Recently the community stewards from Kotagiri- Bharati, Ponamma, Shailaja and David, along with Chandrasekar and Kaveri from Keystone- restored about 12 cents of the Redemptorist Novitiate near Longwood Shola. The area under the church’s ownership includes tea fields, kitchen gardens, flower gardens and some infrastructural facilities that supports and runs priesthood training programs. The institution is about 25 years old where a yearlong training program is run for students to become priests. As part of their course, the students tend to the kitchen and flower gardens.
Chandrasekar had approached one of the Father’s from the institution-Father Raja- to help green the area with more native vegetation. Chandrasekar, tells us how the idea of restoring this area materialized:
Father Raja is part of a Kotagiri urban ecology group where likeminded nature enthusiasts share their stories and experiences with urban ecology. He has been with the Redemptorist Novitiate for over a year and a half and here is what he has to say about his motive behind restoration:
Photo taken by David
Working with different institutions like the Church includes varied community engagement in restoration efforts. But the on ground implementation involves a certain level of know-how and skill which the community stewards have acquired through restoring other areas. Here is what Bharati has to say about this particular experience:
Photo taken by David
Being the youngest steward, David echoes his generations’ thoughts and views about restoration:
Last but not least, Ponamma voices her thoughts and the challenge she hopes to take up in the future:
Photo taken by David
By Nayantara Lakshman
