Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Activity Update March 2017: Satpura Tiger Reserve


Highlights:


Winners of volleyball tournament organised by us
to mobilise youth for conservation

Chakar - check dam built by volunteers

Matkuli - Conservation slogans displayed
at the volleyball tournament organised by us 

Matkuli - Volleyball tournament 

Pisuwa - Our volunteers clean water body
 in the jungle which is used by wildlife


THE FULL REPORT

Team: Ashfaq Aarbi – Conservation Officer
            Hameed Khan – Field assistant                          

Highlights

·         8 water conservation voluntary work projects during the month – built 2 check dams, cleaned 6 water bodies
·        15 awareness programmes on forest fires
·        3 programmes to provide birds with water
·        4 nature trail and bird watching programmes - attended by 217 students
·        4 wildlife film shows  – attended by 2,145 students
·        4 unemployed youths placed in jobs at Budhni at starting salary of Rs 5,500/- per month
·        Medical camps in 6 villages – 204  patients treated
·        Visit to check on status of  6 villages which have already been relocated
·        Awareness programme on National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) schemes
·        Celebration on World Forestry Day at Matkuli
·        Arranged Volleyball Tiger Cup 2017

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Conservation











During March, we organised 8 programmes related to water conservation.

On March 7, we organised a programme to clean two water bodies in the jungle around 2 km from Pisuwa village. They were covered with leaves and organic litter and animals were finding it difficult to drink. Our team, consisting of field assistant Hameed Khan and 11 children from Government Primary School; Pisuwa cleared the litter and made the water bodies accessible to the animals again. Spotted deer are regularly spotted around these water bodies while there are occasional sightings of sloth bears, leopards and other wildlife.  

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On March 15, we organised a programme to build two check dams on a stream around 2 km from Chakar village. A team comprising 9 students of Government Primary School, Chakar, one teacher and Hameed built the dams. The resultant water bodies will benefit domestic livestock in the day time and wildlife at night. Spotted deer, monkeys and leopards are spotted in the area.  

During the month, our team organised 15 awareness programmes on forest fires.
Fires are a recurring hazard during summers – both deliberate and accidental.
Sometimes, villagers start fires as they believe that tendu leaves sprout better after such fires. Collection of tendu leaves takes place during May. In our awareness programmes, we explained the dangers that such fires cause to the forest and to wildlife and how they could harm villages if they blazed out of control.

With the onset of summer, water has become scarce and birds are struggling to get water to drink. Satpuda Foundation encourages villagers across the landscape to provide water for birds by placing old bottles, pots and cans in suitable locations for birds to get access. During March, we conducted 3 programmes in Pisuwa, Matkuli and Tekapar in which we promoted awareness about the importance of birds in the eco-system and the need to ensure their survival by helping them with water.

World Forestry Day

On March 21, we organised a function to celebrate the World Forestry Day at Matkuli. This programme was attended by Mr. Vishal Dongre (Range Officer), Shri Dwivedi, Principal, Govt. Higher Secondary School, Jhirpa, President and members of Eco Development Committee and Gram Panchayat, Matkuli.

Education  

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During the month, our team organised 4 lectures to educate students about nature and wildlife. We organised 4 nature trails and bird watching programmes.

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Education Van

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During March, our team conducted a total of 4 film shows on nature and wildlife conservation.










Employment Cell

4 youths from relocated villages got jobs in March thanks to our assistance.

Details of the placements are as follows:












Mobile Health Service (MHS)

Satpuda Foundation organises medical camps at which villagers get free treatment and medicines. These camps, whose schedule is set in conjunction with the management of the Tiger Reserve, are run by the Mobile Health Service (MHS) of Satpuda Foundation.

There were health camps in 6 villages in March.








Relocated villages

Ashfaq and Hameed khan visited the relocated villages of Sonpur, Raikheda, Mongra, Jamandhonga, Parraspani, Anjandana, Dhargaon, Nankot, Kukra and Nandner during March to follow up on the status of the relocated villagers.
Shri A.K. Nagar Field Director & Chief Conservator of Forest and A.K. Mishra, Joint Director, STR and Shri P.C. Sharma (CEO, Zilla Panchayat Hoshangabad) have asked Satpuda Foundation to focus on youths from relocated villages in our livelihood activities. STR management will approach the concerned government agencies to implement livelihood training programmes under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).    

BCRLIP villages

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Shri A.K. Mishra, Joint Director, STR has asked Satpuda Foundation to focus on Biodiversity Conservation and Rural Livelihood Improvement Project  (BCRLIP) and NRLM programmes  from Almod, Barud, Jhirpa, Aaditoriya, Khanchari, Karer, Dundi, Bandhan and Kukarpani villages in our livelihood activities. STR management will approach the concerned government agencies to implement livelihood training programmes under BCRLIP.  The first livelihood skills training programme is scheduled to take place in May in which villagers will be taught to make handicrafts from bamboo. This programme will be under NRLM.

Volleyball Tiger Cup 2017

On March 25-26, we organised a volleyball sports programme at Matkuli. We organised this programme as a means to gather local youths, promote awareness about conservation issues among them and draw volunteers for conservation.

80 youths from 8 villages participated in the competition, while about 1,200 villagers were spectators.
Six teams have already volunteered to join as members of Satpuda Foundation and have promised to assist in our conservation activities.

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This programme was attended by Aashish Khobragade (Range Officer, Matkuli), Shri Thakurdas Nagwansi (MLA, Pipariya), Shri Rajiv Jaiswal (President, Nagar Palika Parishad, Pipariya), Kamal Kishore Pal (Sarpanch- Matkuli), Smt. Laxmi Yadav (Sarpanch- Pisuwa) and prominent villagers.


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