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Support the cause of nature. Buy WWF-India productsFor more information, please call New Delhi: (011) 41504833/4834, Mumbai: (022) 24701361, Kolkotta: (033) 22883530, Chennai: (044) 24994827, Bangalore: (080) 2863206or visit www.wwfindia.org
WWF-India Newsletter www.wwfindia.org Issue II-2006
PANDA
Get involved!Get involved!
Editor: Ravi Singh
Editorial board: Sudipto Chatterjee,
Parikshit Gautam, Lima Rosalind, P.K.Sen
Managing Editor: Anshuman Atroley
Published by:
WWF-India
172-B, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi-110 003
Tel.: + 91 - 11 - 4150 - 4797
Website: www.wwfindia.org
Email: [email protected]
A WWF-India publication for members.
Responsibility for views/opinions
expressed lies with the author(s).
WWF-India’s Mission:
Creatives: Priyanka Singh
Printed at: The Print Shop
The promotion of
nature conservation
and environmental protection
as the basis for sustainable
and equitable development.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS: Highlights Of Our Work 1 Earth Day Celebrations 2 Green Law Lecture 5 Sunderbans - An Enigmatic
Experience 6 WWF Builds ‘School Of Hope’ 8 WWF - A Great Place To Work 10 Canon WWF Photo Contest 2006 11 Canon Kids Day
Out 12 Kid’s Zone 13 Jhadi Tal - The Begining Of The End 17 World Environment Day 18 Katerniaghat - A Success in Making 21
No Energy Security Without Climate Security 23 Taking Stock Of Our Oceans 24
Book Review - TREES OF DELHIRARE RHODODENDRONS Special Centre Spread
World Environment Day Celebrations
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From The SG & CEO’s DeskDear Friends,
The theme of this issue of the PANDA is "Getting Involved". Through our various outreach activities in last few months, we opened new avenues for people to get involved and engaged with our conservation work.
On occasions like the Earth Day and World Environment Day, through our state and divisional offices, we have reached out to hundreds of school and college-going students across the country. We gave children of Chhoto Mollakhali village in Sunderbans a permanent school building as part of our long-term conservation efforts to reduce man animal conflict; the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Sikkim released a report on “People's Opinion on the Impacts of Ban on Grazing” in Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary - a study supported by WWF-India.
With our long standing global conservation partner Canon, we have launched a unique photography contest that highlights the issue of depleting freshwater resources. There is little doubt that in time to come, depleting freshwater resources and Climate Change will be issues of utmost importance to conservation organization like ours.
We also profile Jhadi Tal and Katerniaghat two important, yet forgotten landscapes in the Terai that hold tremendous potential for conservation work.
We also bring you to a special book review of the highly acclaimed, “Trees of Delhi” by Pradeep Krishen. The author, a self-trained botanist, has produced a remarkably well-laid out field guide that is equally valid for other cities of Northern India.
Best wishes
RAVI SINGHSG & CEO, WWF-India
PANDAIssue II - 2006
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With over 35 offices across the country, WWF-India reaches to more people than any other organisation in the country. Through this new section, we highlight some of our outreach and conservation work in the past few weeks. For more information, please turn to the highlighted pages or visit our website: www.wwfindia.org
Highlights Of Our Work
Kolhapur division organised a Quiz Competition on Earth Day. Read more on Page 04
Over 600 students participated in the cycle rally organised by our Tamil Nadu State Office. Turn to Page 04 for details.
On the occasion of World Environment Day, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim released a report on “ People’s Opinion on the Impacts of Ban on Grazing”. Turn to Page 18 for details.
Jammu and Kashmir State Office celebrates Earth Day 2006. Read more on Page 03
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Earth Day Celebrations 2006
ince the first Earth Day in 1970, people around the world have sought to celebrate the
planet through a variety of individual and community activities. But Earth Day is about more than observing the beauty and vitality of nature; it is also about renewing your commitment to saving our living planet. It is celebrated because people from all nations, backgrounds, races, colours, religions, and all other human-made barriers celebrate their similarities: living on Earth.
And, days like these are very important for us as they are critical in ensuring that our conservation work reaches out to more and more people. We celebrate them with great enthusiasm and zeal across the country. Our offices in Tamil Nadu, W e s t B e n g a l , Sikkim, Kolhapur etc organized many activities aimed at involving children At the WWF-India Secretariat, we partnered with Ministry of Environment and Forest. Government of India, and IT company Intel, to organize week-long festivities.
In the capital, our Earth Day celebrations were week long that included activities like street theatre, students’ forum, debate competitions etc. that saw participation from a large number of school and college students. The street theatre, organized in various areas of the city like Mayur
Vihar, Naraina, Dilli Haat etc. were a huge draw with hundreds coming forward to learn about conservation.
The finale of the celebrations was held at the WWF-India Secretariat. A series of events were organized this day which included a play on importance of ener gy conservation, and performance by renowned artist Susmit Bose etc. Prizes to the winners of the competitions organized earlier were also distributed to the school students.
Mr. R. Mehta, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India, speaking at the occasion said, “The Earth Day celebrations are about the rejuvenation of Earth.
This will happen as every individual and institution chooses to act as a responsible Trustee of Earth”
Lima Rosalind, Director of the Environment Education programme, highlighted the importance of Earth Day celebrations said, “We are of this Earth and therefore custodians of this living planet. Let us act together and create a change in our lifestyles.”
The celebrations also saw the launch of the unique Earth Passport. The “passport” gets stamped with green visas as the person moves towards a sustainable lifestyle by creating change at a personal level.
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Celebrating The Spirit Of Earth –
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Renowned urban folk artist Susmit Bose performing at the finale of the
Earth Day Celebrations at the WWF-India Secretariat.
Students of the National School of Drama performing a
street play on the finale of Earth Day Celebrations.
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The Jammu and Kashmir S tate office of WWF-India that also works as a resource agency for the implementation of the National Green Corps scheme of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, took several initiatives on the occasion of World Earth Day 2006.
Eco clubs, registered with the National Green Corps (NGC), organised many events in Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur and Srinagar districts. In Kathua district an impressive rally was held; in Jammu a rally was flagged-off by the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. A seminar on ‘Save River Tawi’ was also organized at Jammu Club. In Srinagar, a workshop and rally was jointly organized with the Department. of Environment and WWF-India. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests presided over the function
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The East Mumbai Suburban division of Bharat Scouts and Guides invited the Maharastra State office of WWF-India to participate and conduct activities on the occasion of the Earth Day as part of their annual camp. Students from various schools of Mumbai joined WWF-India volunteers in various programmes which included interactive slideshows, nature games, discussions and activities like poster making.. The students vowed to do their best to conserve the planet’s fragile resources by forming WWF-India’s Nature clubs in their schools.
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WWF-India Education Officer with Bharat Scouts and Guides students
PANDAIssue II - 2006
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i n t e r e s t i n g intercollegiate quiz competition was organized. In his s p e e c h , t h e American Consul General Mr. Henry V. Jardine explained h o w U S A w a s collaborating conservation actions throughout India and highlighted the work of US Fish and Wildlife Services in the protected areas of North Bengal. His speech was followed by a deliberation by Lt Col S R Banerjee, State Director, West Bengal State office, WWF-India, on the significance of Earth Day and its relevance in Indian context. The celebrat ions ended with the screening of the much acclaimed film, Earthling, of Wolfgang Buyer production.
The West Bengal State office of WWF-India celebrated this year’s Earth Day with various activities throughout the day. Organized in association with American Centre, Kolkata, the celebrations included painting competitions, nature trails, film shows and more.
The event kicked off with a nature trail for 50 children from CINI-ASHA, an NGO for underprivileged children, at the Nature Study Park, L o u d o n S t r e e t . A d r a w i n g competition for young students on
the theme of nature and environment was very popular among the students. Entries were judged by Mrs. Shyamsree Basu, a renowned artist, and best five entries were awarded prizes.
The finale of the Earth Day celebrations was held at the American Centre where an al. His
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ustice Madan B Lokur, Judge of Delhi High Court, delivering the IX Green Law
Lecture at the convocation ceremony of Centre of Environment Law students (CEL) of WWF-India, emphasized on the need of strong environmental legislation and its enforcement for renewed conservation effort.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice Lokur said, “In India, it is quite clear, and unfortunately so, that the development of environmental jurisprudence has been mainly due to the efforts of the Supreme Court due to the inefficiency of the current environmental regime, even though the statutes and legislation are well defined and stringent, their implementation and enforcement have not been efficient.
He added, “A major problem with the application of the environmental laws is the conflict of values and interests the value of protection of the environment in the interest of all, versus production (industrial and otherwise) for the good of all. The right jurisprudential approach to environmental legislation would only be one that seeks a resolution to the conflict of these values.
Ideally, the regulators of the environment and the producers who use natural resources must be one and the same. Only laws which lead to this end can be said to have the right spirit.”
CEL organizes the annual Green Law lecture as a part of its convocation ceremony for outgoing
students of its diploma course. The topic for this year's Green Law Lecture was: Environmental Law: Its development and jurisprudence. Eminent lawyers, academicians and judges of High Courts have delivered lectures in the past.
Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India, “It is a proud moment for us to confer the diploma in environmental law to this year's CEL students. Introduced in 1993, the Diploma is the first such comprehensive programme of environ-legal education for India and the South Asia and continues to contribute learned professionals in the field of environmental law.”
Dr. Sejal Worah, Programme Director, WWF-India, “We expect that like other CEL graduates, this batch will also go on to be strong advocates of environment and will also become long-term associates of WWF-India”
To read the profile of students and the full text of Justice's speech, please visit: www.wwfindia.org
Moulika Arabhi
Stronger Legislation Critical For Environmental ConservationStronger Legislation Critical For Environmental Conservation
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Field visit is an important component of the Diploma programme of CEL. Seen above, students of the XIII batch during their field visit to the Great Himlayan National Park.
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Seated from left, Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India; Justice Madan B Lokur, Judge, Delhi High Court and Dr. Sejal Worah, Programme Director, WWF-India, at the IX Green Law Lecture.
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The highlight of the the Earth Day celebrations by the Tamil Nadu State office was a bicycle rally,
organized in association with Vul tu re Na tu re Camp of Government Middle School, Kudimiyandi Thoppu, Chennai. The five-kilometre long rally, along the picturesque East Coast Road, was flagged off by Mr. Kamaraj, a senior biologist with the Forest Department of Tamil Nadu Government
Over 15,000 people came out to cheer the 600-odd students who participated in the rally. All along the road, informative posters and banners depicting various conservation messages were displayed. Simple messages like “Service to Nature is Service to God”, “Avoid Plastics and Clean up the Garbage”, “Protect Earth by conserving nature” etc conveyed the
importance of conservation to the supporters and participants.
Other activities, organized after the rally, included elocution, article-writing and art-painting competitions which were organized in the Vulture Hall of school.
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WWF-India's
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On the occasion of World Earth Day, the Kolhapur Divisional office of WWF-India organized quiz competition and a talk and slide show on vanishing forests for members of Jarul, Green Valley and Pioneer Nature Clubs. The quiz competition was very well received by all, especially the kids, who showed keen interest in WWF-India Nature Camps.
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Andhra Pradesh State Office,
The Andhra Pradesh State Office of WWF-India organized a signature campaign in collaboration with Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Forest Department and Confederation of Voluntary Associations. The campaign was organized at two prominent places in Hyderabad: Kasubrahmananda Reddy National Park and NTR
Garden Necklace Road. Over 400 people joined us in celebrating the Earth Day by participating in the campaign.
Participants of Quiz Competition
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Get involved! Sunderbans- An Enigmatic Experience
here is a dolphin in the water!”, I screamed aloud with joy. But before
anyone else in the boat looked she sank in the deep waters of Sunderbans. This priceless moment of viewing a wild dolphin flipping and playing in the free water was exclusively mine. I could not stop smiling for sometime thereafter. It was just not the sight of a dolphin which excited me so much but an experience to see a wild one exhibiting a performance without any one whistling or throwing fish in the air.
Sunderbans is situated in the extreme south of West Bengal and extends into Bangladesh. It is a group of 102 islands, magnificent rivers such as the Ganga and the Brahmaputra that open their mouth into the Bay of Bengal, rich and diverse flora and fauna and small tribal villages which still continue to inhabit 52 islands.
Since it was my first trip to the largest delta and mangrove in the world, my spirits were at an all time high. Unable to control my enthusiasm, I read about the area and spoke to a few colleagues who have had the opportunity to visit Sunderbans before. Some very interesting inferences such as “The water is full of sharks and crocodiles, it is not safe to step in the land of the tiger, as very few have returned back safely”, had made my pre trip preparations even more thrilling. I barely caught a wink a night before I boarded my flight.
From the Kolkata airport it took us four hours partly by road and partly by water before we reached our destination. While on the boat, I noticed that most of the embankments of the Sunderban islands were worn down and were receding. I later found out that the deposition of silt in the waterbed forces the water to push deep into the embankment thus eroding it in the process. The natural block in the form of trees and vegetation has already been ripped off by man only to worsen the situation.
We reached the guest office by evening and soon realized that there is no electricity in Sunderbans. I could never imagine that in today’s world of scientific revolution there are people who have no access to electricity or power. Not much later, I also found out that the villages do not even have other basic amenities such as schools, hospitals, dispensaries etc and their income is extremely low. In certain villages, children have to travel for two
hours in the boat everyday to reach the school. It is a sad truth that, while we enjoy the luxuries of life in cities, there are many who still continue to live their life on the edge.
May be my article is losing focus? Let’s divert our attention back to the tiger and wildlife conservation. Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest estuarine delta in the world and the biggest colony of the Royal Bengal Tigers. Project Tiger was implemented in Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary in 1973 and later the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve was demarcated over an area of 2,585 sq km. The core area of 1,330 sq km has been declared a national park and a world heritage site. Besides the tiger, the sanctuary is a home to a variety of species of reptiles including the River Terrapin, Olive Ridley, Estuarine Crocodile, Monitor Lizard, Water Monitor and the Indian Python. The creeks are also spawning grounds for a large number of species of fishes, crabs and mollusks. The mangrove is bestowed with a vast variety of birds such as the Open Bill Stork, White Ibis, different species of Kingfisher and birds of prey like the Osprey, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Grey-headed Fishing Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Oriental Hobby, Northern Eagle Owl and Brown Fish Owl.
What is WWF’s role in Sunderbans? Our project in Sunderbans aims to help conserve and protect the irreplaceable flora and fauna of the region. The main problems threatening Sunderban’s survival today are loss of habitat, pollution in the river and on the land, poaching for trade, retaliatory killings their solutions are far more perplexed. Javan
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Get involved!by the villagers, river erosion and many forms of human intervention. There are over 4.5 million people residing in 52 villages which increase the villagers’ dependence on the forest reserves. The problem may look simple but the issues and their solutions are far more perplexed. Javan Rhino is extinct from Sunderbans and now the wild Otters and the tigers are in the queue.
Poaching and exploitation of forest reserves is rampant in this fragile ecosystem. WWF-India, with the consent of the Forest Department has forwarded direct assistance to the forest officials in Sunderbans to support the anti poaching activities. Speed boats have been given to the field staff to travel from one island to the other. Anti poaching camps are built within the protected areas. Jeeps and radios sets are given for effective vigilance. Legal enforcement workshop and radio training has also been conducted with the field staff. In the past, WWF-India, in collaboration with the Forest Department of West Bengal had undertaken an enforcement initiative to curb the ever growing
illegal trade of tiger parts in Sunderbans by establishing informant network. This resulted in 22 successful seizures in the past.
All this while, the villagers have been part and parcel of the destruction in and around the forests and that of the wildlife. They have frequently engaged themselves in retaliatory killing to protect their cattle and encouraged poaching for trade. With limited money to run their households, the priorities for these villagers are far from conservation but a matter of survival. Therefore,
WWF’s initiative in Sunderbans is largely concentrated to uplift the economic condition of the villagers by helping them explore alternative means of livelihood such as animal husbandry, pisciculture and teaching them the cost effective practices of agriculture in order to reduce their dependence on forests. WWF-India has also given them tractors, power tillers, hand pumps and excavated two fresh water canals to provide irrigation facilities.
A large school has been built in Chotta Mullakhali (See ‘ WWF-India builds School of Hope for the people of Sunderbans’ on Page 08). Solar lights are installed at market places, hospitals and hotel for harnessing alternative energy sources. Efforts are also on, to bring in eco tourism to the islands in partnership with the villagers. Besides this, various sensitization programmes are conducted in the schools through Nature Clubs and teachers training programmes. Sunderban Development Board has shown regular cooperation and interest in our programmes.
Even though the project is new the culmination of efforts has already begun. There have been numerous incidents where wild animals, especially tigers, have strayed into the neighboring villages and are sent back to their forest unhurt. In the past, the villagers would kill these animals considering them as a threat, but now they call the forest department which usually tranquilizes the animal and release it back in the forests. This shows a clear change in the attitude of the villagers.
underbans world's lar gest estuarine delta, land of the Royal Bengal Tiger, and
home to the mangrove forests. However, all is not well with Sunderbans - the forest and the wildlife of Sunderbans is facing severe threat - Javan Rhino is already extinct and the Wild Otters and Tigers are highly endangered. The threats are mainly loss of habitat, pollution in the river systems and on the land, poaching for trade, retaliatory killings by the villagers, river erosion and many forms of human intervention.
WWF Builds 'School Of Hope' In Sunderbans
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I can personally vouch for this as I witnessed an incident that validates the fact, that the awareness in the villages has improved and a level of trust and rapport has been established between the WWF officials and the villagers. The incident can be captioned, ‘Release of Achanak, the three feet long monitor lizard’. We were sitting on the breakfast table on the second day in Sunderbans when a villager walked in with a huge gunny bag with something big wriggling inside it. All I could hear was ‘Goshap’. Not familiar with the Bengali language, it took me sometime to find out that the creature inside the bag was the monitor lizard that was caught red handed devouring chickens. It had strayed out of its forest to treat on the readily available food inside the village. In the past, the villagers would have immediately killed this Schedule-1 species. On the contrary, the creature was safely handed over to the forest department to be released back into its habitat far away from the village.
Such incidents give us encouragement to continue our work in conservation. Even though our efforts are concentrated in three villages only, out of which, only one village is a revenue village. There are other organizations which are replicating our efforts. This has resulted in the decline of human-animal conflict to some extent. Human deaths have come down since the year 2000, from 50 per year to less than 20 per year.
Gopal, a local resident of the Bali village says, “P rev ious ly t he re were p rob lems o f communication, water, education and there was too much dependence on agriculture which forced people to venture into the forest. But now with canals being built and rain water harvesting being
encouraged we are able to engage ourselves in alternative activities. Preparation of fish feed, oyster culture, piggery, vermicomposting and tailoring are some of the popular occupations now.”
Maybe it is time to rethink about what I said in this article before and that is, ‘let’s only talk about the tiger’. I take my words back as I realized that tigers and other wildlife do not live in isolation. There are numerous human settlements around the national parks which have created pressure on the land of the tiger thus driving it to extinction. Until and unless efforts are made to make people self sufficient in order to avoid too much of their dependence on forests, our ecosystem would be destroyed gradually.
WWF has laid down the foundation for the beginning of an initiative to help villagers and support the Forest Department to preserve and protect wildlife. Limited funds and resources are a big hindrance in the level of work and calls for an urgent need for the government and other organization to come forward and work in partnership in Sunderbans. There are no easy escape routes to the problem. There is a need to work together to conserve one of the richest wildlife reserves of our country. Let us not lose a wonderland, trip to which is not only mystifying but a lesson in conservation for all to learn.
Dilpreet B. Chhabra
WWF-India's association with Sunderbans is pretty old - helping them with explore alternate sources of livelihood to ensure that the human animal conflict is minimized. As a part of our continued endeavor, WWF-India recently built a school for the children on Chhoto Mollakhali village one of the two significant villages of Sunderbans.
The school, aptly titled School of Hope was inaugurated by Mr. Debaditya Chakraborty, IAS, Principal Secretary, School Education Department, Government of West Bengal, earlier in April. The function was presided over by Mr. D.P. Jana, IAS, Member Secretary and Project Director, Sundarbans Development Board, Government of West Bengal. Other distinguished guests from the government and WWF-India were also present at the function.
The school is a result of the great support shown by the residents of Chotto Mollakhali village towards our conservation initiatives. A proper school building will help the villagers in getting recognition for their school from the Government of West Bengal.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF-India, said, “The village was chosen owing to its proximity to the Tiger Reserves and the Wildlife Sanctuaries. With continued support we shall take our work to other villages located at the periphery of the forests impacting the forest reserves.”
Speaking about the wide-spread human animal conflict, he said, “Since our intervention, no human life has been lost and no retaliatory killing of tigers have been reported”. He added, “We are trying to build harmony between nature and the
people in this area. With continued support, we intend to take our conservation initiatives to higher level while ensuring a safe future for the tiger.”
To augment the Forest Department's initiatives to handle tiger conservation in Sunderbans, WWF-India started its programme almost two years ago. The programme aims to assist the Department in mitigating man-animal conflict widespread in this region. This is mainly due to the over dependency of the communities on the forest reserves in the absence of alternative sources of livelihood.
WWF-India's efforts are largely concentrated to uplift the economic condition of the villagers by helping them explore other avenues of livelihoods such as animal husbandry, pisciculture and teaching them the cost-effective practices of agriculture. WWF-India has further provided tractors, power tillers, hand pumps and excavated fresh water canals to provide irrigation facilities, and have put solar panels in various areas.
There are over 4.5 million people residing in 52 villages. These people are directly or indirectly dependent on the forest reserves, which are continuously depleting with time. The man-animal conflict is at its peak thus leading to retaliatory killings. A very large number of people are killed by the tigers in the core areas of the forests. The people of Sunderbans have no basic amenities such as electricity, schools, hospitals and dispensaries and their per capita income is extremely low. Under such circumstances they do not have an option but to rely on the forests for their survival.
This village serves as a pilot to upscale development activities in the Sunderbans delta by various agencies.
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ith oil and gas prices at record highs and fears mounting over future supplies, global
energy security will take centre stage at this year’s meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations.
As heads of states meet in Russia — one of the world’s largest energy exporters and a country benefiting from record energy profits — they will no doubt call for greater cooperation to ensure that the global economy is not harmed by unstable oil prices and political instability in many energy-producing nations.
At this time last year, G8 leaders touted climate change as a top priority, but this upcoming meeting in St Petersburg appears set to ignore the issue in order to focus on securing energy supplies.
But there will be no real energy security without a stable and secure environment, particularly in an environment that is being threatened by the ill effects of climate change.
As climate change is the single most important environmental, if not global challenge that we are facing today, we need a plan. Not just any plan, but a comprehensive climate and energy security plan akin to the Marshall Plan after World War II that helped rebuild Europe — a plan that attempts to restore the Earth’s fragile ecosystem by cutting polluting gas emissions and dramatically improving energy efficiency.
Every litre of oil or gas, every bit of coal that we humans burn, adds to the increasing level of heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions, like carbon
dioxide (CO), which is a by-product of burning 2
these fossil fuels. About 23 billion tonnes of CO 2are spewed into the Earth’s atmosphere every year — most of it by western industrialized countries. This build-up of CO and other gases are 2
contributing to global warming.
Scientific consensus shows that we face grave risks if global temperatures rise 2°C above those of pre-industrial times. Many around the world have already had a taste of what this would bring with temperatures up just 0.7°C — more frequent and severe storms and heat waves, drought, melting glaciers and rising sea levels. Such events can have immense security and economic implications, including crop failures in key food producing areas, border disputes over resources, mass movement of “environmental” refugees, and the spending of billions of dollars needed to cope with natural disasters.
To help mitigate these risks, we need effective policies to reduce global warming before carbon emissions increase to such a point that they become too difficult to reverse. We need a resounding commitment by governments at the G8 Summit to energy efficiency, conservation measures and renewable energies.
No Energy Security Without Climate Security
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This special commentary - written by Jennifer Morgan, Programme
Director of WWF Global Climate Change- was released before the
recently concluded G8 Summit in St. Petersburg.
ater, water everywhere and not a drop to waste. Perhaps, this old adage summarizes
the issue of depleting freshwater better than any other statement. Out of the total water on Earth, 98 % is saline and only 2 % is freshwater of which only 1 % is available in the form of rivers and lakes. This is fast depleting and, hence, making it a priority issue for conservation not only for us but for all. Through WWF-India's Freshwater and Wetlands Programme, we are working towards sustainable management of freshwater resources.
To bring the issue of freshwater to the forefront and involve common man, WWF-India with its long time conservation partner, Canon announced a photo contest. Termed, Canon WWF Photo Contest 2006, the contest was announced at a press conference at the WWF-India Secretariat on June 13, 2006.
Addressing the press conference, Ravi Singh, SG and CEO, WWF-India said, “Depleting freshwater resources is a major threat to India's future. This photographic contest combines the need to show up this issue in its various forms whilst carrying the message for the need for responsible conservation. We hope to attract creativity in substance and form and be able to reach out to different parts of the country.
Alan Grant, President and CEO of Canon-India said, “Environmental issues have always been central to Canon's management strategy. A key
principle of Canon's business philosophy is Kyosei - which means living and working together for the common good. This golden concept is in harmony with our responsibility to foster environmental issues in all our business and manufacturing processes.” He further added, “At Canon we keep looking for newer projects to be associated with. Our corporate membership with WWF is another step to bring more awareness in the country on issues such as water conservation. Through this contest, we wish to involve the community and spread the message of protecting the environment through photography.”
The contest is open only to Indian nationals and entries in two categories i.e. amateurs and professional are invited. The winners stand to win some exciting Canon digital products and WWF-India Nature Shop merchandise. Have you sent in your entry yet? Please visit www.wwfindia.org for details.
Water Water Everywhere,Not A Drop To WasteCanon and WWF come together to save the splash for the future!
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Alan Grant, President and CEO, Canon India with Ravi Singh-SG and CEO, WWF-India at the press conference
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Red-crowned crane or Japanese crane
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Reflection'We are polluting the Earth everywhere
it gives us life, but do we care?”
A npele han t
an b c er gnp e na t
tfor up o 2 year s
Jayati Nandan Class V-B, DPS, Vasant Vihar
I went into my garden and saw the birds chirping, juicy fruits hanging from the trees, very
pretty flowers with a beautiful fragrance, but alas!This pretty scenery won't
be able to cheer our hearts now. The way we are polluting everything, it won't
be in the world after some time. The earth gives us so many things and in return we we just
pollute it. The earth gives us innumerable things; we get water to drink, bathe, cook food, wash
clothes and utensils. We also get food like grains, fruits, vegetables. If the earth wasn't here, we
would be hungry. We get shelter from the earth. It gives cement, wood, iron, coal and many
more things. If the earth's soil wasn't here, we would not have any houses. It's our lifeline. That's
why we call the earth, Mother Earth.
We pollute the earth in so many ways; we pollute the rivers, lakes and ponds.. We
throw plastic bags on the ground which makes the soil go bad. We cut the
trees which make the earth look beautiful, we use them for making houses
and huts. All the scenery, the greenery is finishing because of us. We take
out too much water from the soil and the soil gets dried up. We concentrate on our
needs more than Mother Earth's. The earth provides us with so many things that we have become
greedy. We don't think about her at all. Therefore, we should save the earth by not polluting it.
When we pollute the earth, we don't understand that we're doing bad to ourselves only. We cut
trees and the air doesn't get purified. We pollute water and don't get clean water to drink, bathe,
cook, wash. We pollute the soil and plants are not able to grow, thus, we don't get grains, fruits,
vegetables to eat. We have become so short-sighted that we can't see that if we pollute the
mother earth the next generation of ours would not get the love of the earth. So let's remember
what Gandhiji said
“There is enough in this world for everyone's need,
But not for everyone's greed”.
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Strong legislation critical for environmental conservation
e at WWF-India strongly believe that today’s children will be the main
constituency for carrying conservation forward. For WWF-India, Environment Education is a major programme as it educates the budding citizens of the country. By engaging with children, we also hope that they act as influencers and convince their parents to join the conservation efforts.
Taking into consideration the above underlying objective, WWF-India conducted a workshop called “Canon Kids’ Day Out” with kids of the employees of Canon India, on 2nd June 2006. This particular workshop not only helped sensitize the future generations towards the cause of conservation at a very young age, but also helped us in engaging the corporate world for the cause of conservation.
The workshop was conducted by Ms. Nupur Awasthi Gaur, an educator-communicator with special interest in writing and conducting on environmental issues specifically for children. She has been involved with teacher training, resource material development and organizing nature education strategies for children and teachers alike. She has been conducting such workshops for British Council, Oxford Bookstores, NIIT etc.
During the day-long workshop, children explored the natural world through a variety of activities including games, an audio-visual presentation, story telling, fun contests, craft, and painting. At the end of the workshop the kids undertook a pledge to be friends with plants and animals forever.
This initiative was very well received by the participants. In Director-Quality Canon India, Ms. Shikha Rai’s words, “Thank you for coordinating the “Kids’ Day Out” program for Canon India. Our kids and volunteers came back absolutely thrilled. I am sure this would have raised the awareness levels on conservation in the participants.”
Shalini Bhargava
Kid’s Day Out At WWF!
PANDAIssue II -2006
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Endemic Rhododendron Endemic Rhododendron
To know more about Rhododendrons, their significance and our conservation efforts, please visit: www.wwfindia.org
Rare, Endangered Threatened and
The
MURDER
of a
RHINO
In the dense forests of Vietnam, in the thick undergrowth,
In a mud pool he lies, a small, yet strong, Javan rhino.
Rare. Endangered. On the brink of leaving the Earth forever.
To rest again in a small mud pool, never.
To browse among the bushes, never.
All thanks to the most cruel endeavor,
Reducing the once great rhino to near nothingness.
He hears, with his acute hearing, grass cracking.
Coming from the bushes, what could it be?
Tiger? Dhole? No, Dholes do not hunt at night.
The Jawn Rhino snorted in fright,
Here was the being that causes its plight,
Though invisible to the rhino’s poor sight,
A poacher crouched in the bushes, gun in hand, murder in mind.
The rhino advances to investigate, pure suicide,
The poor creature now realizes.
Pain. Torture. Thick skin pierced by a bullet small,
Penetrating hide too thick for spears tall.
The rhinos bellows, a labored call,
And then a thud-the great beast’s fall.
The poacher grins, gun in hand, money in mind.
Enter two more men, one has the knife,
They show no remorse, but hack off the horn.
Easily. Effortlessly. Seemingly with just a flick of the wrist.
That horn, the weapon that in the mist,
Gore to death a bear, silence a python’s hiss,
Kill a leopard, tiger, now powerless.
Now just a weak piece of cartilage, in the poacher’s hand.
The men depart, leaving behind the body,
Leaving behind the carcass.
Once strong. Powerful. Now just a dead heap.
That horn, with the poachers, is in a jeep,
Crossing into China for a buyer to keep.
He bought a rhino’s life, and bought it cheap.
That Rhino still lies in the mud pool, now a blood pool,
Sadly, forever asleep.
Kid’s
Zone
by
Sahir DoshiAll Photos Credit:
© WWF-Canon/Michel GUNTHER
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hadi Tal is one of the few surviving marshland in the TERAI belt and is located on
the Northern periphery of Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary. Besides being a part of the tiger reserve, Jhadi Tal has a significant conservation value of its own. Its rich habitat abundant in vegetation (grass and aquatic plants), uninterrupted supply of water throughout the year as well as peace and tranquility attracts the inhabitants of the forest to the Tal. It is not surprising to see migratory birds, cheetals and other herbivores and, of course, our striped visitor, the tiger.
However, the permanent resident of Jhadi Tal is the S w a m p D e e r ( C e r v u s d u v a u c e l i i d u v a u c e l i i ) , popularly known as Wetland Barasingha. According to estimates, there are around 400-500 Swamp Deer in and around Tal. The deer lives in swampy
grasslands very close to water bodies. With specialized hooves that spread out, Barasingha is able to manoeuver efficiently through the soft, marshy ground. The Barasingha feeds commonly on aquatic plants, which it gets by completely submerging its head in the water.
The global population of Barasingha has undergone a dramatic decline principally due to the habitat loss. The fertile flood plains in much of their range have been rapidly developed and drained for agriculture and industrial development.
Jhadi Tal is not an exception. It, too, has fallen victim to human interference with the ecosystem - large-scale deforestation in Nepal has led to the
increase in siltation and velocity of water in the River Sarda. The long and wide stretch of land, which was the divide between the Tal and the river, has lost its width due to the river erosion. At one of the points, the river has almost eaten into this border and the divide has been reduced only to a few meters. If this embankment is broken or destroyed, the water will move freely and the river will slowly engulf the Tal destroying the home of the Wetland Barasingha.
Channel restoration is the need of the hour. Through physical modification of the bank we will be able to resist long-term erosion of the banks, thus restoring the safety of the affected area and maintaining the equilibrium in the biological function in the process. Spurs - made up of rocks and logs - will help to slow down the flow of water along the bank. Work needs to be initiated immediately at this one particular place, as described above, where the river has almost eroded bank. It would take 3-4 spurs to save this divide that keeps the heavy flow of water away from the marshland. The cost of making each spur is approximately Rs. 20 lakhs. Currently WWF-India has limited funds and may not be able to support the project but appeals to other organizations to come forward to help save this swampland.
At the current rate of river erosion Jhadi Tal will only be able to survive two or three monsoons. If we lose this swamp we would lose a significantly large population of the Wetland Barasingha and would eventually lose the tigers that thrive in the jungle of Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary.
Dilpreet B Chhabra
Jhadi Tal- The Beginning Of The End?A Quick Over View Of The Jhadi Tal Crisis And Recommended Approach
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Tiger in Jhadi Tal
Deer in Jhadi TalAll
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h e Wo r l d E n v i r o n m e n t D a y w a s celebrated with great aplomb and spirit on
June 5, 2006, at the WWF-India auditorium. The evening witnessed a unique integration between environment and culture, presented through breathtaking photograph exhibition and a classical dance performance.
The photographs brought to life the critical issues that the environment faces - be it the need for saving birds and their habitats, or the fast delpleting forest cover or important relation between human beings and nature.
The three-day photo exhibition had more than 70 photographs on display and included the artistic work of renowned photographers like Raghu Rai,
Gopi Gajwani, Avinash Pasricha, Amit Pasricha, Nanak Dhingra, Jagdeep
Rajput, Mohit Midha, Achal Kumar, Deb Mukharji and Somendra Singh. Also on display were the brilliant collection of charcoal sketches by
Ranthambore School of
A r t a n d posters designed by creative
house Oglivy and Mather. Shreya Kumar, pupil of Geeta Chandran, performed a classical repertoire in
the cultural programme, s p o n s o r e d b y
Indian Council of Cul tural R e l a t i o n s (ICCR).
M r . R a v i S i n g h ,
S e c r e t a r y Genera l and
C E O , W W F -I n d i a , i n h i s
message highlighted the issue importance of local knowledge and
linked it to the theme of this year’s Environment Day Celebrations, Desertification and Deserts. He said, “ We need to use the knowledge of the bio
diversity of the Aravalli Range and enrich flora and fauna so that desertification of the region beyond the Aravalli range can be prevented. The desertification of the region beyond Aravalli range causes soil erosion and affects the human population.”
Ms Madhur Das, Director, Business Development, WWF-India, stressed upon the importance of days like the World Environment Day that provide an opportunity to address burning issues of environment conservation. She urged greater participation from the private sector in forging conservation partnerships and influencing policy. Further, she added that corporates houses should come forward and help in finding solutions by supporting sustainable approaches issues like freshwater, sustainable tourism, and financing for sustainable development.
WWF-India brought on a common platform a consortium of supporters such as Mr. Amitabh Kant, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India; Ms. Monika Kapil Mohta, Deputy Director General, ICCR; Ms Subha Rajan, Director, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and students from Delhi university, eminent conservationists and senior citizens.
In association with India Habitat Centre, the exhibition was also organized from July 25-31, 2006, at the Centre’s Open Palm Court Gallery. Call of the Wild now travels to Mumbai and Bangalore where similar exhibitions will be held.
Pinky Pradhan
When The Pictures Spoke A Thousand Words!
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Mr. Amitabh Kant, Joint Secretary, Minister of Tourism, being
felicitated.
Dancer Shreya Kumar’s performance enthralled the
gathering.
On The Occasion Of World Environment Day
ot only at the WWF-India Secretariat but also at the various state offices “The World
Environment Day” was celebrated with great deal of enthusiasm. Some highlights of the various programs held are mentioned below.
The West Bengal State Office
The West Bengal State Office of WWF-India organized a special programme on the occasion of World Environment Day in association with the Indian Museum, Kolkata. The chief guest of the programme, Mr. Mohanto Chatterjee, Minister in Charge, Department of Environment, Government of West Bengal, released the special World Environment Day 2006 souvenir. The programme was well-attended by government officials, members of the civil society and WWF-India supporters.
In addition, WWF staff members actively participated in other major World Environment Day celebrations across the city like the ones organized by East Calcutta Medical Club, American Centre and the West Bengal Pollution Control Board.
Pune Divisional Office
The Pune Divisional Office of WWF-India celebrated the World Environment Day 2006 with a number of activities for kids. Titled, “Go Wild”, the celebrations were organized together with the Suzlon Energy Limited at a popular city hangout.
The celebrations drew a large number of kids and their parents throughout the day. Activities like face-painting, puzzles, playing with clay, slogan -writing were attracted a large number of kids.
Through informative slides and music, WWF-India staff emphasized the importance of conserving forests, saving the tiger, recycling and
planting trees. The event concluded with a trip to the Zoological Garden of Pune – the Katraj Zoo, where the children appreciated animals from close quarters.
The event concluded with a trip to the Zoological Garden of Pune – the Katraj Zoo, where the children appreciated animals from close quarters.
Tamil Nadu State Office
The Tamil Nadu State Office of WWF-India celebrated the World Environment Day with great enthusiasm this year as well. To commemorate the occasion, a number of educational events were organized at the Chennai Corporation Government Higher Secondary School.
The day-long events included a student rally that helped in spreading awareness about environmental issues and the urgent need to address them. A large number of students and WWF-India Nature Club members also participated in other events like painting competition, elocution and article-writing.
Sikkim Programme Office
On the occasion of the World Environment Day 2006, the Sikkim programme office of WWF-India released a report titled, “People’s Opinion on the Impacts of Ban on Grazing” in Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary, Sikkim.
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programme arranged by the S tate Forest Department of the Sikkim Government. This report is a result of a research study supported by WWF-India.
Madhya Pradesh
Our office in Madhya Pradesh organized a Nature Study Outing at Kerwa Dam for 60 . Seeds of medicinal plants were also disbursed and sowed in the State forest Nursery by the children.
The State office also organised quiz programme for children of Bal Niketan, Bhopal. The children
All Photos © WWF-India
were told about the importance of the envionrmnet and the need to conserve it. Seeds of medicinal plants were also disbursed and sowed in the State forest Nursery by the children.
The State office also organized quiz programme for children of Kolar housing society that was attended by large number of seniors and children. The housing society is facing a major water crisis and the children and their parents were sensitized about the urgent need to save water.
Terai Arc Landscape
World Environment Day 2006 was celebrated extensively at the Lagga Bagga-Kishanpur Linkage. Various sensitization and awareness programmes were organized in partnership with the Forest Department and other local NGOs. Each initiative successfully managed to pull a crowd of around 300-400 people. Painting competitions were jointly organized with the T u r q u o i s e W i l d l i f e Conservat ion Society where 110 students of the different schools of the nearby villages participated in the event. Certain activities saw participation from local political leaders as well. These activities were organized by the WWF India team at the Pilibhit office.
20 In T
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A Call of the Wild -
The travelling exhibition
Adopt a Plant
Religion and Conservation
Dear Sir,I really like the new look of the PANDA. It is very interactive and attractive. The Kid's Zone looks much better. The articles, as usual, are very informative and interesting especially the article on 'Tiger Conservation' which is a key issue today. I really appreciate the efforts you people are making to save this endangered animal. Keep up the good work!
Regards,Rajiv Singh
Hi WWF,
The new look of the PANDA is great! The new sections and articles are very interesting and informative. Efforts like 'Call of the Wild' show the great work WWF is doing to spread the message of conservation. I would like to know in what ways I can help WWF in spreading the message of conservation.
Regards,Alok Mohan
Letters To The Editor
PANDAIssue II -2006
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well known truism states that if you believe in something you can accomplish it as well.
This is apt for Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. Not very long back in time it saw the end of its days and now it is buzzing with prolific flora and fauna.
A casual trip to the Sanctuary brings to you whole lot of surprises. Melodious calls of incredible species of birds. Sighting of a large variety of ungulates and to top it all tigers in the forest
narrates its own success. Katerniaghat has also recently seen an influx of elephants from the neighboring forest areas of Nepal. There are also around half a dozen Rhino including a new born calf. Yes, Katerniaghat has finally started to revive and flourish.
Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Nanpara Tehsil of district Bahraich on the Indo-Nepal border in Uttar Pradesh. It is surrounded by
Dudhwa National Park on one side and Suhelwa Wildlife Sanctuary on the other side and also shares its border with Royal Bardia National Park in Nepal. The significance of the forests is reflected in its bio-diversity. It is an amalgamation of beautiful dense and moist Sal forests and large open grasslands. Over all the forests are lush green and bountiful. Tigers, leopard, chital, swamp deer, sambar, hog deer, barking deer, nilgai, rhesus macque, common langur and the black buck are
some of the species that prowl the forests. Presence of a large river Ghagara and a reservoir attracts water bed birds and other avi fauna.
The scenario was always not this bright at Katerniaghat and the forest was in deep peril. It did not enjoy the status of a wildlife reserve. It was just another forest protected under the forest division and was therefore completely neglected and abandoned. There was uncontrollable timber and he
Katerniaghat – A Success In Making
A
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Photo © WWF-India
Strong legislation critical for environmental conservation
NTFP (Non timber forests produce) collection. Even villagers from across the border use to venture into the forests only to disturb its peace and tranquility. The counterpart forests in Nepal have been degraded since the Maoists interference.
There are also numerous farms located inside the forests which facilitated game hunting. There was poaching by the villagers and those across the border. There was also a major problem of cattle grazing inside the forests. This immense biotic pressure had caused the prey base of the tiger to reduce considerably. The railway line which passes through the core areas had taken a huge toll of wild animals such as the tiger, cheetals, pythons and many more. There was no NGO presence in this area to support any conservation initiative.
Then what went right? Katerniaghat was a wildlife sanctuary but was given no significance because of which it was deteriorating like any other Protected Areas (PA) in the country due to heavy biotic pressure. In the year 1999-2000 Katerniaghat was made part of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, thus the focus changed immediately and the management started to improve.
The credit for forest improvement can largely be attributed to the successive high quality forest managers who have taken key interest in protecting and preserving the wildlife in that area. There has been strict enforcement of rules on cattle grazing. Timber collection has been stopped to a very large extent and the collection of NTFP has been regulated.
WWF-India has forwarded support in strengthening the management capacity for anti-poaching. We have provided the Forest Department with jeeps and motorcycles for patrolling, radio sets for monitoring and also provided them with solar panels since many areas have no electricity. We have also given them a motor boat since some of the forest areas are totally cut away by the river tributaries. The monitoring of these wetlands can only be done through motor boats.
The need of the hour is to support the current forest conservator in his effort to make Katerniaghat a beautiful paradise. Some kind of tourism efforts need to be undertaken by the State Government since tourism helps to throw light on various issues at the Sanctuary. There is a need to create inter connecting corridor between Dudhwa National Park and Katerniaghat. More anti poaching activities such as intense patrolling need to be undertaken to curb illegal wildlife trade. Measures also need to be taken to reduce retaliatory killing of wild animals. Large scale community work needs to be taken up with the villagers to sensitize them and gain their interest and support in conservation. It surely is the beginning of a beautiful start but there are many issues and problems that still need to be dealt with.
Dilpreet B Chhabra
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Indian tiger, Panthera tigris tigris,
resting. All
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WWF - A Great Place To Work!
5 years of service
10 years of service
15 years of service
Mr A K Sivakumar Education Officer
Kerala
Ms Neha Samuel Assistant Landscape Coordinator
Bilaspur
Ms Rupa Chhetri Office Attendant
Sikkim
Ms Mousumi Chakraborty Assistant Accounts Officer
West Bengal
Mr Jairam A Harmalkar Assistant Accounts Officer
Goa
Mr K V Laxminarayan Senior Sales Manager
Tamil Nadu
Ms Vasti Danita Daniel Divisional Director
Pune
Mr Udayan Mitra Sales OfficerWest Bengal
Ms Rita Choksi Accounts Officer
Gujarat
Mr Tariq Aziz Associate Director
Secretariat
Mr Shridhar Kadam Administrative Officer
Maharashtra
Mr Khedu Ram Gardener
Secretariat
Mr Visheshar Kaulik GardenerSecretariat
Mr N ShehadriAssistant Accounts Officer
Karnataka
rom modest beginning in 1969, WWF-India has grown to become one of India’s
largest conservation organizations with national presence and diverse programmes. We owe all of this to relentless hard work and dedication of our team members who have worked tirelessly to help us achieve our conservation successes.
As a token appreciation, we have conferred WWF-India Long Service Award to some of our valuable team members who have been associated with us for a long time. Our heartiest congratulations to them and best wishes for time to come!
F
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PANDAIssue II - 2006
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onsidering the sad state of our oceans these days, it seems that there is not much to
celebrate. Many marine species are threatened with extinction, coral reefs are being destroyed, the waters are polluted and overfished, and the list goes on. Sadly, the largest living space on Earth — oceans cover 71 per cent of our planet’s surface — is fast deteriorating.
In fact, much of the world’s fisheries are already fully exploited or overfished. And each year billions of unwanted fish and other animals — like dolphins, marine turtles, seabirds and sharks — needlessly die from inefficient, illegal, and destructive fishing practices. As many as 90 per cent of the ocean’s large fish, such as tuna, swordfish, and marlin, as well as numerous shark species, have been fished out. Today, poor fisheries management is probably the largest threat to ocean life and habitats, not to mention the livelihoods and food security of over a billion people.
The impacts of declining fish catches are being painfully felt by many coastal fishing communities around the world. Newfoundland in Canada provides a sobering example of what happens to communities when fish populations are fished to commercial extinction. For centuries the cod stocks of the Grand Banks seemed inexhaustible, but today the fishery has all but collapsed with thousands of people out of work. In Senegal, fishermen no longer catch prized barracudas and red carp, but instead go after smaller and less appetizing kobos because most of the time there is nothing else. Similar scenarios are being observed throughout the world. So what can we do to conserve the future of our oceans? Protect them.
Less than 1per cent of the world’s oceans are under some form of protection compared to almost 13 per cent of the planet’s land area. And the vast majority of existing marine parks and reserves suffer from little or no effective management.
Taking Stock Of Our Oceans
On the occasion
of the World
Oceans Day, we
bring to you a
special op-ed
written by Dr.
Simon Cripps,
Director of
global Marine
programme of
WWF. In this
thought
provoking write-
up, the author
reminds us to
“take stock” of
our marine
resources
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PANDAIssue II -2006
Photo Credit: WWF-Canon / Martin HARVEY
Left Photo:
Bois bouchon Retrophyllum minor New Caledonia (FR).
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But with the introduction of marine protected areas, things are starting to change. Marine protected areas — include marine reserves, areas closed to fishing or oil and gas exploration, and locally-managed marine areas — are an essential insurance policy for the future of both marine life and local people. They safeguard the ocean’s rich diversity of life and provide safe havens for endangered species, as well as commercial fish populations, and can offer sources of income for local communities, such as through tourism and park management.
WWF, together with its partners, is working towards a network of effectively managed, ecologically representative marine protected areas that will cover at least 10 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2020. This is an ambitious goal, but in the last few years alone, we have helped achieve
2protection for more than 200,000 km of marine areas, including coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, fish breeding grounds, and deep-sea habitats. This is but a drop in the ocean, but some countries are heeding the call. Just last year, Fiji announced that it will establish a marine protected network covering 30 per cent of its waters by 2020 — one of the largest areas of protected ocean in the world. Other island nations have made similar commitments, including Australia, Micronesia and Granada.
Protected areas do not simply mean maintaining biodiversity and providing refuges for species — although this is a significant goal within itself considering increasingly high levels of biodiversity loss — but it is also intended to support sustainable fisheries. Protected marine areas can be used to provide areas where fish are able to spawn and grow to their adult size, increasing fish catches (both size and quantity) in
surrounding fishing grounds, and helping maintain local cultures, economies, and livelihoods which are intricately linked to the marine environment.
Marine ecosystems are very complex and our knowledge of them limited. We are still discovering new species and new habitats. But we do know that if we continue to fish and use the world’s marine resources at the rate we are now, there won’t be too much left for future generations, let alone the next few years.
Fortunately, many within the fishing industry and seafood sector are aware of the crisis at sea and are working with environmental organizations and forward-looking governments towards a healthy, more sustainable marine ecosystem. They are trying to find ways to improve fisheries management, reduce the impacts of destructive fishing, and promote sustainably caught seafood. In other words, tying to change the way fish are caught, marketed, and bought.
Whether you are a fisherman, a seafood retailer or a fish consumer, whether you live inland or on the coast, we are all connected to the ocean in some way or another. World Ocean Day may only come around once a year without much fanfare, but it is precisely because we take our oceans for granted that they are in the poor state that they are now in. It is time to pause for a moment to take stock about how the ocean affects you, and how you affect the ocean.
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Photos © WWF-India
25
Trees Of Delhi: A Field Guide
Book Review
This delightfully written, profusely illustrated and elegantly produced book fulfils a long-belt need to learn about the trees of Delhi. The author’s tremendous enthusiasm in his work is clearly visible though he has just spent little over 10 years to train himself as a field botanist. The author strikes a remarkable balance between works of classical taxonomists who have a tendency to be too technical and amateur naturalists who suffer from being superficial and inaccurate. Through passion, meticulous research and tremendous labour, Pradeep Krishen has brought out an inspiring guide book that deals with 252 trees, native to the Aravalli region or naturalized or cultivates in Delhi.
The book is divided into three parts: Introduction, Tree Guide and Back of the Book. The first part sets the scene and includes topics such as “what is a tree, tree names, parts of a tree, how to use the book, the leaf scheme, ten leaf categories, Delhi as a habitat for trees, Delhi’s natural ecology, micro habitats, where exactly is the ridge, 19th century Delhi 7 avenue trees in the capital, Delhi today and where to go tree spotting in Delhi”.
Understandably Tree guide forms the major part. As this book is meant to be used by any person interested in trees, the author has chosen leaf characters as the basis of identification. Previously tropical botanists have leaf employed features of the (and also bark) for identifying trees in Malaysia and Western Ghats. The basis is whether the leaf is simple or compound. Five leaf-types each for these two kinds have been recognized: jamun-like, peepal-like, Frangipani-like, Chinar-like, pine-like, bael-like, semal-like, imli-like, gulmohur-like and palm-like.
However, this approach has its own problems. Jamun, Peepal, frangipani and pine are familiar trees. Unless people are from Kashmir or have
Pradeep Krishen, 2006Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Limited
Through passion, meticulous research and tremendous
labour, Pradeep Krishen has brought out an inspiring
guide book that deals with 252 trees, native to the
Aravalli region or naturalized or cultivates in Delhi
PANDAIssue II -2006
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26
visited Kashmir, they are unlikely to know the leaf shape of Chinar. Of course they have to go by the picture in the book. As the author himself admits, pine-like category is a bit of a ragbag that includes all gymnosperms, yellow oleander, eucalypts, alii fig etc. Bauhinia certainly does not have a compound leaf. The two lobes are joined, with the exceptions of B.vahlii in which they are deeply divided.
‘Tree guide’ is admirably prepared with a concise description of each tree under the common name (the author has his own preferences in choosing names, synonyms, scientific name, the family to which it belongs, its size (the silhouette of a tree is shown with a human standing next to it), features of the bark, leaves, flowers, fruit and seasons of growth. The most useful entry is where to see the described tree. If the tree is well-known, a short account of its habitat, range and uses is listed. The colour pictures of plants and their parts are superb and the images will help in recognizing them easily in the field. Trees such as acacias, cassias, frangipani, fig tree, eucalypts, and palms are difficult to identify. These have been distinguished by easy to use keys. Notes of special interest are provided for some trees in boxes.
While in New Delhi, tourists invariably go to see historical monuments such as Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Jama Masjid, Safdarjang’ s Tomb, Humayun’s Tomb and various samadhis besides gardens and parks, temples and places of worship. Naturalists, students and garden enthusiasts may be attracted by trees along avenues, in residences, embassies, hotels and golf courses some of the best specimens of trees and exotics are to be seen in the bungalows of Luytens’ Delhi, Presidents’ Estate, and establishments of the Armed Forces where entry is restricted or prohibited. Campuses of Delhi University, Jawahar Lal Nehru University, Jamia Millia University, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, National Physical Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, National Council for Educational Research and Training etc. have planted a large number of exquisite trees. It indeed is a Herculean task to cover all these places for spotting trees.
Family names, list of species with their scientific valid names, and a general index are given at the end of the book. However, a brief bibliography of the books on trees available on this region would have helped the reader in furthering his interest on trees.
The outer back page of the book is equally absorbing. Interesting questions like - where
araucarias come from? Ever seen flowers of Peepal tree? How figs are pollinated? etc. make the cover an interesting read.
It is obvious that the author has spent a good deal of time in the New Delhi, Mehrauli and Tughalakabad Ridge. He describes Mangarbani, with its characteristic Dhau trees, as a little outdoor museum of what Delhi’s Ridge might have looked without the biotic pressure. The favourite place seems to be Sundar Nursery that house many exotic introductions often with a single living specimen alive.
There is a maxim in Kannada “There is no one who knows everything. Those who know are very few”. In this Herculean task, Pradeep Krishen has brought to the readers a wealth of knowledge about trees. Such a work is sure to go through several editions. I am sure he will include bhela (Semecurpus anacardium), the marking nut tree growing in Qutb compound, Kurchi (Holarrhena antidysenterica) in Old Delhi Ridge, litchi, a solitary coconut tree (30-35 years old that has stopped bearing fruit) growing in Kali Mandir on the Mandir Marg in the next edition.
On account of the excellent quality of paper and printing of over 1100 colour pictures abroad the cost of the book has shot up to 799 rupees. It is worth it. But a subsidized edition is a good investment for encouraging the love and care of trees in this city which is losing its tree wealth due to negligence, bad planning, major construction activity and sheer lack of public concern.
Prof. H.Y. Mohan RamFormerly Professor of Botany, University of Delhi
There is a maxim in Kannada “There is no one who
knows everything. Those who know are very few”. In
this Herculean task Pradeep Krishen has brought to the
readers a wealth of knowledge about trees.
PANDAIssue II - 2006
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