Inspiring Eco-Clubs in South India By Vanya Orr & Mohan Kumar
densely-populated district is part of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve and is the main source of water for the rivers of south India. Its temperate climate favours year round culti- vation. Over time, tea and coffee plantations have become the dominant crops while in the remaining 25% of agricul- tural land, very small farms grow vegetables, spices and condiments. In a nationwide effort to boost food production in the
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1960’s and 1970’s, the Green Revolution introduced chemical agriculture to the Nilgiris. Increasing and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides reduced soil fertility, leaving degraded agricultural land in its wake. Instead of growing a wide range of crops that in turn supported a varied diet, the Green Revolution encouraged fewer, mono- culture crops. In this very poor region, these changes led to a more limited local diet. With agriculture still in decline, young people continue
to leave the land for the cities, and local schools face declin- ing enrolment. For the young people that remain in the Nilgiris area, poverty, a lack of skills and low confidence hold many back.
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HE NILGIRIS HILL DISTRICT has been described as the lungs of South India, due to its rich biodiversity and dense shola (stunted evergreen) forests. The
In 2007 in response to these trends, the non-profit Earth
Trust established Eco-Clubs at 2 disadvantaged schools in the region. The success of the Club’s extra-curricular activities at these two schools, lead teachers at neighbouring schools to request that the program be expanded. As a result, the program quickly expanded to 16 schools. With an aim of developing a green consciousness and
social responsibility, Eco Clubs promote waste recycling, composting, organic gardening and the efficient use of school land. At the outset, the program introduces group- building outings to natural forests and organic model farms which also helped these 9–11 year old students appreciate the importance of both. These two outings also enabled students to observe first-hand the deterioration in their local environment and to begin to investigate what they can do to stop the deterioration. The Shola Forest is one of the Nilgiris’ most spectacular
natural features, consisting of patches of high-altitude (around 2000 meters) stunted evergreen forest separated by undulating grasslands. Since the Shola Forest is 25 kilo- metres away from the nearest school in a region with few private vehicles, most students have no other chance to visit this special area. Once permission from the forest department was
obtained, these day-long trips for up to 40 Eco Club members were designed to provide exposure to both indigenous Shola
GREEN TEACHER 89
Photographs: The Earth Trust, Tamil Nadu, India
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