Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment

Internship opportunities at:

• Vanastree: The Malnad Home Garden and Seed Collective, Sirsi, India.

This page helps you to find information on Internship at ATREE.

Coordination contact person:
Rashmi Shet
email: internship(at)atree(dot)org

Internship at ATREE
ATREE provides internship opportunities to interested individuals who may participate in a wide variety of capacities and projects, depending on their skills and interests. Various options of fieldwork and project work are available. Forest field research is discouraged if interns do not possess a permit.

Eligibility

• Academic background
  Undergraduate, Graduate or Post Graduate students with interest in areas such as sustainable development, community forestry, agronomy, ecology, biology, environmental education, rural development, conservation, ecological economics , environmental sociology, etc.
• Skills and experience
  Flexibility and willingness to work are key requirements for this internship. ATREE is involved in various projects and programs in the field of conservation and livelihoods. These are subject to change with little notice. ATREE would certainly facilitate in matching interests of the intern with the current projects, however an intern with varied interests can adapt better to the job profile. Other requirements include: organizational skills, writing and communication skills, computer skills, field experience relating to intern's academic interests (e.g. scientific, research, GIS, education) and ability to work independently.
• Language requirements
  The candidate should be able to speak, read and write English

Requirements

• Resume
• Application
• Letter of Purpose
• Reference Letter

Fellows and their areas of work

• Conservation Genetics: species-specific research, genetic diversity maps of flora and fauna,
  evaluation of the socio-economic causes and consequences of genetic resource loss on the
  livelihoods of forest communities (more...)
• Conservation Planning: remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) analysis
  of the spatial distribution of biodiversity, land-use, forest cover and watersheds, natural resource planning and management, ecological economics. Interns are required who have knowledge of Web GIS application and programming. (more...)
• Conservation and Livelihoods: forest-based community enterprises, women's self-help groups and
  micro-enterprises, participatory resource management, initiation and development of sustainable agroforestry systems (more...)
• Conservation Ecology and Management: research projects looking at regeneration and dynamics in
  tropical dry forest ecosystems, especially the effects of anthropogenic fires, and of invasive
  species (e.g., mechanisms of invasive species success and barriers to restoration of native
  species) (more...)
• Urban Environmental Education: summer education programs and camps, school-year field trips and
  presentations, curriculum development for hands-on conservation studies, teacher manuals (more...)
• Rural Environmental Education: linking urban and rural schools, setting up school-yard living
  laboratories, such as a butterfly and medicinal plant gardens, useful and endangered tree gardens,
  etc., and developing educational modules to use this resource, teacher training, village
  biodiversity surveys, curriculum development for hands-on conservation studies (more...)

Additional Information

Internship Costs

Frequently Asked Questions

Download Application Form

Contacts:

For all necessary information Please mail to: internship(at)atree(dot)org

Other information:

Useful information for foreign interns...

VANASTREE - The Malnad Forest Garden and Seed Keepers' Collective

The internship opportunity
ATREE and Vanastree offer you an internship opportunity to spend time with a local
seed collective in the Malnad region of the Western Ghats.

The collective

Vanastree began in the summer of 2001 in the hilly Malenadu region of the Western Ghats in Southern India, which is regarded as a biodiversity hot spot. Like other areas, this region too faces the problem of deforestation, and as a consequence the loss of biodiversity. The area has a large number of forest home gardens that are an intrinsic part of the mosaic of reserve forests, spice
orchards, paddy fields, and homesteads. The home garden is emphasized as a means to halt the downward spiral of deforestation and
species loss. Home gardens are repositories of biological diversity and therefore a source of food security, nutrition, and medicine, with opportunities to generate a stable, alternative source of income.

The collective has a modest seed collection and is documenting home garden diversity of the area. It has also begun producing and marketing ecologically responsible products developed from Malnad garden produce both locally and in urban centres such as Pune and Bangalore, with a relative amount of success. The collective has also organized Seed Festivals that provide members with the opportunity to sell and exchange organic, local, open-pollinated seeds along with other products ranging from aromatic herbal hair oil and recycled-fabric patchwork bags to packaged local snacks and spices. Other like-minded local NGOs are invited to participate, including groups such
as Prakruti, Kalpavriksh, ATREE, The Concerned for Working Children and Sameeksha Ayurvedalaya (a medical centre).

The internship is based from a small farm in Karkolli Village northwest of Sirsi, Karnataka. The farm, “Huthina Betta” (Hill of Termite Mounds), is a 9 acre-plot of formerly derelict land that is actively being reforested, cultivated into biodiverse home garden plots with a small forest nursery and multiple ongoing projects in green architecture and design, and simple, yet comfortable, living.

Job description

Activities may include research, documentation and writing, field visits, practical work on the farm in the nursery, vegetable garden, tree planting, earth work, seed sorting and packing, graphic design/art work, manual work, specific help with festivals or workshops, and any other tasks that the intern has taken on.

There are always many projects underway and therefore a considerable amount of freedom to discuss and determine what type of work is most suitable for applicants.

A typical 3 month internship will include:

• Arrival, and selection of work (2 weeks at the most)
• Internship work (Monday to Friday). At least 1-2 weekend homestays with
  farmers’ families, who are part of the collective, will be arranged per month.
  This will be a good way to learn about and absorb local culture and
  information.
• Concluding part including report submission/presentation of work done (2 wks)
• Longer internships can also be discussed as also internship openings for
  graduate and doctoral students.

Start date: Internship opportunities are available throughout the year.

Winter/spring (October - March) is by far the best time for people from the temperate world. However, summers are not that bad especially if you stay indoors in the afternoon. Mangoes and jackfruit and other summer goodies are a treat only in this season. The monsoon will be a challenge unless you love the rain or are mad about frogs and mushrooms that abound in the area.

Qualifications: students with a background in any of the following fields are
encouraged to apply

• Tropical agro-forestry (including nursery and seed work)
• Agriculture (including practical work)
• Ecology, environment and development issues
• Graphic design and Art (including computer skills)
• Marketing or social entrepreneurship
• Product and package design
• Carpentry, masonry, hands-on work (for our green architecture and design)

Language: English. Kannada is useful but not absolutely necessary. However, an enthusiasm to learn and preparation before leaving will go a long way in enabling better interactions with the people of the collective.

Other: It is important that students arrive at Vanastree - Malnad Forest Garden and Seed Keepers’ Collective, Sirsi, with enthusiasm and interest in the work of the collective, an open heart and mind, and a cheerful demeanour to complement the friendly, welcoming and active people of the region. General physical fitness and mental preparation to live and participate in the activities of the community are also necessary. Interns are expected to be highly motivated and work independently although the supervisor will also be closely involved in the planning and execution of the work taken on. Being able to cycle will be an asset.

Local activities: Weekends may be used to visit nearby areas. For big city thrills, Bangalore is an overnight bus ride away and Goa and Mangalore on the coast are 5 hours and 7 hours away, respectively.

Costs: Please check with Sunita Rao for the costs involved (contact details below).

Applications
Please apply with your detailed CV, Statement of Purpose, details of your skill set and the areas you would like to work in, to:

Ms. Sunita Rao
Karkolli Village
Hulekal - 581 336
Karnataka, India
malnadseeds(at)gmail(dot)com OR vanastree(at)gmail(dot)com