Annual Report 2011
Nature Club Surat
Nature Club Surat is an NGO, working for Environment Education, Adventure Activities and Rescue
Work in South Gujarat since 1985.We are also working on various projects like Vulture Conservation,
Wetland Protection, Deer Breeding, Mangrove Plantation etc.
The seed of “Conserve Nature’s Heritage” was shown by three young enthusiastic people and now it
became a huge tree by nurturing of knowledge, pouring obedience volunteers, regular plough of new
ideas and its implementation. Now we are having 250 Annual members, 490 Life Members, 36 Patron
Members, 4 Grand Patron Members and 65 active Volunteers who are serving for our motto by one or
the other way and still the tree is spreading.
In the year of 2011, Nature Club Surat has conducted 258 activities with 291 working days and covered
38,003 students from various educational institutions, societies, corporate etc.
School Environment and Energy Conservation Education Programme (SEECEP)
To
sensitize, create awareness, motivate and educate students about Environment and Energy
Conservation Nature Club Surat has launch School Environment and Energy Conservation Education
Programme (SEECEP) sponsor by CAIRN Energy PTY India Ltd. Under this project we have covered 30
schools of Surat district and 50 students from each school. Tree plantation, Cloth bag and dustbin
distribution, Talk on Act Now, Power point presentations on Ecosystem and Energy Audit and One Day
Field Trip activities were conducted throughout the year. Apart from these activities, we have also
conducted slogan competitions, drawing competitions in schools and the winners were praised by the
prize, given by the managers of CAIRN Energy. A skit play on Say No to Plastic Bags was performed by
the Eco Club students of Navnirman Uttar Buniadi Shala, Bharthana to spread awareness among their
locality to start use of cloth bag instead of plastic bag.
PPT on Ecosystem
PPT on Energy Audit
Explaining working model of Alternate Source
of
Energy
Distribution of Cloth Bag & Dustbin
Environment Education Camps
Environment Education Camp is the platform that provides to being with nature with various sort of
tests of Mother Nature such as adventure, creativity, soothing touch of water by bathing in flowing river
and wet our soul in monsoon, blooming summer etc.
Children enjoying the water fall at Dang
If one educate the other, the other will aware of it and if that other is aware than only work for
conservation of Nature. To fulfill our motto” Conserve Nature’s Heritage” we are conducting an
Environment Education Camps at Dang, Saputara, Manali ,Gir, Byet Dwarka etc. Even for tiny tots and
Educational Tour we are conducting One Day Camp at Eco-farm, Vesu which includes visit of Wetland
Protection Project, Gavier for Nature trail, plant identification etc. We also make them aware the
importance of wetland and its conservation by visiting Wetland Interpretation Centre. After visit of
Gavier Lake we take them to Eco-farm, Vesu where they experience the adventure activities such as rock
climbing, river crossing, rappelling, obstacle, nature games and of course a talk on what an individual
can do to conserve nature.
Participants at Himalayan Experience Camp- Manali
Creation by Participants at Art
& Craft Workshop CampSaputara
In the year of 2011, we had conducted following camps during their respective time period.
Camp
Camp Duration
One Day Camp
Monsoon Camp
Art & Craft Workshop Camp- Saputara
Himalayan Experience Camp- Manali
Dang Camp
Corporate Picnic
Through out the year
July- September
March, April, May
May
October-November
January & August
Total
No. of
Camps
No. of Participants
43
05
04
01
06
02
2335
125
155
30
377
71
61
3093
Publication
Our publication, made with the self experience, gained from the field work of our volunteers, provides
an introduction with Nature, environment education and spreading awareness among the tiny tots to
aged person printed in both Gujarati and English language. We have published following publications:
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Our Birds
Snake Folder
Flower
Mountaineer hand book
Wetland Bird Poster
Our Bird Poster
Butterfly Poster
Snake Poster
Round Stickers
Puzzle Game
Key Chain
Pugmark Card
We also publish Jungle Book, a monthly news letter, provides information of forth coming activities,
activities conducted through the month, latest of on going projects etc.
Prakriti- Environment Education Bus
Nature Club Surat is the District coordinator for Prakriti- Environment Education Bus since last seven
years. The Bus is sponsored by Gujarat Gas Company Limited and designed by Centre for Environment
Education (CEE), Ahmedabad. The Bus provides the information on six different panels on six different
themes.
Prakriti – Environment Education Bus
Students visiting the bus
In the year 2011, we have covered total 122 schools in two districts of Gujarat as 80 schools along with
13,000 students of Surat district and 22 schools along with 4311 students of Dang district.
Snake and Dog Bite Awareness Programme
Nature Club Surat had conducted Snake and Dog Bite Awareness Programme which was organized by
Gujarat Gas Company Limited for their 4 branches of Gujarat namely Surat, Ankleshwar, Bharuch, and
Ahmedabad. The programme had thrown light on identification of snake, symptom of dog and snake
bite, precautions of dog and snake bite, first-aid to victim etc. We have covered 420 persons in this
programme.
Animal Welfare Activities
Animal
Welfare is one the most admirable activities which includes caring of injured bird, rescue
reptiles from the entire city are. We received daily average 8-9 calls on our centralized rescue number.
We keep injured birds, treat them, feed them and release them back in the wild as it recovered and It
takes a lot of expenditure such as medicines, food, transportation for treatment and same for the
release, maintenance of rescue centre etc. Kindly spread your generous hands for them.
In year 2011, we have rescued following numbers of mammals, birds and reptiles:
Birds
802
Mammals
127
Reptiles
680
Total
1609
Adventure Activities
Adventure activities are very unique activity which makes us mantel & physically fit. It boosts our
confidence and gives us different experience.
In the year 2011, we did rock climbing, flying fox, rappelling, river crossing, Burma Bridge, trekking &
other activity in various adventure camps, educational institutions.
Adventure Activities of Year 2011
Place of the Activities
Nature Education Camp - Dang
Nature Education Camp - Dang Annual
Art and Craft Workshop Camp–Saputara
Himalayan Experience Camp – Manali
Monsoon Camp
One Day Camp at Eco Farm
Eco friendly Birthday at Eco Farm
Eco friendly Kitty Party at Eco Farm
Corporate Camps
No. of Activities
3
6
4
1
3
43
6
2
2
Participants
131
377
155
30
85
2335
260
52
202
Total
70
3627
Bird Call & Video Recording
Nature Club Surat is doing a very unique work by recording audio call and video of birds found in wild.
We have published this work in CDs and DVDs format in four volumes for both. By this, one can identify
the birds by their call and could make the presence of the bird. Needless to say that, Nature Club Surat is
the only NGO who has recorded maximum call of Birds and its Videos. The gigantic work is done by Mr.
Mukesh Bhatt, a volunteer of Nature Club Surat.
Audio CD
Call of Indian Birds Volume - 1
Call of Indian Birds Volume - 2
Call of Indian Birds Volume - 3
Call of Indian Birds Volume - 4
Total call recorded
Video DVD
Video Guide to Birds of India Volume- 1
Video Guide to Birds of India Volume-2 (Wetland Birds)
Video Guide to Birds of India Volume-3 (Grassland Birds)
Video Guide to Birds of India Volume- 4 (Himalayan Birds)
Total video recorded
No. of Calls
58
59
58
49
224
No. of Videos
55
71
64
50
240
Projects
Vulture Conservation Project
Vulture is the only birds of prey which depends on dead animals for its food rather than make a prey.
This huge scavenger bird keeps our surrounding clean by eat dead animals. Out of 4 most threaten Gyps
species 2 are found in Hajira, outskirts of Surat. As we know, Diclofanac sodium is the main cause for the
drastic decline of vulture population, proven by scientists, we are supplying the substitute medicine
meloxicam in vulture populated areas of Gujarat at subsidized rate. We are conducting meeting with
veterinary doctors and also making aware of using the meloxicam.
Second reason for decline of vulture population is scarcity of food. Thus we have started Vulture
Feeding Site at Hazira in 2006 where around 80 vultures are coming for feeding. It is observed that the
dead carcasses being eat by dogs, pigs and hardly to be left for vultures, we have erected chain linked
fence of periphery of one kilometer 2 month ago. Every alternate day they are getting their food.
Another reason for declining population of vulture is habitat loss. In Hazira, outskirts of Surat, here it is
observed that vultures prefer palm trees for their nesting and roosting, local people are removing the
leaf of palm tree for making roof, compound wall, and sweeper and for other house hold uses. We are
spreading awareness among local not to chop the branches at least on which vultures have made their
nest or coming for roosting.
Awareness Programme in school - showing Chalo Gidh Bachavie
movie
We are making aware the school students of the current situation of vulture population and its
ecological importance by showing them Chalo Gidh Bachavie movie, distribution of T-shirts and
information booklets and result of this awareness, now students are started calling us if they found any
injured /dead vulture or found any unusual to them.
In the Year 2011, we had conducted Gujarat Tour for Vulture Conservation, in which we have covered
20 districts of Gujarat, visited panjarapols, meetings with veterinary doctors, personal of Forest
Departments and local activist.
We rescue vultures, treat them, kept them at our rescue center and release them beck in to the wild.
Deer Breeding Project
Nature Club Surat together with the Maharaja of Vansada- Shri Divirendrasinhji Solanki and the Gujarat
Forest Department has started a unique project – Deer Breeding Project in the Vasnsada National Park
with a goal to rehabilitation in the wild. The Deer Breeding Project will help to restock deer in the forest;
it will make the forest lively. Their absence disrupts the food chain and promotes conflict between man
and the big cats.
Based on the study of the local biodiversity and past history it was decided to include Sambhar, Barking
Deer, Spotted Deer and the Four horned antelope in the breeding project because these herbivorous
species had previously inhabited this area.
We have been able to get valuable help both in cash and kind from many quarters. The project would
not have been convinced without constant encouragement and guidance of Maharaja of Vansada Shri
Digvirendrasinhji Solanki. Dr. Raju Vyas of Baroda Zoo who has gone out of his way to help is in providing
expert guidance right from the planning stage, support and cooperation of the forest department of
Gujarat, especially PCCF- Shri Pradeep Khanna for his encouragement and permission to start this
project, the GEER Foundation for agreeing to give 2 pairs of Spotted Deer. We extended our thanks to
Dr. Praful Mehta –Surat Zoo incharge, for giving 2 pairs of Spotted Deer and our Chairman Mr. Rajen
Shah who has generously donated for this project.
1 baby was delivered to Spotted Deer. 3 calves of Four-horned antelope were delivered in the
month of December 2011. The deer are regularly examined by Veterinary doctors as per
requirements.
The project is a
great challenge.
It is the first
instance
of
such a project
being carried
out by any
NGO in India.
A Baby with mother
Availability of
Valsad CCF observing the Project
experts,
dedicated volunteers, well trained staff and cooperation of the forest department is the major factors
responsible to make this project success.
Though the project had been approved and is supported by Gujarat State Forest Department, it is not
funded by any government agency so far. The estimated cost of the breeding centre alone is about 18
lacs. Adding the expenses of educational material, awareness programme, food, water facilities,
medicines and other maintenance, the total estimated expenditure of the project for the first three
years is about 40 lacs.
Wetland Protection Project
A lake, protected by Nature Club Surat under Wetland Protection Project, once it was surrounded by
Gando Balval (prosopis juliflora) but we have gradually removed this species and planted local trees
which attract birds, butterflies, insects etc. on member’s birthday. Students from various schools come
here to learn the wetland ecosystem and the importance of wetland. They do bird watching, nature
trail, plant identification and other conservational activities. Many migratory birds are coming to this
lake every winter.
In the Year 2011, we have conducted more than 60 educational visits and also conducted wetland
census as it is continuously carried out by us.
Open Butterfly Garden
Butterflies are very beautiful and delicate creature as its presence gives us pleasure, but it is more
delightful when butterflies are in open, in their own environment. Thus, very first time we have started
this distinctive project at Kakarapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) and we achieved by making an Open
Butterfly Garden. After this we are doing the same project at Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) at 3
different places in the same premises as TAPS Plant Site, TAPS Township-1&2, TAPS Township-3&4 and
also visited Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) for the next creation.