Nature Education Program
Helping local children develop a sense of pride and connectedness to their natural heritage by exposing them to the forests and wildlife in Pakke Tiger Reserve.
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Camping out in the forest for two nights and three days is a life-changing experience for many school children.
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The joy of hugging a tree is self-evident.
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Long walks ensure complete immersion in nature and help children understand and appreciate the inter-relationships between different creatures of the forest.
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Nyishi folktales reflect a long history of respect for and co-existence with nature. During one of our camps, a Nyishi tribesman and a tiger recount the age-old tale of how men and tigers are brothers.
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Even in groups of 30, a lot of wildlife, like this barking deer, can be spotted in the forest if we tread quietly.
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A whole new world opens up on closer inspection.
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These Great Hornbills have an important message to share about the inter-connectedness of all creatures and how we are part of the same ecological processes that sustain life on earth.
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Dr. Pranav Trivedi, our in-house Nature Education expert, held a five-day training program for our own as well as the Forest Department staff on how to conduct nature camps for children.
Pakke Nature Clubs
2017 was an exciting year for us because it witnessed the birth
of our Nature Education program. As a first step, we set up nature
clubs in 7 local schools in the Seijosa area, through which we
are reaching out to over 650 children from Classes 6-9.
The main aim of the Pakke Nature Clubs is to expose children to the forests and wildlife around Pakke Tiger Reserve through year-round activities, which culminate in nature camps inside the park.
By replacing catapults with a pair of binoculars, we try to divert local children's keen observation skills towards an appreciation of the beauty of nature and birds.
Nature Camps in Pakke Tiger Reserve
Once a year, school children get to camp out in the middle of the forest for two nights and three days. The first camps were held in batches in November 2017 with 150 students from 4 local schools. In 2018, we scaled up to 200 students from 6 schools. Here's a one-minute video about the 2018 camps:
Class 8 students from A2 Govt. Residential School were more than happy to trade three days of school for a nature camp.
People
Partners
- Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department (Pakke Wildlife Division)
Funding
- Serenity Trust
- Stop the Poaching Fund
