed by an anthem. To sustain
the interest, we assigned them to write an essay on forest or draw animals of
their choice.
Next we introduced them to Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, to which they
had immediate connect and concern, as these schools -are on the periphery of
CWLS. The species endemic to CWLS – Grizzled Giant Squirrel, the need for
protecting this endangered species and
pride we need to feel was - emphasized. A video on river Cauvery was shown.
This time the groups had to choose a
tree, draw it and a write up of its property and usefulness was the task given.
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| Bird watching activity @ Dhanagur High School |
The following month they were all taken out in groups for field
activity of birding, through which they were able to identify the birds by
size, colors, call and habitat and their role in weeding out pests and insects
and also how they provide ecosystem services such as seed dispersal. . We
advised them to note down the birds they were able to watch in their
surroundings with date and time of the activity in the coming days.
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| Bird watching activity @ Dhanagur High School |
In the fourth month, it was a
proactive video on ‘Nali-Kali’, where the group learnt about the basic
essentials for survival like water, food and abode. How much space, water and
food are required for each species of
herbivores, like Elephants, chitals, Big Carnivores like Leopard and Bears for
their sustenance was discussed. The
impact of Forest Fire viz., deliberate,
negligence and vengeance were shared.
The increasing man-animal conflict as
forests are encroached upon and the mitigating measures were discussed.
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| Student interaction during the Nali Kali activity |
Finally, a recap of the previous sessions and a documentary on
tigers – “Truth About Tigers” to round it off.
They had by then assimilated enough to understand that Tiger count is a
good indicator of the forest cover. The harm of overgrazing by livestock in the
forest or the havoc fire causes to the habitat was intensely shown. This was signed off with prizes to five students from each school who had
participated and performed best in various activities. An identity card as
Cauvery Eco Club member and Vanodaya Logo was given to them as recognition. The
programme concluded on 2nd Feb 2019.
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| Prize distribution @ ChottanahaLLi High School |
At the end of the day, it was an amazing response from some of the
students, the maturity they showed in the essays and the subtle details
revealed that their concern for nature was genuine. If shaped properly they
would be assets for conservation in future.
Some of them with genuine care, called the department or Vanodaya, when they noticed fires in the
forest. Few other valuable information
was gathered. The officials in the schools were also very gracious in allowing
us to do this activity. One school deserves special mention here. Dhangur, with a very dedicated taskmaster in
its Head Mistress had an Eco Club of their own. The school had several
activities under this, and in collaboration with the Forest department, had
taken the students for a nature camp in Bheemeshwari.
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| Take Home activities by students |
The willing students with the written approval from their parents
were invited for an extended birding session with Vanodaya during their summer
holidays.
Much of the students
enthusiasm were gratifying as they eagerly awaited our arrival every month. Their concern was
serious for nature, as could be made out by their probing questions.
For the volunteers of Vanodaya it was a very contented experience of
sharing knowledge and doing our - bit for
conservation.
This activity is part
of the larger core awareness activity that Vanodaya engages at all levels of
the society.
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