I Nirmal Kulkarni aged 34 saw this last sunset of 2012 from the Western Ghats of Goa. I hope the new year 2013 helps us all in conserving these forests and getting them declared as UNESCO World heritage sites- a title that they truly deserve.

Celebrating a Green Christmas.

Its Christmas time again and the spirit of the season has transformed our state into a hub of joy, love and of course festivities that are unlike any other festive season. It is also a time when one can consider a bit about our immediate environs and begin with our homes itself- as it is a season of good tidings and new beginnings. I take the liberty of jotting ten simple points that can make this Chirstmas special for you as well the environment.

1.     Plant a small tree together as a family as symbolizes the value of nature and giving back to our environment. Better still spend an hour cleaning up a natural area and recognize nature as the source of our well being.

2.     Go natural and healthy this Christmas. Switch over to organic foods that are now available at many green stores and select super markets. Grow your own vegetable patch in your backyard and yes, do begin composting your biodegradable waste. Celebrate this Christmas by supporting local traditional sweet makers too and live up the Goan Christmas spirit.

3.     Buy a live Christmas tree this season. Plastic trees are made of petroleum products (PVC), and use up resources in both the manufacture and shipping. If you buy a small tree in a large pot, you may be able to reuse the tree for 2- 3 years without having to plant or re-pot the tree.

4.     Christmas cards purchased from commercial stores are rich, elegant and expensive. They also consume a huge amount of natural resources for time bound item. Try to make home made cards They may not be as professional, but they are more personal and are appreciated more by one and all. Making the cards is also a fun activity for the family.

5.     Car pool if possible while visiting friends and family. The earth’s natural resources are dwindling at a fast rate and petroleum products are one of them. Car-pooling also helps reduce traffic congestion and lessens the impact on the environment too.

6.     Do reduce the size of outdoor lighting displays wherever possible. A smaller presentation of lights can still be attractive, and more appropriate in the 'season of giving'. Use LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights for house and Christmas tree lighting as they use up to 95% less energy than larger, traditional bulbs and last up to 100,000 hours when used indoors.

7.     Promote and patronize locally made gifts. The impact of transportation contributes significantly to greenhouse emissions and global warming. If possible choose eco friendly and traditional gifts over plastic and other non-bio degradable ones. Avoid children’s toys that use batteries, as these are not recyclable and are toxic to the earth when disposed off.

8.     Take care not to create noise pollution due to loud speakers. This practice not only creates noise pollution but also has a severe impact on the local wildlife including birds and small mammals. Instead promote local talent. Sing together and maintain sound levels as prescribed by the law.

9.     Please refuse to accept plastic bags from shops and malls, as alternatives are now available. Better still carry your own cloth shopping bags. Understand the need to curb the menace of plastic and reduce, recycle and reuse all non-biodegradable resources.

10.  And last but not the least, beginning this Christmas do resolve to act together on issues that concern our state and its environment. Together we all can keep Goa as a safe and environment friendly destination.

And while these are some thoughts that I have jotted down, do go out and accomplish more green doings this festive season. Wishing you all a merry Chirstmas and a Happy New Year 2013.Keep the faith.

By: - Nirmal U Kulkarni

Email- ophidian_nirmal@yahoo.co.in

Nirmal Kulkarni speaking to urban kids on conservation issues

One of my key objectives in 2013 will be to focus on reaching out to urban kids about conservation issues and their direct linkages with urban living and lifestyles. It is important that kids understand at every age that our natural resources are limited and are our heritage.

Solar lantern project- another school covered.

Our work for the Solar lanterns project continues. This recent image by Shrinivas Ananthanarayanan is from the village school of Evoli, which has 6 students and is part of the identified villages where we at the Hypnale Research Station wish to conduct long term conservation education programs with. The village and its forests have recently been included in the buffer area of Anshi Tiger Reserve, Karnataka.

Goa's APCCF RIchard Dsouza IFS receives prestigious Sanctuary Asia wildlife service award

Richard D'souza an IFS Officer of the 1980 batch of the AGMUT cadre and presently working as Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest was recently conferred the wildlife services award 2012 by Santuary Asia in a glittering ceremony in Mumbai. 

Shri Richard D'souza is a wildlife defender, but he will be remembered by the people of Goa as the man who protected their water sources forever. A rare individual whose blood seems to flow even greener than Goa's tiger forest which he zealously protects. His passion for all things natural dates back to the 60's when as a student he first encountered a tiger in Billy Arjan Singh's Dudhwa Santuary in UP. He decided then and there that he would join the IFS a dream that came true in 1980 with a posting to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Since that day he has been stead fastly walking the narrow, the unbeaten wildlife conservation trail which has its own share of problems including two near death experiences.

As the Chief Wildlife Warden of the A&N Islands he quickly got Cuthbert bay declared as a scantuary for the Olive Ridley turtle, Rani Jhansi Marine Natural Park for the endangered Dugung and Galathea bay in Great Nicobar for the highly endangered Giant Leatherback turtle. Shielding these amazing creatures has not only guaranteed their future but that of million other life forms including ourselves all subtly intertwined in that fine web we call nature. He has also authored management plans fot many other regions in the Andaman's in the 16 long years he spent there. 

This life time experience stood him in good stead in Goa where he works as APCCF for a government that has given almost 63% of the total forest area of the state over to sanctuary or National park status. He has been protecting the wildlife of India all his life because of which his work has been recognised and has been awarded this coveted wildlife service award. 

The Sanctuary Wildlife Awards were instituted to recognise and draw national attention to the contribution of individuals working for the protection of wildlife and natural habitats in India. Since its inception in the year 2000, the awards have unearthed the inspirational work of hundreds across the country, and this year saw scores of nominations being sent in from all over the country for consideration to the Sanctuary Wildlife Awards 2012.

Nirmal Kulkarni felicitated with the prestigious

‘Karmaveer Puraskar’

Nov 2012:

Nirmal U Kulkarni was felicitated with the coveted ‘Karmaveer Puraskar’ award on the 26^th of November in New Delhi at an exclusive awards function which was a part of “iCONGO’s REX Conclave, organized on 25^th, 26^th and 27^th .of November  2012.

REX ( www.rexideas.com )is Latin for KING and REX conclaves shall be the king of all good thought leadership for CHANGE conclaves (with an eclectic mix of “ROCKSTAR SPEAKERS”, cause related performers, short film screenings & awards) where ideas speak out to encourage proactive action to change our world. REX CONCLAVE is the scaled up new avatar of the RIGHT every WRONG conclave, which were knowledge forums that were pivotal for pioneering huge thought leadership for addressing various social issues ranging from Education to Healthcare & Poverty to Marginalization, Climate Change, Corruption, Environment, Electoral Reforms, CSR, Communalism, MDGs and Constitutional rights & duties awareness.

The CtrlS - iCONGO promoted “KARMAVEER PURASKAAR (KVP)” are the Global Awards for Social Justice and Citizen Action instituted by the people sector & civil society with various partner organizations, citizens at large and media supporters. Be the change you want to see in this world is what every KARMAVEER inherently believes and practices. 

The awards are given every year on the 26th day of November, our National Social Justice and Citizen Action Day, the day we adopted our constitutional pledge as a REPUBLIC and Indian Citizens in 1949. It is the first award of its kind from India, and probably around the globe, that has been held every year for the past 5 years, at a very austere, simple and dignified program in New Delhi. 

 The “KARMAVEER PURASKAAR” awards ceremony has over the years become a “MELTING POT” where People from India & Global Citizens that comprise individuals ranging from princes and princesses to global bestselling authors, young politicians, statesmen, bureaucrats, ambassadors, actors, singers, captains of industry, media professionals, development workers, young adults, students, school children, homemakers, academicians, slum workers and others who come “TOGETHER as ONE to RIGHT every WRONG”.  

 iCONGO, in association with CtrlS, VSO India and SOAP, has also launched Karmayuga-Right every Wrong Generation, an initiative that salutes and showcases the extra ordinary and inspiring work done by ordinary mortals, to Right a Wrong that they see around them.

The awards recognize and applaud the social commitment of concerned individuals, who have proactively and voluntarily worked for bringing a positive transformation in the society and the world we live in. In today’s world where there is huge apathy & indifference, we feel a paramount need for being not just a good person but also a good citizen who exercises her/ his rights, duties & responsibilities as a concerned, just and humane citizen. 

Nirmal, a herpetologist and wildlife photographer has worked in the Western Ghats of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra and as a group team leader in Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Kerala. He is involved in data collection and consultancy services on eco-tourism and wildlife research projects across the country. His experience in setting up and running Wildernest Nature Resort, an eco-tel in the heart of Chorla Ghats, holds him in good stead. He was also part of a team that worked on conserving the forests of the Northern Western Ghats of India and led to the creation of the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary, and also helped declare the Mhadei Wildlife sanctuary as a Proposed Tiger reserve.

Among the significant discoveries to his credit are three new species of legless amphibians, the caecilians - Goan caecilian (Gegeneophis goaensis), Mahdei caecilian (Gegeneophis mhadeiensis), and the Chorla Giant striped Ichthyophis (Ichthyophis davidi). He was part of a team that reported new sub-species of the pit viper (Peotobothrops jerdonii xanthomelas) - the Jerdon’s Red spotted pit and ahs various other notes, articles and research papers to his credit on Indian herps (reptiles and amphibians).

 He has established the Mhadei region’s first independent field research station, the Mahdei Research Centre, which trains young naturalists, brings communities and wildlife enthusiasts on the same platform, and documents the biodiversity of the region. He has also authored a book titled ‘The Goan Jungle Book” which is aimed at educating students in particular and the Goan populace in general about Goa’s lesser known wildlife.

Nirmal has credited his family and team of volunteers and interns for this achievement without whose support it would be impossible to continue to work for over a decade.

Nirmal was congratulated for possessing the conviction and compassion to stand up, speak out and lead the change with his positive attitude for wildlife conservation! The Award selection panel of iCONGO, which has selected his nomination after thorough due diligence and said that they were glad to have found a true champion of social justice issues in Nirmal and wish that more and more citizens gave their time, involvement and humane feelings towards addressing issues related to conservation and wildlife protection and being the change and role models for other citizens to follow.

For more details contact ophidian_nirmal@yahoo.co.in

Photo documenting amphibians as part of a basic survey

Photo documenting amphibians has always been a crucial step in rapidly understand the health of a forest. amphibians are an indicator species and thus are vital in documentation process of forest ecosystems.