Events
Pollinators and Pollination in a Changing World
A Workshop from 7th to 11th March, 2011, Bangalore
Call for Applications
Applications are invited from students working in the fields of ecology, evolution and
conservation to apply for participation in an upcoming workshop, to be conducted at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore.
To apply, please send your résumé and a brief write-up (of no more than 200 words) on how this workshop will be useful to you, to:
pollinatorsworkshop@ncbs.res.in
Participation is based on selection that takes into account each applicant’s academic background and plans. Fifteen students will be selected for the workshop. All participation costs (travel by 2-tier AC train, accommodation, and daily allowance) of selected
students will be covered by workshop organizers. We will begin reviewing applications on 18th February, 2011.
*Workshop Details*
This 5-day workshop will introduce students to a range of topics important in the interactions between flower visitors (particularly bees) and flowering plants, both in natural and agricultural systems. A good understanding of plant-pollinator relationships
can only be obtained from insights into the needs of both pollinators (obtaining food, shelter, etc.)
and plants (obtaining high-quality cross-pollination of its flowers).
This course will address many aspects of this complex relationship, including foraging behaviour, sensory and community ecology of pollinators, floral rewards, plant-pollinator networks, and plant breeding systems. In addition, we will address the current state
of pollinators and plants, how global change affects this relationship, what it means for human society, and what we can do about it.
*Coordinated by:* Koos Biesmeijer, Bill Kunin (University of Leeds), &
Stuart Roberts (University of Reading).
*Organized by:* UK-India Education and Research Initiative with University
of Leeds, Nature Conservation Foundation, Indian Institute of Science
and
National Centre for Biological Sciences.
Are you a tree-watcher?
-Anywhere in India, Any time
Do you love the beautiful trees in your garden, on the roadsides, and where you study or work? Would you like to contribute to a better understanding of our trees?
SeasonWatch (http://www.seasonwatch.in), is a citizen volunteer network that monitors the seasons as revealed by trees. They document the timing of flowering, fruiting and leaf-flush of roughly 100 tree species, and explore how this timing may be changing
as the climate changes. There is no long-term information of this kind from India, so you can contribute a better understanding of nature by simply watching the trees you love!
Just identify a tree (or more) near you and monitor it every week. Upload this information through your account on the SeasonWatch website to add to the data collected by volunteers all across the country. Any interested person can take part -- no specialist
knowledge is required.
SeasonWatch is a purely non-commercial and free activity; its purpose is to understand changes in the natural world; and the information collected is open to all. In the future, they will have a sub-programme for schools and other groups; a discussion board;
and ways to search, visualise and download all information collected by SeasonWatch volunteers.
Please join today, and let a friend know as well!
http://www.seasonwatch.in
Suhel Quader, Arun Elassery and Uttara Mendiratta
Citizen Science Programme
National Centre for Biological Sciences
http://www.ncbs.res.in/citsci
Sreekanth Sreedharan and Prakash Iyer
Wipro Applying Thought in Schools
http://www.wiproapplyingthoughtinschools.com
GIBY KURIAKOSE PhD
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE),
Royal Enclave, Jakkur Post, Srirampura
Bangalore- 560064, India
Phone - +91 9448714856 (Mobile)
Madhura Niphadkar
Sr Research Associate
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)
Ph. No. +91-80-23635555 Ext 309.
Website: www.atree.org
Did someone say, Strength, Stamina, Speed are the domain of Men???
Challenge them!!!
-Pune, 8th March
Announcing an ALL WOMEN Rafting Tour on Kundalika. Can there be a better way to celebrate Women's Day???!!!
We at Kundalika Rafting, would like to offer this special batch exclusively meant for Women across Pune and Mumbai, to participate and experience the thrill of Rafting, on the day that is meant for them.
Program details:
0530 hrs Leave Pune (Packed Breakfast enroute)
0800 hrs Reach & Report @ Kundalika starting point (Rafting)
0830 - 0930 hrs Pre rafting session, Gear-up, Rescue techniques,
Synchronization and set for rafting
0930 hrs Rafting session on river kundalika after the release of water from Bhira dam.
1130 hrs Reach Rafting End Point. Leave for the Lodge for Lunch.
1245 hrs Reach the Lodge & Rest
1300 hrs Buffet Lunch
1400 hrs Rest & Leisure Time
1445 hrs Group Games
1745 hrs Evening Tea Coffee with snacks
1830 hrs Leave for Pune
2100 hrs Reach Pune
Charges: Rs. 1800 (per participant)
For More information & Registrations Contact:
PUJA - 9272882874, NIKHIL - 9011344536, BISHWAJIT - 9049544975
Mail to @ info@kundalikarafting.com / sales@foliageoutdoors.com
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Events
Stream Trail at BNHS nature reserve (BNR), Mumbai
Saturday, April 2 · 7:00am - 11:00am
Registration: On the spot.
BNHS nature reserve expanse over 33 acres at the edge of Sanjay Gandhi National Park near Goregaon Film City, the trail takes you through a dry stream bed and then onto the leopard trail, one can expect to see Ant Lion, Emperor Scorpion, Plum-headed Parakeet,
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Greater Coucal, Shikra and many more.
Charges: Rs. 50/- for member and Rs. 100/- for non-member
Meeting Point: Members to meet at CEC, Goregaon (east) at 7.00 a.m.
Please carry adequate water and packed breakfast. The programme will conclude by 11.00 a.m.
How to reach: Take the bus number 343 from Goregaon (East) railway station or Dindoshi bus Depot to Film city bus stop and walk down to BNHS CEC (2 mins walk through the forest gate). You can also hire a rickshaw
LINKS for the Google Map WALK FROM RELIANCE MEDIA TO BNHS RESERVE
http://bit.ly/waytoBNR
DRIVE TO BNHS RESERVE http://bit.ly/drivetoBNR
Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra
Sunday, April 3 · 6:00am - 12:00pm
Registration*: Call at Hornbill House 22871202, 22821811 or e-mail at
bnhs.programmes@gmail.com
Spread over 85 sq. kms, Tungareshwar wildlife sanctuary forms a corridor between SGNP and Tansa wildlife sanctuary. Three different types of forest, Dry deciduous, Moist deciduous and Semi Evergreen forest are seen here. 2011 being the International Year of
Forest, participants will be informed about the forest types found in the Indian sub-continent and their importance.
Charges: Rs. 550/- for BNHS member and Rs. 600/- for others
(Charges include transportation and BNHS expertise).
Reporting: Bus will leave from Goregaon (Oberoi Mall) at 5.30 a.m.
Dadar T.T. (near Chandu Halwai) at 6.00 a.m., Chembur (near Diamond Garden) at 6:20 a.m., Thane (Cadbury Jn.) 6.40 a.m. Patlipad bus stand
(Hiranadani Junction on Ghodbunder rd.) 7.00 a.m.
Note: Please carry adequate water and packed breakfast,Be prepared for a hot day.
Croc Bank Weekend Summer Camp, Chennai
Friday, April 8 at 8:00am - July 2 at 5:00pm
Despite the multitude of summer camp options open for kids, finding something close to home but far enough from the mundane is difficult. Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, fondly referred to as Croc Bank, has some interesting activities planned for young aspiring
naturalists this summer. The in–house herpetology experts, reptiles themselves and the
croc bank environ are used to the fullest to sensitize the young minds on issues related to ecosystems and reptile conservation.
The two-day long summer camps offer an opportunity for youngsters to interact with herpetology experts, gain theoretical and practical know-how of the reptile world and additionally, enjoy the charms of reptiles in their slightly more active, nocturnal avatar.
Be it trekking through the scrub jungle with the Irulas looking for snakes or visiting the nearby flying fox colony or being launched into the world of traditional medicines, there is never a dull moment for enthusiasts. Also, there are the certificates and
goodies to take home.
For those of you, who feel that these camps are a great way for your kids to spend their summer, please contact
Gayathri Selvaraj,
Education Officer, Madras Crocodile Bank.
Duration: Every weekend from the 8th of April to 2nd of July 2011
Contact Details:
Email: education.mcbt@gmail.com or gayathri@madrascrocodilebank.org
Mobile: +91-9840675175.
"GREENSCRAPS" ... Nature Journaling Workshop, Bangalore
Monday, April 11 at 7:30am - April 15 at 10:30am
"GREEN SCRAPS" is back ! After a wonderful Nature Journaling Workshop in October, 2010, we are happy to announce yet another exclusive "GreenScraps" workshop this
summer !
The registrations are limited to just about 10-12 participants.
To know more about the workshop, call :
Shilpashree - 9241449073
Sangeetha Kadur - 9886812598
Age bracket - 8 to 13 yrs
Young Naturalists' Workshops 2011 - Naturalist Skills at Romulus Whitaker’s
Monday, April 11 at 5:00am - April 15 at 3:00pm
Rom Whitaker is a pioneer in reptile conservation and has been at the forefront of the field for around four decades. He founded the first snake park in India, the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Andaman and Nicobar Environmental Team, Irula Snake Catchers’ Co-operative
Society among many other achievements and endeavours.
Rom now lives on the edge of a reserve forest about an hour away from Chennai. He has set up a small campsite to allow enthusiasts to experience Nature and also build skills in field biology.
Gerry Martin will be taking a group of 18 kids over to Rom’s campsite to run them through the basics in field biology. They will learn outdoor skills, camera trapping, bio-statistics, reptile biology, bird watching and a lot more.
Age bracket: 10 to 16 yrs.
Book in advance
Agumbe in the heart of the monsoons!
Friday, June 3 at 8:00am - June 5 at 6:00pm
*Experience the life giving rains*
The beginning of June is a very interesting time in the Western Ghats. Everything is prepared for and waiting for the rains to come. The few early showers have already caused an explosion of life and amphibians and insects abound. Snakes, lizards and other
small predators come out in great numbers to feast on this abundance and many species will have timed the arrival of their progeny with this season.
Gerry Martin will be heading up to the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station to experience this transition. We will be staying at the research station, in tents and explore the surrounding streams and forests to understand how various animals adapt to this wet
clime. By July, the rains in Agumbe are punishingly heavy and most life seems to simply hunker down and wait out the next two months and potentially six meters of rain!
This is the perfect time to experience the smaller wildlife and see various interactions and adaptations. We will also learn about taxonomy of reptiles, ecological research
methods, outdoor skills and guidelines for safe functioning in the wilderness.
The workshop will be a combination of activities and presentations.
Some of the aspects we will address are:
• Rainforest ecology
• Canopy Access
• Stream Ecology
• Snake Taxonomy
• Snakebite treatment and first aid
• Night survey techniques
We will stay in tents set on concrete platforms with a tarpaulin shelter over them. The bathrooms are permanent structures with hot and cold running water.
Program Dates: 3rd to 5th June, 2011. (The group leaves Bangalore by overnight bus to Agumbe on the 2nd night and returns early in the morning on the 6th.)
If you are interested in joining or need more details, please get in
touch with Gerry on gerry@gerrymartin.in.
Manali - Leh - - Kargil - Srinagar - Jammu Bike Safari
Saturday, July 2 at 3:30pm - July 17 at 9:00am
13 days/12 nights of nomads life 2000+ Kms of riding on the roads as good as no roads
Riding on "Worlds Highest Motorable Road"
Crossing top 3 highest motorable pass of the world Riding on the succession of 21 hairpin bends Sleeping at an Altitude of 14,500 ft
A drive for 12 hours, and the number of vehicles you see is about 20… Plains for about 40 kms straight at 12000 ft above the sea level… Raw, brown huge mountains without any green…A sky full of stars and there are so many that if you start counting you can
easily loose count in 3 seconds…A lake which is dark blue in colour in the afternoon, grey in the evening, and silverish in the morning, is 154 kms long and 4 kms wide
at its maximum width…A Camp in the middle of nowhere...Mountains where clouds paint their shadows…
Contact - 020 25443096 / 25443097 / 9850826431
or Devdatta Mulay - 9423041586
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