Women revive ponds for water security in Bundelkhand
From being a humble farmer to a confident leader, Ganga Rajput has come a long way. The 30-year-old is a resident of Chaudhary Khera, a village which lies in Madhya…
Mongabay series: Wetland Champions
Among all the ecosystems in a biologically and ecologically diverse country such as India, the wetlands are the least reported in the media space, and in turn get less discussed in the public and the policy space. Amidst this rather bleak story for wetlands, there are individuals and communities that have understood the ecological significance and the importance of the ecosystem services that wetlands provide, and have been working to conserve them. We will write about these individuals and communities through the Wetland Champions series.
A community movement saves a Goan heritage lake and brings hope
When young Arturo D’Souza and his friends would take their cows and buffaloes to the Bondvol lake to bathe, the melodic sounds of a multitude of birds filled the air.…
A birder involves community and authorities to protect Haiderpur wetland
Scores of people have travelled past the Madhya Ganga barrage at Bijnour in western Uttar Pradesh over the last three decades, casually appreciating the birds and the Ganga river. But…
Returning to traditional practices to save Vidarbha’s ‘Lake District’
During his college days, Manish Rajankar was an avid birder. Ably guided by one of his professors, he further developed an interest in conservation and his home ground proved a…
Story of a river bed, a geological marvel and community pride
For villagers of Bori Budruk, the geological term ‘tephra’ is a local legend. The village, around 100 km from Pune city, is nestled along the banks of the Kukadi river.…
People power to clean up Pune river, bit by bit
One of the five major rivers originating from Pune district, Mutha has lost its glory because of increasing water pollution and a lack of conservation efforts from the authorities. But…
Invoking tradition and science to revive Meghalaya’s ponds
Thirty-year-old Born Lang Blah from Mawphlang village has vivid memories of his childhood, when men, women, and children would walk downhill to Um Khlaw, the pond to collect water. The…
Navi Mumbai couple fights to save a bird haven from becoming a golf course
What started as a police complaint about the destruction of mangroves in 2016 turned into a passion for conserving wetlands for the Agarwals. This Navi Mumbai couple, both in their…
A group of women protect Sindhudurg’s mangroves through ecotourism
The Mandavi Creek in Vengurla had always been a place that drew wonder from Shweta Sachin Hule. She would gaze at the glistening waters under the clear blue skies and…
Saving Darbhanga’s wetlands from encroachment and apathy
Almost a decade ago, when Narayanji Choudhary first decided to work to save ponds, by creating awareness in his home region of north Bihar, he didn’t think that one day,…
