The Hindu Business Line : Wild enthusiasm

A medley of lush fields and dancing flowers, that await the moment of blissful showers. A song of the wild, where the elephants rule, amidst evergreen groves, now prey to a fool. A cry of troubled land, where mountains stood tall A howl in the barren Where water did once fall. Our earth, Mother Earth it is.

Is there no time left to ponder over environmental issues? Well, this would be a convenient generalisation, but for the people who never fail in their love for nature. Some of them are at the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

Founded in 1883, it is today the largest NGO in the Indian sub-continent engaged in nature conservation research. Over the years, it has committed itself to the conservation of India's natural wealth and protection of the environment, while tackling relevant and current issues including the sustainable use of natural resources.

The Society's guiding principle is that conservation must be based on scientific research — a tradition exemplified by its late president, Dr Salim Ali. "We are not activists," clarifies Isaac Kehimkar, the well informed and passionate Public Relations Officer at BNHS, "We intend to conserve different aspects of the environment using scientific rationale."

Located at Hornbill House in Mumbai, BNHS boasts of 5,000 members across 25 countries. It is a member of several international organisations and societies of repute such as the IUCN, and is a partner designate of BirdLife International.

The contributions made by BNHS would make any environmentalist proud. These include:

Playing a key role in the conservation of the Silent Valley

Banning the export of frogs

Preventing the creation of a highway passing through Mumbai's Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Lobbying for Wildlife Protection Acts

Preserving the ecology of endangered bird species like the Great Indian Bustard.

Ongoing projects include: Important Bird Areas (IBA); Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN); bird community studies in various habitats in the Western Ghats; and conservation of critically endangered Gyps Spp. Vultures in India.

"Our research team includes 25 in-house scientists, herpetologists, ornithologists and sociologists," says Kehimkar. "It surveys sites and identifies threats to all the elements in the region's environment. Then we work towards a solution that will mitigate the damage with the support of the government and, more importantly, the locals."

The studies have generated crucial data for the management and conservation of India's rich biodiversity. "Our study traced the bird hazards posed to aircraft in Mumbai and we made some recommendations to reduce the bird menace. Our ten-year study on elephants in the Mudumalai sanctuary, Tamil Nadu, led to the discovery of their migratory routes. We made recommendations to ensure these routes are free from intrusion. We are also studying ways to tackle man-animal conflict," says Kehimkar.

On the recent leopard attacks in Mumbai that have been in focus he says, "We want to tackle the problem at the grassroots level. We are trying to understand why leopards are moving towards the city. It is crucial to create awareness and educate people on these issues."

BNHS has set up Conservation Education Centre (CEC), spread over 33 acres, on the outskirts of Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Students are one of the main target groups of CEC activities. The Centre works with about 15,000 students and hundreds of teachers every year.

Ruby Madan, Divisional Manager and Marketing and Resource Mobilisation in-charge, describes the Nature Interpretation Centre set up at Borivili National Park and funded by the Forest Department and British Gas.

Experts accompany members on guided tours of nature trails and spots to help understand and interpret nature better. "Visitors don't simply admire nature but also gain scientific knowledge about it."

The BNHS Green Governance Programme furthers the cause of sustainable development through long-term perspective and broad-based participation in policy formulation, decision-making and implementation. The Army is a vital partner since some of the best forest areas are under its control such as the Rann of Kutch. The programme also attempts to sensitise financial institutes and corporates on the need to integrate biodiversity concerns at the planning and financing phase. "We have received Rs 2 lakh from ICICI Bank for a two-year period as support for Green Governance initiatives," says Kehimkar.

Funding

BNHS is proudly self-reliant and depends very little on the government. "We create our corpus through annual membership fees, corporate and individual donations, book sales etc," says Kehimkar. The society also produces and sells attractive greeting cards, calendars, T-shirts and caps emblazoned with the message of environment conservation.

It recently released a book, Important Bird Areas in India - Priority sites for conservation. "This book took four years but was worth it," says Ruby. The book gives a clear understanding of the conservation status in some of the most significant bird sites in India.

A member's delight

Members can participate in nature camps, nature trails, slide talks, film shows, natural history projects and conservation campaigns. The activities include bird watching at Uran, Nilje Pond etc; nature walks through the Mumbra mangroves, Karnala Wildlife Sanctuary; and illustrated wildlife talks by experts. "We also organise highly subsidised annual camps at Corbett National Park, African Safari, Valley of Flowers National Park, and Ranthambore National Park.

The society hopes to attract the younger generation in greater numbers since the future lies in their hand.

But are youngsters ready to take on this heady mixture of responsible action and wild enthusiasm?

Annual membership rates:

Individual - Rs 400; Spouse and one child below 12 years - Rs 650; Spouse and two children below 18 years - Rs 1,000.

Contact the Bombay Natural History Society at: Hornbill House, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road, Mumbai-400 023.

E-mail: bnhs@bom4.vsnl.net.in

Web site: http://www.bnhs.org/

Picture by Shashi Ashiwal

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