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Thanal Conservation Action and Information Network
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Thanal is a broad network registered as a society in1986. Thanal was initially concerned
about Natural History studies and Nature education. The main focus is on study and
building of database on Natural heritage. Surveys of heronery of Kerala, Survey
of the Birds of Sacred Groves are ongoing programs without any external support.
Thanal published the "Book of Kerala Birds", the first comprehensive work on Kerala
Birds since Salim Ali's "Birds of Kerala". Thanal team also brought out a report
on the Kole wetlands of Thrissur.
Thanal started the Teacher and Environment Network in 1993 as a forum for interacting
with educators and teachers on environment education. The network has over 350 teachers
on the mailing list.
Nature Club Council, a co-ordinating body for Nature Clubs of India was launched
by Thanal in 1994. The council has over 500 schools in the mailing list. Film shows,
audiovisual shows, reference facility, program design and back up and other services
are offered to the clubs registered with the council. The Council has one full time
program coordinator and many volunteers. Council has two regular publications and
occasional discussion papers. The members collected 1.53 lakhs of signatures to
appeal to the Prime Minister of India to improve tiger conservation efforts.
The Marine Turtle Conservation Action (MTCA) as an informal body
founded in 1995 by Thanal was formally launched in 1996. MTCA has been networking
with national and international agencies. The work till date has been on building
a database. The Kerala Forest Department has sponsored a project to survey the Kerala
coast and to develop a management plan for marine turtle conservation involving
communities. MTCA would like to start a 'turtle helpline' which is in the pipeline.
The research wing of Thanal 'Centre for Nature Studies' is building a field base
on wetlands. A report on the impact of tourism on the wetlands -a case study- is
already completed for the tourism research organization called 'Equations' in Bangalore.
Thanal acts as a watch group for the fall outs of intense, unsustainable tourism
activity in the State.
'Toxic Alert Group' of Thanal focuses on studies, campaigns and education programs
related to toxins around us. A network of students to alert on toxic issues is being
established. The group brings out a Newsletter 'Toxic Alert-Keralam' published every
month. Toxics in Industry, Pesticides and other toxins around us are the main focus
of the Group.
Thanal functions on an informal basis, and is a group of individuals forming a collective
platform to work together. The work and programs are designed and guided by the
core group. Till date, most of the funding is from group members or the projects
taken up by the members in their individual capacities. It is driven by the mission
'Quest for Survival' and 'Gathering for All Beings'.
Contact
P.B No 815, Kawdiar P.O.
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala - 695 003
India
Tel. 0471-311896
E-mail: thanal@vsnl.com
MET
The main objective of MET is people participation for sustainable development of
Mysore Region based on Agenda 21. MLAN is an informal network of civic and environmental
NGOs and CBOs and also individuals for Local Agenda-21 for Mysore. It has met every
month second Saturday at 16.00 hrs since May 1998.
Contact
Jagnath Venkatramaih
E-mail: jagsenvirons@vsnl.com, jagsenvirons57@yahoo.com
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