Fellow Journeys - Biswajit De

Biswajit entered the programme with an existing skill set in conservation education. With the intention to refine these skills and gain new ones, he conducted sessions within the classroom and also led students, teachers and parents to participate in outdoor activities such as birding, nature journaling, wetland cleanups and photography camps. He used Shekar Dattatri’s film, ‘From Killer Roads to Humane Highways’ to introduce students to the negative impact of roads that cut across wildlife reserves. Some of the students made models of animal underpasses and overpasses after watching the film. Through nature journaling, they observed nature around their school, and sketched them. They visited a nearby wetland to clean garbage and watch birds. Finally, along with his organisation Wild Roots, he conducted a nature camp for the school community in Ranthambore National Park. Such sessions formed a common ground for students, teachers and parents to learn about the interconnect with the natural world, and the importance of conservation.