This year, the
students of Krushnamurthy Foundation’s Sahyadri International school got first chance to enjoy the lessons of Wildlife Conservation in Melghat Tiger Reserve through a special five day long training course. The course concluded successfully recently at our Muthawa community Resource Centre.
There were two batches of around 22 students each from standard 7th participated in the training course. This special course has been launched by NCSA for CBSE schools since 2009 and is designed in such a way that it helps our future generations understand the importance of ecology and the urgent need for its conservation.
The first batch reached to the Muthawa Centre very late in the evening, leaving them exhausted. But after watching the avian & floral biodiversity present at the centre, their fatigue just disappeared. There was good mix of indoor and outdoor programme for both of the batches during the course. On the first day, the students learnt about the Medicinal plants, Organic Horticulture farm, Bio-diesel plant developed at Muthawa Centre. After the delicious lunch, they had the Biodiversity module conducted by wildlife conservationist Kishor Rithe. The field assignment was very fascinating for students as well as teachers.
During the course, there were several modules by our wildlife lovers who were expert in their respective fields. They covered almost everything from Bio-diversity, Environmental Conservation, Sustainable Development, Energy Conservation and were conducted by Kishor Rithe, Adwait Keole, Nandkishor Dudhe, Amit Wadatkar, Prof. Mrs. Deshmukh, Energy expert Prof. Nishikant Kale, naturalist Vishal Bansod, Prof, Sawan Deshmukh, Jayant Wadatkar, Dr Vishal Wadekar, Atul Tikhe, Dr Paresh Phalak and Green Teacher Prakash Laddha. Students learnt these modules through different learning tools and methods like field assignments, nature games, group discussions, films and power point presentations. They all were very informative and enjoyed by students.
The module on learning about sustainable development by conducting a socio-economic survey in a village was most fascinating for the students. This visits helped them understand the tribal lifestyle, educational, cultural and economic conditions. The audio-visual techniques are the latest teaching & learning tools. Films on Tigers and Wildlife Threats, Climate Change and Melghat Tiger Reserve were appreciated much by the students.
Kids were taken for the nature walks to several places like Thadada Waterhole, Agricultural farms, Sipna river dam etc to help them learn more about the birding tricks & about tracks, signs and behavior of wild animals in the field.
It was a moment of great joy and learning when the students actually saw the wild animals like Gaur, Sambar, Sloth Bear; birds like Grey jungle Fowls, Painted Spur Fowls, Crested Serpent & Changeable Hawk Eagles, Racket-Tailed & White Bellied Drongo and number Peafowls in safari of the Tiger Reserve itself near Semadoh. Bringing the presentation and writing skill among the participants was one of the objectives of the training course. Students wrote daily dairy on their own observations and also participated in presenting their learning among their friends.
This five days training was a memorable event for most of the students as per their written feedback mentioned at the Muthawa Centre. The best compliment from one of the participants was that it’s due to this programme, he wish to do something in the field of wildlife conservation. Almost all of the students wished to come & visit the place again.
Students tied the friendship bands to the NCSA supporting staff and instructors. The school teachers were impressed to see the change among their students after this course. Mr Neharu Yeole, Gajanan Shaniware, Babu, Maruti Alokar and NCSA’s supporting village staff like Rammibai, Kamalabai Gayan, Dhurve mama at Muthawa community centre took efforts to make this course a grand success. The memorable camp, isn't it!
