Gods’ Gardens
In Tamil Nadu, the relationship between humans and plants extends beyond utility into culture, tradition, and religion. Tree worship is among the earliest known forms of human devotion. In Sangam literature, the heroine of Natrrinai addresses the punnai tree (Alexandrian laurel) as her sister. Trees like neem, banyan, peepul, fig, and palmyra are still worshipped […]
Traditional Fishers Turn Rescuers in a Win for Declining Marine Wildlife
Coastal fishers in Tamil Nadu are forgoing hunting practices and instead increasingly rescuing dolphins, turtles, and dugongs during nearshore fishing operations…
Forest governance
This opinion piece examines decentralisation in forest governance and the role of the Forest Rights Act in empowering community forest management.
What an Edible Insects Stall Revealed About Acceptance, Normal Food
Despite their nutritional and environmental benefits, insect-based foods are losing popularity. Urbanisation has created cultural distance from traditional practices.
Market Gaps Reshape Farming and Economy in the Mountains
Poor connectivity, weak price discovery, and dependence on intermediaries undermine farm viability in the Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas.
Revitalising Open Natural Ecosystems Through India’s National Red List Assessment Initiative
Open Natural Ecosystems cover nearly 10% of India’s land area and support rural livelihoods. This article explores India’s National Red List initiative to assess and conserve them.
Institutional expertise meets judicial confusion in the Aravalli hills definition case
Down To Earth | 30 December, 2025 Sachin Pernacca Sashidhar, Milind Bunyan, Kripa MK, Abi T Vanak The Supreme Court’s now-stayed definition of the Aravalli Range relies on a 100-metre height threshold that could exclude most of the landscape. Scientists and environmental groups warn the move ignores decades of ecological research on how the Aravallis […]
World Soil Day: Grassland Soils, Not Trees, Anchor India’s Climate Resilience
“Wastelands”. That’s how India’s biodiverse semi-arid grasslands and savannas have been undervalued ever since the British colonial era. For the masters, the woody forests of the subcontinent fuelled industrialisation, while the grassy biomes served no purpose in their timber-driven colonisation.
The Cascading Effect of Melting Glaciers From the Third Pole
International Mountain Day was first celebrated on 11 December 2003, following a United Nations General Assembly resolution that designated it a global observance to highlight the importance of mountains and promote sustainable mountain development. But long before the world agreed to mark the date, mountain peoples across continents had already honoured their peaks with reverence, […]
The villagers’ Coexistence with Crocodiles.
The article discusses how villagers living near the Kali River region in Uttara Kannada district have developed a unique and harmonious way of coexisting with mugger crocodiles (locally called moṇale). Although crocodiles are commonly seen near human settlements, attacks are extremely rare because both people and wildlife have adapted to each other over time.
