The spring turns Grey at Bandipura this year

Butea in bloom at Bandipura

For over three weeks in the past month we were stationed in Bandipur National Park, conducting a National level Nature Camp for high school students. The Nilgiri Biosphere project of the CPR Environment Education Center of Ooty had organized over a dozen camps at Bandipura and Mudumalai. Each camp was for fifty students from two different schools and lasted for three days. The students chosen were part of the National Green Corps (NGC) from the adjoining area of the Nilgiri Biosphere reserve. NGC is a project envisaged by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, is known to have a lakh and seventy five thousand schools involved in it; yet it is surprising unpopular unlike the National Cadet Corps or the National Social Service scheme. Most of the programs it talks of must have been carried out within the school campus and many a time unceremoniously carried out without any mention of them.

A project work in progress

Chamarajanagara district alone had about 132 schools under the scheme. State run Adarsha Schools which had a unit in their schools, were chosen for this National programmes, as the students are known to be more receptive than the other Govt. Schools in the locality.

What an innovative classroom!

The three days programme was packed with activities from 6 in the morning to 9 in the evening. The day would start with a Nature walk. The telltale signs of various animals that were active by night, in their abundance open up a wide opportunity for learning about nature. To handle beginners the droppings of various animals lend a wonderful opportunity. Putting the kids to explore the excreta gives a different yet befitting entry point to natural history. The morning walk on two occasion’s yielded carcass of spotted deer’s; obviously kills of the previous night. On another occasion a whole family of wild pigs was feasting on the remains of a spotted deer. Along with such exciting experiences there were power point presentations and film shows.

Valedictory of series of camps

The long winter had cast a dry spell upon the forest and the trees stood naked and bare. Not a blade of grass was green. The defoliated scrubs of lantana covered the entire forest floor.  The silver grey tree trunks and the dead clumps of bamboo stood out in the golden light of the setting sun. Except for the burnt patches of undercover everything looked natural. The controlled burning is done by the forest staff as a measure to control the outbreak of forest fire. Safari rides were promising most of the days. Elephants, herbivores and peafowl were common but two batches of students had a glimpse of the elusive tiger and leopard making the others envious.

 

Flame of the forest

The flora on the other hand did not disappoint anybody.  While the whole forest stood colorless some trees were screaming with colors. Dark orange of the flame of the forest, the bright crimson of the Erythrina and Bombax, subtle pink of the Gliricedia found along the hedges of the forest staff quarters invited the participants for long halts around them. Botany was discussed at its best all through the camp just because of these trees in bloom. One fine evening there was an unexpected hail storm giving the entire department staff a breath of relief. ‘No more fire hazards’ exclaimed a lady watcher in delight. She, like as many as two hundred fire watchers had non-stop work in the hot sun for over a month.

All fall down!

While the Caccia siamia threw out its bloom in response to the untimely rains the flame of the forest lost many. Most of the trees developed fresh leaves on them and the called back all of the marauding Langurs back into the forest. These mischief mongers had camped in the tourist zone for long and for one rain they were gone. All these transformations are still fresh on our mind. Kids from Yelandur and Kollegala call up to enquire how much of the flowers of a tree have turned into pods. The color of Bandipur must have mesmerized the kids too. 

Forest Fire

 But following week we hear all ill about the dear forests of Bandipur. Over a thousand acres of forests are burnt due to the outbreak of forest fires in Bandipur. Sadly, it is a tough fight for the personnel in the forest department as there are more speculations about the cause of the fire.