Students, community collect seeds to restore elephant habitats in Assam
Students, community collect seeds to restore elephant habitats in Assam
The Shillong Times
April 26, 2024
See link
https://theshillongtimes.com/2024/04/26/students-community-collect-seeds-to-restore-elephant-habitats-in-assam/
for photo.
A leading research-driven biodiversity conservation organisation, Aaranyak (
www.aaranyak.org) has collaborated with local schools and community groups
to launch a seeds collection drive throughout Udalguri and Baksa districts
of Assam as part its larger goal of restoration of degraded elephant
habitats in the region.
As part of a such recent initiative to collect seeds of native elephant
fodder species in Udalguri and Baksa districts, the NGO engaged 60 students
from Rajiv Gandhi Memorial High School, Sapangaon and 50 students from
Saint Paul School, Bhairabkunda in Udalguri and community members from
Madhupur and Subankhata in Baksa and Kundarbil in Udalguri.
Explaining the spirit of the initiative Aaranyak’s conservation biologist
Dr Alolika Sinha said, “Based on field surveys and literature review, we
gained insights on elephant fodder plants in the wild. Accordingly, we have
been conducting seed collection drives seasonally engaging local
communities and students from the villages to raise them in our nursery,
and consequently plant the saplings at the habitat revival site in the
appropriate season.”
Together the groups collected seeds of native species such as Bel (Aegle
marmelos), Odal (Sterculia villosa), Arjun (Terminalia arjuna) and Thekera
tenga (Garcinia pedunculata), for raising in Aaranyak’s nursery and
eventually planting them at the habitat restoration site in Udalguri
district.
Aaranyak, for instance, is actively involved in restoring degraded habitat
of elephants in Udalguri district with support from SBI Foundation to
reduce conflict between the indigenous communities and threatened Asian
elephants.
A guided nature-walk around Rajiv Gandhi Memorial High School and a
plantation drive with Saint Paul School students provided students with
educational opportunities, fostering a better understanding of the natural
environment.
Aaranyak also procured Atlas (Custard Apple) (Annona reticulata) seeds to
be raised in another community-managed nursery of Aaranyak at Badlapara in
Udalguri.
Aaranyak believes that such initiatives as undertaken on April 22 last
facilitate long-term collaboration with schools and communities to conserve
biodiversity and empower residents to become stewards of respective local
ecosystems.
This initiative was made possible through the coordination of Aaranyak’s
officials Rabiya Daimari, Abhijit Saikia, Mondeep Basumatari, Didom
Daimari, Bineswar Daimari, Jiban Chetry, Jaugashar Basumatary, Dibakar
Nayak, Bikas Tossa, and Pradip Barman. Community volunteer Binay Kumar Boro
also played a key role in the success of the initiative.
The research-driven conservation non-profit has been working with the
students and community members to raise awareness about biodiversity
conservation by actively contributing to ecosystem restoration.