C.P.R. Ayar Environmental Education Centre

The C.P.R. Ayar Environmental Education Centre was set up in 1988 to increase consciousness and knowledge about the environment and the major environmental problems facing country today. The Centre conducts a variety of programmes to spread awareness and interest among the public, particularly among NGOs, teachers, rural workers,women, youth and children, on all aspects of environment and ecology, with the purpose of promoting conservation of nature and natural resources.

The important activities carried out by the Centre during the year were as follows :

• Training programmes were conducted for NGOs in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,Kerala, Orissa and Tamil Nadu to raise awareness about environmental protection and regenration.

• Training programmes were conducted for teachers and teacher trainees in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa and Tamil Nadu on integrating environmental education in the school curriculum.

• A six week summer workshop commencing on Earth Day and concluding on World Envrionment Day was conducted for 300 children who learned to identify the surrounding flora and fauna, and prepared projects on Madras city's environmental problems particularly the polluted water- ways.

• The video van continued to travel in the village of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu spreading the message of environmental protection.

• Seminars on "Environmental Protection, People, and Law" were conducted at several universities and for NGOs in Andhra and Tamil Nadu.

• Five intensive training programmes on "Integrated Watershed Management" were conducted for rural NGOs in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

• Two intensive training programmes on "Environmental Education - Design, Presntation and Evaluation of Projects" were conducted for NGOs.

• A training programme on "Environmental Impact Assessment" was conducted in Madras.

• The Centr's staff have been regularly training Government Official, including revenue, forest and agriculture on sustainable development, on behalf of the Anna Institute of Management, Government of Tamil Nadu, Madras.

• To bring about awareness through action, 14 site were taken u for conservation and restoration of their sacred groves, supported by environmental education.

• 25 villages in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were taken up for rural Eco-Development which included training in environmentally sustainable technologies, distribution of saplings and setting up of village nurseries.

• A Zoo Interpretation Programme at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur, was undertaken, wereby animal keeers were trained in communicating with visitors and in the maintenance and care of zoos and zoo animals.

• Conservation Education in ecologically important areas such as the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve included training for teachers, Home Guards, Block Develoment Officers, and village Administrative Officers, Besides secific programmes for students.

• At the tribal village of Bokkapuram in the Mudumalai forest an eco-development programme was initiated through the establishment of kitchen gardens, honey bee colonies and nursery, as well as plantation of fruit trees. These were supported by awareness programmes and integrated rural development programmes.

• The workshops for teachers, B.Ed.students,and joint B.T. students under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Conservation Education Programme, were continued.

• The Centre organised and participated in several exhibitions during the year: "Your Food and the Environment" exhibited during the Centenary Flower Festival at the Botanical Gardens, Ooty, own the first prize and the specialcentenary award and also the first prize at the Sim's Park exhibition at Coonoor.

• Exhibitions were also held on "Babes in the Woods" (on the young ones of animals) in Madras and on "Life Under Water" at several sites along the south eastern coast.

The following resources materials were produced by the Centre :

• Manual on Integrated Watershed Management (in English and Tamil).

• Manual on Environmental Education - Design, Presentation and Evaluation of Projects.

• Coastal Ecology Package (including an activity book- "Fun at the Beach", posters on Coral Reefs, Mangroves Eco-System and Tropical Forests and information pamphlets on the "Sea Shore" and "Life Under Water" in English, Tamil and Telugu).

• Training booklets for zoo keeers on "Communication" and on the "Role of Animals" (in English and Tamil)

• Video films on "Animal Welfare", "Birds and Sacred Groves".

• Research projects such as Ambient Air Quality Survey of Madras, Fluoride Survey at Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh, Fluoride Survey at Ennore, an experimental study on different soil media at Cittannavasal, soil survey at Bokkapuram, and soil analysis at sacred grove site were undertaken by the Centre.

• Several Water and soil testing kits, developed by the Centre, were distributed to NGOs and schools.

• A data bank on Sthala Vrikshas in Tamil Nadu, covering 259 temples and their virkshas, has been develoed by the Centre.

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