‘Begin with observing nature to conserve it’

Established in 2002 by Hrishikesh Talwalkar, social organisation Aranyavaak is engaged in various activities related to environment and heritage. The emphasis is on educating people about wildlife and heritage. The organisation conducts workshops, field trips and programmes to bring people closer to nature, so that they are inspired to conserve it. Moreover, Aranyavaak also conducts special courses on various aspects of nature and heritage, as part of its educational activity. The organisation is planning a trip to Sri Lanka and Indonesia to study the heritage related to Indian culture there. Talwalkar tells DNA about Aranya (jungle), vaak (speech) and other activities of the organisation.

Aranyavaak is focusing a great deal on insects. Why?
I feel these are the most neglected creatures. We care about birds and wild animals, but not so much about these small beings that play an important role in biodiversity and environment. They are generally considered messy, so we try to get rid of them with insecticides and pesticides. There are around 10 lakh known species of insects in the world. Many are not even known to us. Not all insects are harmful. We are ignorant about them and therefore, to emphasise their importance in nature, we have a special course on insects. We also arrange tours specifically to study and observe insects.

How do you propose to conserve nature and heritage through your courses?
Our courses are not just lectures and classroom work. We stress on field visits with experts. To conserve nature and heritage, we have to start observing, beholding and appreciating them. Unless we know what to conserve, how will we start? People develop a taste for nature and heritage with observation and then they value it more. We intend to take people closer to our natural environment through observations. Slide shows, film shows, nature games and other interactive programmes are a regular feature. Flora, fauna, geology, meteorology, astronomy and also local art, culture and history are highlighted through our activities. Also, we train people to keep a technical approach while observing any historic monument and further propagating accurate information about it to the general masses.

Tell us about Aranyakatta.
That is like a college katta for informal exchange of ideas on various topics related to nature and heritage. People from all walks of life come together. We have a presentation on the topic by an expert and later there is an informal discussion. It is held on the first and third Thursday of every month. I look at it as a strong medium to attract people towards nature. I too had started my work through such a platform years ago. Anyone is welcome to join the katta, which is free. Nature lovers can contact me on 9822194650.