Project funded by: Artists for Nature Foundation, The Netherlands
School project May 2004 till May,05
During this period we have also involved villagers living on the edge of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to participate in the ANF’s ongoing nature conservation program:
- Using art as a tool for generating awareness for wild life conservation.
- Significance of sustained ecosystem as their resource.
- Use of non conventional sources of energy to reduce direct dependence on forest products.
- Direct benefits of forest in their day today life like balance food chain, fresh air, normal rain etc. and as an important resource for their future.
Specially the women who does use the art for drawing the animals and birds, which are holy in India to decorate their house from inside and outside though they use blunt twigs from plants and colors made of flowers(like flame of the forest and Sinduri).
Teachers and students received an introduction on environment, wild life education and the significance of art in the conservation of Wildlife by the ANF representative in India, Vivek Sharma. The following schools from Bandhavgarh District – Umaria, Madhya Pradesh, India, participated in the competition:
With the inclusion of four more schools so till now we have on going nature conservation activities in total of ten schools.
- Government High (middle) School, Tala
- Government Primary School, Kuchwahi
- Government Primary School, Rakhi
- Government Primary School, Bijaria
- Government Primary School, Jamunara
- Government Primary School, Gurwahi
- Government Primary School, Dhamokar
- Government Primary School, Parasi
- Government Primary School, Pataur
- Government Primary School, Dhoba
During the period of May 2004 till May,05
- About 350 more students and teachers have participated in the ANF’s Nature conservation program through involving them in the ongoing nature talent search competition.
- About 70 selected students and teachers have been taken into the park with the proper guidance of Vivek Sharma.
- Presentation round with ANF, India representative, Vivek Sharma, teacher and pupils for the further improvement of their talent.
- Generated awareness of Wildlife and Nature conservation among local villagers in general and specifically in the surroundings of the Tiger Reserve Bandhavgarh.
- Wildlife Art talents search among the villagers specially women’s who aretraditionally making this fine art to decorate her house just to follow the custom but is really ignorant of her artistic talent and the significance of her subject.
FUTURE PLANS
- Presentation round in detail with ANF, India representative, Vivek Sharma, teacher, students and villagers to review what we have done and how to improve? Because still lot of scope for improvement.
- Taking very selected talented peoples into the park, who have basis for developing wildlife art specially women.
- Support talented children to become professionals in Art and Craft connected with Wildlife. These products could be sold to tourists visiting the Tiger Reserve. This might be one way to interest the local community to create income and to contribute to Wildlife Conservation.
- Supply the environmental education resource material to villagers and schools in local language.
ANF INDIA
11/24 Rose Cottage
B.M. Khan, Agra – 2
India
Tel: 0091 (0) 562 2525787
Mob. 0091- 9412722225
e-mail : anfind@yahoo.com
