Vol 1:2
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July 2003
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Branches@ATREE(A
Bimonthly Newsletter)
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Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment |
Bangalore Office
659 5th A Main, Hebbal Bangalore 560 024 Tel: 080-353 3942,353 0069 Fax: 353 0070 Delhi Office B-80 Shivalik New Delhi 110 017 Tel/Fax: 011-266 93299 266 93190 Eastern Himalayas Office Bagdogra 734 422 Tel/Fax:0353-255 1110 255 0093 Advisory Board
Executive Board |
FIELD COURSE IN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(Department of Science & Technology, Government of India) June 16 –30, 2003,Bangalore. Several leading conservation biologists from
within and outside the country delivered the lectures. After the
first 5 days of lectures, the participants were taken to BR hills
for a real life experience in conservation biology, where they
completed a short field project, followed by a presentation in
Bangalore before a panel of experts. CONSERVATION & SOCIETY An International Journal, Conservation and Society (www.conservationandsociety.org) is a path breaking peer-reviewed journal committed to bridging the gulf between the natural and social sciences in the environmental sphere. It has an international Editorial Board. The first issue of this journal was released at the eco-informatics workshop in Bangalore on June 9, 2003. It is published by Sage Publishers India, private limited. SASYA SAHYADRI A CD on the flora of the Western Ghats called Sasya Sahyadri was presented to Dr. A.M. Krishnappa, Vice Chancellor of the University of Agricultural Sciences at the eco-informatics |
workshop inaugural session
on June 9, 2003 at the Chancery Hotel in Bangalore.
Dr. K.N. Ganeshaiah, Dr. Uma Shaanker, senior fellows
at ATREE and professors of the University Agricultural Sciences (UAS),
Bangalore with their team have succeeded in the unique achievement
of creating a database of the entire plant and tree species of the
1000 kms long Western Ghats. This 6-year project representing and
containing information to the equivalent of 1.4 lakh pages is the
first Indian digital plant database of Western Ghats. SUBSCRIPTION GRANT AWARDS ATREE awarded subscription grants to 45 meritorious
Indian scientists to provide access to the latest information in conservation
science. All 45 were given a 1-year subscription to Conservation and
Society. In addition, 10 of these scientists were selected for a 1-year
subscription to Biotropica, and 8 were selected for a 1-year subscription
to Conservation Biology. ATREE believes that access to quality information
will catalyze good research in conservation science. Ms Preethi Mony, Senior research associate is involved in plaNETwork, ATREE’s conservation education program. Preethi has a Masters degree in Interdisciplinary Ecology from University of Florida, USA. Ms. Devaki Panini, Outreach and Policy Co-ordinator has completed her Bachelor of Law degree from University of Delhi and postgraduate diploma in Environmental Law from the Centre for Environmental Law, World Wide Fund for Nature-India, New Delhi. ATREE-NATP FIELD LABORATORY, SRINGERI A field laboratory has been set up at Sringeri in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka with accommodation and communication facilities. This laboratory will primarily service the project “Influence of Different Land-use Corridors on Insect Pests and their Natural Enemies in Paddy |
Agroecosystems” funded by the National Agricultural Technology Project. For details contact: ATREE-NATP Field station, Ganesh Nilaya, Mallappa street, Sringeri 577139. Tel: 08265-551686. Email: sinu@atree.org) RECENT EVENTS Ms. Sheila Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi releases the CD on Key Environmental Concerns of Delhi WORKSHOP ON POLICIES, MANAGEMENT, UTILIZATION AND CONSERVATION OF NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS IN THE SOUTH ASIA REGION. April 28-30,2003 Bangalore |
SUMMARY OF THE VACATION TRAINING PROGRAMS ON BIORESOURCES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. May7-June 5, 2003, National Capital Region May 12-
31, 2003, Bangalore Field trips (BRT Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Great
Himalayan National Park, Satpura National Park) were arranged for
participants to give them a field perspective and to expose them to
scientific tools of bioresource conservation and management viz.,
waste management, renewable energy resources, GIS, etc. Students were
taught low impact camping, rope climbing, trekking, etc. OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING INITIATIVE (OELI) Oct 2002– Feb 2003, National Capital Region
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NEW LINKAGES ATREE and Biodiversity Conservation Society (promoted by the Govt. of Himachal Pradesh) have signed an MoU to work on conservation education, especially outdoor environmental learning in and around Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), Himachal Pradesh. The Biodiversity Conservation Society (BiodCS) shares responsibility for the management of GHNP. ATREE and BiodCS. It would jointly work towards developing at GHNP, a world-class facility for conservation education. The activities resulting from the MoU would be organised under ATREE’s plaNETwork program. ATREE has been involved in capacity building programs and development of curriculum materials for school children on environmental issues. ATREE professionals participated in various training programs conducted by Department of Environment, Govt. of Delhi for school teachers in-charge of environment education activities in Delhi schools. Work has just been completed on a set of five slide packs focussing on 5 key environmental concerns of Delhi. Supported by the Government of Delhi, these slide packs focus on issues specific to Delhi. These are now being made available to interested schools free of cost. ASOLA CONSERVATION EDUCATION PROGRAM (SUPPORTED BY THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION, NEW DELHI) ATREE is collaborating with Government of Delhi to develop Asola Wildlife Sanctuary as an educational destination for students in general, especially those involved with school based eco-clubs in Delhi schools. The project has several components, including the creation of a nature trail and an interpretation center at Asola. Asola has the distinction of being the only protected area in the city of Delhi. In addition, facilities would be created for screening of films/documentaries for visiting students and general public. A film on the role of protected area network in conservation of our biological heritage is also in the final stages of production. |
As a part of the project, orientation modules to sensitize teachers and school administrators on importance of outdoor environmental learning have been organized and more are planned in the coming months. The project is likely to be completed by September 2003. CAPACITY BUILDING ATREE conducted a four-day training program on outdoor environmental learning techniques for 39 teachers from Delhi schools. The program was conducted at Churdhar Environmental Learning Facility (developed by ATREE under its plaNETwork program) from 22nd –25th March, 2003. The program was conducted as a part of the Asola Conservation Education Project with support from the British High Commission. ATREE collaborated with Department of Environment, Government of Delhi and the National Museum of Natural History, Govt. of India to conduct the training program. PRESENTATIONS BY ATREE STAFF Biotechnological approaches to transfer genes
across species limits (two lectures), K.R. Shivanna, Department
of Applied Botany Potential to Improve Seedling Quality in Restoration Efforts
Using Newer Techniques |
Greening rural schools: Environmental education in Kanakapura, Karnataka by A. Kavitha, G.Joseph at the National Seminar on Ecorestoration Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development. on June 3 - 5, 2003 at Visakapatnam. GRANTS RECEIVED Workshop on "Policies, Management, Utilisation and Conservation
of Non-timber-Forest Products in the South Asian Region"
Funded by FAO, for $ 20,000. PI: Dr. Gladwin Joseph Report by Ganeshaiah, K. N. and Uma Shaanker, R., 2003, A Decade of Diversity, ATREE and UAS, Bangalore K.S.Murali, A.Kavitha and R.P.Harish. R. Ganesan, Identification distribution and conservation of Phyllanthus indofischeri, another source of Indian gooseberry. Current Science vol.84; 1515-1518, 2003. Ravikanth, G., R. Uma Shaanker, and K.N. Ganeshaiah, 2002. Identification
of hot spots of species richness and genetic variability in rattans
- an approach using GIS and molicular tools. Plant Genetic
Resources Newsletter 132: 17-21.
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