Notes from the editor

ACCC in the conservation matrix

Arun Kumar was the first intern I met at the ACCC back in 2007. He was a post graduate in business administration and wanted to see if he could pursue ecology as a career. Such an intention did not surprise me as many well-known conservation scientists have received diverse training. Arun carried out a small study in Kolundumamalai hills just outside the tiger reserve but eventually decided that he will not take up conservation science as a career. Nevertheless, he is proactive in dealing with conservation issues in Rajapalayam, T amil Nadu and also volunteers for several conservation initiatives in KMTR and other forested regions. Reading the articles in this issue, I realise that every time I visited the ACCC, I met a new intern or witnessed some training program. The diversity of the people who I have come across at the ACCC is quite startling. I have met journalists, lawyers, doctors, engineers, farmers, industrialists, priests, politicians, officers from the Indian Army and Navy, Forest department officials, Police officers and people from many other fields in addition to students. The students are from countries such as U.K, U.S.A, France, Norway, Ireland as well as from local institutions such as the agriculture college in Killikulam. Conservation decisions have long been made by a few elites but we believe that long term success can be achieved only if people from different walks of life get involved in it. ACCC, by facilitating research and conservation action for a global, regional and local start-ups and aspirants, attempts to play its little role in strengthening the conservation thinking both in the landscape and beyond.

- Allwin Jesudasan

Why? What? & How? of an SMS based monitoring system

Low cost Short Messaging Services (SMS) has become a way of life even in the most remote villages of India. We cashed in on this facility and popularity and put together an SMS based biodiversity monitoring system. This low cost short message services was test run in the buffer area of KMTR by our team for the first time in 2011 whereby we targeted a wide audience comprising of college and school students, teachers and people from various other walks of life. A group of thirty odd people participated enthusiastically in the two day event to pick up skills on identifying flora and fauna and also on messaging and coding to simplify the process of transmitting information . Currently, as we make efforts to re-design and develop this monitoring program, the following thoughts come to our mind. Why? Is it really a programme that has worked in the west or an urban area and finds little relevance in a rural setting? The buffer area of KMTR in fact is densely populated with many busy towns and villages and home to a lot of young school and college goers. Then, is the idea of documenting flora and fauna inherent to a commoner or a student? Today it is being increasingly realised that bunch of urban wildlife enthusiasts who visit the area to record biodiversity changes can not be sustained for a long period time. With proper training and quality control, such programs can potentially generate high quality ecological data. In fact, the rich long term butterfly data that UK boasts of today has been collected by laypersons. It is here that we arrive at the “What?” of the programme. Popular floral and faunal taxa from the perspective of ecosystem services and environmental education have been considered, but the possibility of including short message alerting systems to report farmland cropraids by wildlife, or report wildlfires were also debated. How can this be done? From the proceedings of the seminar on Citizen Science held during Jan 2013 at ATREE, it was quite clear that similar programmes and facilities put into their place by the help of back end technology alone was not enough to dri ve such initiatives. Back-end technology may not be hard to furnish but the need for constant interaction with enthusiastic participants by the facilitators will be critical for one such initiative to blossom. Hands-on interactive sessions and capacity building with inputs on the possible services and utilities of such initiatives were suggested as the need of the hour for such programme to meet their requirements.

-Prashanth M. B.
prashanth.mb@atree.org

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Plant-animal interactions - PhD elective at the ACCC

Plant - animal interactions (PAI) is an important field, which has grown in the past 40 years. In most places, this course is taught in a class-room setting leaving students imagination to run wild rather than 'un-wild'. Some hope that the interactions are taught will unfold right under their noses. This stems from the fact that it is taught with examples which have been well worked by field ecologists that perhaps took them prolonged observation varying from days to years. Some of these popular examples are archaic or from forests of other continents. Often, we fail to explore our own backyards to come up with case studies. I was determined to use ACCC's backdrop for PAI course, which is an arena for many such interactions. I took up the task of teachi ng PAI for conservation and sustainable use for graduate students of ATREE who undergo interdisciplinary courses which straddle issues across Ecology, Sociology, Anthropology, Economics to Political ecology . The students come from varied background and not all are trained in biology . However, by the time I offered my course, they were pretty much entrenched into issues of conservation and sustainability , almost like horses with blinkers trained to dive into articles which run to not less 100s of pages. Although, they were an enthused bunch who were here because of their innate fondness of wilderness, they now seemed to have lost their observational traits. In all, four out of the 16 students from the 2011 batch opted for my elective. The classes started in Bangalore with theoretical underpinnings of PAI, starting from mutualistic (pollination, dispersal) to antagonistic interactions (herbivory), the evolutionary and ecological perspectives , chemical and communication ecology of the interactions etc. The lone sociologist always caught me on my basics and kept me on my toes. Soon, the students were exposed to techniques of observation. In Bangalore, they were glued to a location for 6 hours to see which animals were visiting a fruiting fig tree and observing the dynamics of interactions among visitors that ensures seed dispersal away from tree. Once they were trained, we headed to the ACCC to pan out to various forest types to take up some actual field research. We were in the wet forests of Agasthyamalai, brainstorming on various research questions. Finally the group decided to work on patterns of herbivory in Macaranga peltata to test the apparency theory vis-à-vi s resource concent ration hypothesis. Soon, field methods were devised and the data generation started ensuring it is robust enough for statistical analysis. T oday we still are a cohesive group trying to complete a manuscript based on our course work. Thus, the PAI course can suit interdisciplinary as well ecological students to integrate natural and social sciences. To cite an example, the sociologist began drawing analogy between herbivory by beetles and beedi (rolled tobacco) leaves collection by humans on which he has been working on. He started integrating different writing styles of various disciplines which gets critical for student who takes up interdisciplinary approach for their thesis.

- M. Soubadra Devy
soubadra@atree.org

ACCC's internship programs beckons

Agasthyamalai Community - based Conservation Centre (ACCC) is one of the field academies of ATREE. At the ACCC, we have been facilitating internship opportunities for students and interested individuals from India as well as from overseas countries for the past 10 years . Students from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to do the field based conservation science. The interns usually comeup with their own idea for research but some also assist ongoing research programs of the ACCC. So far more than 30 interns have worked in the ACCC carrying out research in diverse topics such as fuelwood study , water management issues, bat monitoring programs, bird surveys, people's perception on biodiversity , conservation education etc. The interns as well as the ACCC benefit through the internship program. Many interns have come here for their master's dissertation using the information provided by the ACCC. An intern from the United States had developed a protocol for monitoring fruit bats (flying fox) and phenology patterns of the trees for rural students which were followed-up by the Green Brigade (student club at ACCC). An intern from France worked on ecosystem services provided by owls in the paddy fields which gave baseline information for our research project. Two interns assisted in the bat surveys in temples which was part of an ongoing project at the ACCC. Through the internship opportunities, the interns share their knowledge with the stakeholders by publishing research papers, thesis and popular articles. ACCC also facilitates courses for college and university students in the region as well as from abroad. Every year, students from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University ( TNAU) , Killikulam come to the ACCC for their program, Rural Agricultural Work Experience (RAWE). The students are trained in ecology and they assist in our ongoing programs. Through this opportunity the students learn the linkages between forests and agriculture such as rodent control by owls and pest control by bats and other birds etc. At the ACCC, we provide good accommodation , vehicle , field assistants, field equipments among other forms of support and assistance. There are still many things that have to be explored in Agasthyamalai region and we encourage people to apply for internship at the ACCC.

- M. Mathivanan
mathi@atree.org

Nature as the teacher

After a long, strenuous hike up the mountain, we summited on the porch of the Jewel House collapsing out of breath. Our breath was taken away once again when we first gazed out onto the plains below. While far off in the distance we could see the lights from villages and towns in the plain, we felt a sense of tranquillity cradled by the mountains. The Jewel House is one of three jungle bungalows located in Naraikkadu, the property privately- owned by Dohnavur Fellowship in the midst of the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. During our stay , we sat down with Ezekiel Devairakkan, on the porch of the Jewel House to discuss the history and conservation role of Dohnavur Fellowship. He spoke passionately of Amy Carmichael and her missionary work in the early part of the 20th century. After an encounter with a six year old girl who had been given away by her family to a temple, Amy realized that there was a need to provide these orphans with a safe-haven. As her orphanage grew, Amy continuously incorporated nature studies into the children's curriculum and searched for a summer home where they could be immersed in nature. The forty-acre former coffee estate was purchased in 1917 and the construction of the Jewel House, in which we stayed, was completed in 1932. The property is still solely run by Dohnavur fellowship and their descendants and the bungalows still serve as a summer retreat . Upholding Carmichael's naturalistic philosophy, all visitors must follow the Dohnavur policy by respecting and protecting the land. Dohnavur Fellowship maintains a close relationship with the Forest Department acting as stewards of the land, they protect the wildlife by not altering the landscape too much. The six kilometer hike to the houses along the Naraikkadu Trail is an education in itself and makes the final breathtaking view ever more rewarding. Our stay at Naraikkadu allowed us to recognize the sheer significance and overwhelming power that nature beholds.

- Ida Greenwell and Erin Dougherty
i486g529@ku.edu

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Nature based education: a boy's view

George Varghese Abraham is an eighteen year old boy from Kerala aspiring to become a doctor. Both of his parents are missionary dentists affiliated with the Dohnavur Fellowship. The Dohnavur Fellowship provides many services, one of which is an orphanage for young girls founded by the late Amy Carmichael of Ireland. Twice a year, in May and September, the girls venture out to the Naraikkadu retreat within Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR). This is where we had the pleasure of meeting George. He has witnessed the importance of outdoor education for these young girls and believes it provides them with an idea of what conservation really is. The Fellowship teaches that nature is a “holy place that should not be defiled”. George believes that children who have not been taught the importance of the environment don't have the same outlook towards conservation and preservation. Even top education institutions teach ecology within walls .The girls who visit the lodge walk away with a stronger connection to the natural world and a greater desire to protect it. When we asked George why he felt this secluded place was good for outdoor education, he said it was due to the beauty of KMTR. When sitting on the porch of the Jewel Lodge looking out at the vast expanses of forest, misty blue peaks, and cascading waterfalls, it is easy to see why George feels this way. Although the location of the Fellowship's lodge is ideal for enjoyment of the forest, it is situated in a Tiger Reserve. The Fellowship has been allowed to maintain ownership of the land due to its effective management of the natural environment. They act as a perfect example of a non - governmental organization successfully functioning within a protected area.

The Fellowship has been an existence for almost one-hundred years and has educated countless young women on the importance of the environment. Hopefully, with the help of people like George who see the value in outdoor education, the lodge's doors will stay open for another one-hundred years.

- Gabrielle Murnan and Katelyn Whitt
murnang@gmail.com

Building capacity - The A TREE way

ATREEhas over the years held a certificate course in Conservation Sciences that has been a stepping stone for many a student interested in making a career as a conservationist. Six such courses have been held till date, with a few in the north-east and at Bangalore and BRT sanctuary . Unmindful of background or disciplinary training, the course has provided its participants with perspectives , concepts and tools to understand and work on regional conservation issues. I was fortunate to be a part of organizing team on one such course back in 2010 in Bangalore and at the then newly minted Agasthymalai CCC. This field based course in Conservation Science, an initiative of the Academy for Conservation Science and Sustainability Studies, was supported by Jamsetji Tata Trust. And its participants, an enthusiastic bunch of interior designers, physicists, engineers and biologists were exposed to on-the-ground conservation and research happenings at the ACCC. The field work had its share of excitement and apprehensions as for many this was their first experience to real world field setting. An integral component of the course was that the participants had to come with small projects that had conservation relevance for the region. The studies were varied and were based in the fringe villages around the CCC, the dry evergreen forests of the Tamaraparani and the wet evergreens at the mountain tops. A few participants persevered and have had their work published in peerreviewed journals. The alumini from the this course and its previous iterations are now pursuing their PhD's and master's degrees and are a cohort to watch out for .

- Vivek R.
vivekr@atree.org

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Workshop on pollination for conservation and management

The disruption of pollination services can have disastrous consequences in terms of biodiversity loss and economic setbacks. Worldwide, there is recognition of looming pol l ination crisis and there has been a mobilization of efforts at several levels to address pollinator management and conservation. Although our country is rich in biodiversity with a large number of endemic species, our knowledge on their pollination biology is very meager. This is largely because of the lack of trained professionals. Thus realizing the importance of pollination biology and to spread its word, we organized a workshop on pollination biology for 7 days (7th to 13th Feb 2007) at ACCC. The main objective of conducting this workshop in a reserve forest is to have access to a diversity of flowering plants to conduct practicals, field demonstrations and small research projects. Professor Amots Dafni, a world renowned pollination biologist from the University of Haifa, Israel, conducted the workshop along with several experts from ATREE . Twenty research scholars from Universities and Research Organizations from different parts of the country participated in the workshop . Heartening indeed was to see a wide participation of the Forest Department staff, right from Field Director to numerous ground staff representatives. The workshop included morning lectures which were followed by practical demonstrations , and post - dinner discussions. All aspects were covered right from floral morphology and phenology (at the level of the flower , plant, population and the community), floral and plant sexuality , floral advertisements and rewards, pollination guilds, mutual adaptations between flowers and pollinators, distinction between floral visitors and pollinators and pollination efficiency . The lectures spread over the entire period of the workshop covered the concepts and in depth details on these areas of pollination biology . An important part of the workshop was the inception and execution of small research projects by the participants covering different aspects of pollination biology on a number of species that were in flowering. They devoted full time (07.00 h - 19.00 h) for the project for two days. These projects exposed them to actual research and helped them to become familiar with planning, conducting and recording of the data, and in interpretation of the results.

- Shivanna K. R. and Manju Vasudevan
mann.vasu@gmail.com

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Beetles, pastures and politics

Dung beetles play an important ecological role in cultural landscapes like pastures, providing ecosystem services like nutrient cycling, disease control and secondary seed dispersal. Many Indian pastures have been replaced by agriculture or monoculture plantations, and more are under threat of being converted, although the Forest Rights Act from 2006 recognizes traditional rights to grazing. So, what happens to the dung beet l es when the pasture management changes? The main goal of my MSc fieldwork was to map the dung beetle communities of two simi l ar areas wi th di fferent grazi ng regimes, using a combination of baited pitfall traps and dung pats in an experimental setup. The fieldwork was conducted in the buffer region of KMTR tiger reserve, and I spent part of the time in ATREE's brand new field station near Singampatti. Arriving in the field, I was warmly welcomed by ATREE employees, who were a joy to get to know. I would never be able to finish my work if it had not been for the excellent support of everyone there, especially the two local field assistants, who with their tireless efforts helped me out along the way After the first days of actual fieldwork, I started to question whether a northerner like me really was cut out to do full days of physical labour in temperatures reaching 40 degrees. Luckily, my morale was high, and I had brought enough provisions of water. Not many days later, I felt more acclimatized, and thought no more of icebergs and glaciers. After identifying the specimen as far as my taxonomical skills allowed me to, the dung beetle experts Priyan and Seena at ATREE continued the ID-process. Back in Norway, data analysis began, calculating biodiversity indexes, the relation between species composition and other biotic components, and trap efficiency , amongst others. Family reasons and my full time job has unfortunately delayed the thesis, but it is in the making, and will be freely available online when completed. I learned a lot during my four month stay , not only about Indian dung beetles, but also of human life and culture in rural T amil Nadu. I also got useful insights in local and national politics, religion and environmental challenges. As a final remark, I want to thank all ATREEand ACCC field staff whom I met and worked with.

- Erik Wegge Bergvik
erik.wegge.bergvik@gmail.com