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Initiatives - Conservation

Click to enlargeDocumentation of Maritime Monuments
Documented 400 maritime sites along the coast of Gujarat with over 1000 photographs. These include forts, lighthouses, jetties, remnants of some custom houses, and several sacred monuments like temples, mosques, dargahs, churches, derasars and agiaries; schools and libraries, havelis, palaces, inscriptions and cemeteries.

Click to enlargeIn collaboration with INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), documented sites along the coastline of West Bengal, Orissa and Tamil Nadu.This has been expanded to include Kerala and Karnataka in 2008.

The Foundation aims to record the entire coast of India classifying sites by condition and extent of preservation work required. The document will be most useful for state governments and local agencies.

 


 

Click to enlargeConservation Education Project, Mumbai, 2006-2007

  • Assisted an environmental educational organisation, Srushtidnyan, to initiate and create awareness about conserving the wetlands and mangroves of Bombay in 30 Marathi speaking schools.
  • Project Samudramanthan, Mumbai, 2007-2008 Supported Srushtidnyan, to develop Click to enlargea training manual on conservation issues in the marine and coastal ecosystems of Mumbai. The manual will be used to train teachers, BMC corporators, MLA's, MP's, environmental groups and NGO's to spread awareness amongst different target groups and provide solutions at a state and national level.

 

 


 

Click to enlargeWorld Wetlands Day celebration organised by TERI
Supported the World Wetlands Day celebrations on February 2nd, 2008 organised by The Energy And Resource Institute (TERI). The event created awareness amongst students on the need to preserve the wetlands as they provide natural buffers against calamities.

The programme included nature walks in Navi Mumbai, followed by a well-researched presentation. A poster competition titled "Save the Wetlands" and a quiz competition followed.

 


 

Sea Turtle Conservation Project, Orissa and Maharashtra

  • Click to enlargeRushikulya Sea Turtle Conservation Project, Orissa
    Established "The Vasant J Sheth Interpretation Centre" in 2004 at Rushikulya in Orissa, India's largest Olive Ridley turtle rookery.
    Interactive educational panels and audiovisual material on sea turtles in English and Hindi provide excellent information on mating, nesting and hatching behaviour of the turtles. The Interpretation Centre is popular with many researchers, scientists, students, and tourists.
  • Click to enlargeMaharashtra Sea Turtle Conservation Project
    Supported a second turtle conservation programme on the west coast, run by Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra (SNM), an NGO based in Chiplun (Maharashtra) actively involved in protecting the sea turtles and their nests. Through the involvement of villagers, 36 nests were protected and 1624 hatchlings released in the year 2005-2006.

 


 

Click to enlargeRestoration of the MbPt Storm Signal at Girgaum Chowpatty, Mumbai
As a part of its on-going restoration and beautification drive of the MbPt Storm Signal at Girgaum, Chowpatty, the area has been beautifully restored by the Foundation with a panoramic steel plaque illustrating the city's skyline and history.

 


 

Click to enlargeCapacity Building Programme for Indian Coast Guard (BNHS - Gujarat, Andaman Islands and Lakshdweep Island)
In 2004, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) with support from the Foundation launched a programme for the Indian Coast Guard to raise awareness about endangered marine species like dugong, whale shark, giant clam and coral reefs. Workshops were held at Port Blair (Andaman Islands), Porbandar (Gujarat) and Kutch (Gujarat) and in Lakshadweep. One hundred and twenty officers were trained. As part of the project, a short documentary has been done on the Gulf of Kutch.

 


 

Click to enlargeConservation Education Van (BNHS, Mumbai)
In 2002, donated a custom designed Conservation Education Van to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), equipped with educational aids, posters, projectors and a screen. The van travels extensively to rural and coastal schools and communities, spreading the message of conservation.

 
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