Their species is almost as rare as some of the trees they protect. However, that does not mean they spend all day among the flora and fauna they care about.
At the second such meeting of South Indian Tree Planters, the participants included an auto driver, a police officer, teachers and IT students. All of them were people who set aside time from their regular schedules to plant trees, and do their bit to make the earth greener.
Organised by the Aranya Forest and Sanctuary, Auroville, at its Biodiversity Conservation and Education Centre, the meeting was attended by around 200 participants, which included activists, volunteers and students, apart from tree planters from Puducherry, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The meeting was also supported by Sri Aurobindo International Institute for Educational Research (SAIIER), Tamil Heritage Centre, Auroville and Sembadugai Naneeragam, Puducherry.
D. Saravanan of Aranya Forest and Sanctuary, says, “As tree planters of South India, we have decided to form a core group through which we can share experiences, manpower, seedlings and resources. We are also looking at financing options so we can sustain our activities. The tree planters are regular people, and most often have no access to funds.”
C.D. Suneesh of NGO Uravu in Waynad, Kerala, says, “The tree planters are not just conserving biodiversity. They are giving a gift to generations who will follow, and preserving eco-values in the process.”
The Aranya Forest and Sanctuary has been conducting environmental education activities and awareness programmes for school and college students for around two decades. “While there is a move to include environmental awareness in school curriculum, more needs to be done. We also focus on educating schoolteachers, who are instrumental in shaping young minds,” says Mr. Saravanan.
Awards
The event also witnessed the distribution of the Biodiversity Excellence Awards to eight environmentalists who have worked for the cause of environment education, wildlife conservation, research, awareness and preservation of culture.
The awards in its second year honour grass roots workers.
M.L. Thangappa, research scholar and founder of Puducherry Naturalists Society, M. Selvacoumar, schoolteacher, S. Guruvayurappan, Project Officer (South India), Wildlife Protection Society of India, S. Chandrasekaran, S. Bharathidasan, R. Anebalagane, teacher and artist, V. Ramalingam, trainer in environment education and V.M. Shanmugadas, journalist were the awardees.
“Forests can help conserve 70 per cent of rainwater and replenish groundwater. Those interested in afforestation must study the land’s history and availability of plants and trees in the region,” says Mr. Saravanan.
