Learning about Gardening an Ecosystem at Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, Wayanad
Asish M An ‘ecosystem gardening’ training we received during the monsoon from June 27th to 30th at Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary was inspiring. We learned some new gardening techniques and got new perspectives on gardening and restoration. Suppi chechi is a great teacher; often, our philosophical discussions lasted till late at night. For all of us, one […]
Sharing experiences and learnings nationally and internationally
Keystone Foundation and Aadhimalai were invited by the Tamil Nadu State Biodiversity Board to represent the state at the celebration of International Biodiversity Day at Chennai organised by the National Biodiversity Board. Bhavya George, Habeeba Fatima, Ramajeyam and Silambarasan from Keystone set up the exhibition space and interacted with the visitors. Bhavya George and Habeeba […]
Keep Plastic Waste Away From Wildlife
Recently, social media went abuzz when the dung of a wild elephant at Maruthamalai foothills near Coimbatore was found to carry plastic waste in it including plastic covers, milk packets, masks and sanitary napkins. Shrinking forest cover and easy availability of food in human habitations are some of the reasons why wildlife is moving away […]
Enhancing Nursery Management Skills Through Knowledge Exchange
Community-managed nurseries across the globe have been lately explored as an approach to restoring forests. However, enabling them to actively engage in propagating native forest plants and managing nurseries requires the appropriate deployment of skill sets through trainings that will ensure seedling survival leading to successful forest restoration.
A Farmer Field School in the Making
In Kokkalthorai, a valley (10 km away from Kotagiri town) which is the hub for the so-called English and Chinese hybrid vegetables, farmers are heavily influenced by Agri companies that have a stronghold on crop diversity and farming practices. This is one of the many factors that limit/restrict the success and spread of organic farming across this region.
A case against Apis Mellifera: Why we need native pollinators to maintain biodiversity
Apis mellifera, the Western bee or European bee, known for its ability to produce large amount of honey, has begun dominating the Indian apiculture scene. In a capitalist world where productivity is performance and exploitation is normalised, Apis mellifera has turned out to be the Jersey cow of honey trade.
Looking for pure honey in the market? You may find none
Credit – Abhishek Chinnappa Have you ever been told not to add honey to a hot cup of ginger-lemon tea? Or not to use it in cooking? According to Ayurveda, heating honey makes it toxic and harmful for health. Government regulations through Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to make honey marketable, however, […]
Promoting Forest Gardens in Fallows
Traditionally, the Paharia community leave their land fallow after 2-3 years of cultivation. ideally, the minimum optimal fallow period should be 10 years, which has gradually declined over the years and brought in invasive species. In order to extend the fallow period, Pahariya families have been encouraged to develop Forest Gardens through the cultivation of shade-tolerant crops aimed at generating additional livelihoods and sources of food.
Visitors from the wild ( A book review)
The life of the villagers of Kookalthorai in the Nilgiris district is very different from what life is for a majority of people.The region is connected to contiguous forests of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve through the Moyar Valley which is an important elephant corridor. This makes interactions with wildlife an everyday occurrence in this village. […]
A visit to Mukurthi National Park
The Habitats Trust (THT) team was back this year again, in the third week of September, for their field verification for Keystone Foundation’s proposed project to study ecology, habitat use and distribution of the Nilgiri Marten. This year we had included the Mukurthi National Park as an area of study. Therefore, as part of the field […]
