The Environmental Leadership Programme identified eight indigenous youths from four villages in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve: Ajesh and Induja from Nilambur, Saranya and Mithun from Wayanad, Saranya and Sathiavani from Sigur, and Mathesan and Thamaraikani from Kadambur. The programme aimed to help indigenous youth understand the basics of ecology as a science and the role of traditional ecological knowledge in expanding the scope of ecology. The course also covered basic digital skills and communication skills. The 50-day course took place at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (Mavanalla), Kotagiri, Wayanad, and Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (Hasanur). As part of the course, a three-day exposure visit to different institutions working in the conservation sector was also planned. Students visited Uravu Bamboo Resource Center, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, and Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary.
As part of the course, students in pairs conducted a short 10-day project implementing ecology and social science methods in their villages. The students from Nilambur, Ajesh, and Induja did a project on the diversity and abundance of medicinal plants in their village. The students from Wayanad, Saranya, and Mithun conducted a study on tricoloured munia to understand its abundance in different land use areas. The students from Sigur, Saranya, and Sathiavani studied house sparrows in their village to understand their habitat preferences. Students from Kadambur, Mathesan, and Thamaraikani studied bird richness and abundance on fig and banyan trees in their village. All the students were able to successfully complete the course, learning scientific methods to document biodiversity. At the end of the project, all students were confident in conducting ecological and social science research, analysing data, and communicating the results to the audience.
We would like to thank the mentors Amrutha and Vishnu, resource persons Jishnu, Santhosh Krishnan, and Keystone staff who supported the project. This wouldn’t have happened without the support from Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies.
