Application form - BSF Small Grant program
1. Contact information Individual/organisation/institution 1 Name: Jalaposhan Trust Email address:[email protected] Contact number:9731401881 Individual/organisation/institution 2: Name: Biome Environmental Solutions Email address:[email protected] Contact number:9448494654 Individual/organisation/institution 3: Name: ATREE Email address:[email protected] Contact number:9972399879 2. Title “Nature’s Gurukul” – An outdoor learning centre at Jakkur Lake 3. Background/Motivation (300 words)
Jalaposhan Trust is a Citizen initiative to protect and preserve the Jakkur Lake. It constitutes of citizens living in and around a 10 kms radius around the lake. Formed in 2015 the trust has an MOU with BBMP and manages the lake in association with BBMP since May 2015. Jalaposhan believes that conservation of Urban Natural resources is possible when the community makes these urban spaces an integral part of their life and own them and take responsibility for them. Jalaposhan’s three key focus areas has been Conservation, Community and Education. Conservation projects like water Quality management, Water flow management, Flora and fauna enrichment, Composting, Conservation of redlisted and endangered trees, medicinal and aromatic plants, Habitat creation, Floating wetlands, Wetland management are implemneted through Citizen participation under expert guidance. Programmes to involve community are Saturday morning “Shramadhan”,Art by the lake every third Sunday of the month, Vanamahotsava every Monsoon, Kere Utsav, Fitness
programmes, Amenities like Social spaces, Play area. This brings in a lot of new people to the lake.
Educational programmes help create awareness about lakes and their significance and also help people explore their knowledge in a practical way. A food Kiosk created by BDA during rejuvenation has been converted into an Outdoor learning centre and is being used as a learning HUB.
Since 2015 many educational programmes like flora walk, Bird watching, water testing, Permaculture are being offered in association with various organisations and Institutions. Biome Environmental Solutions and ATREE have been a constant source of support for these programmes. Resources from IISC, GKVK, FRLHT, NCF, Eco-edu, Artzy Plants, NCBS, Ananas have been enriching these programmes. Today along with being a model for IUWMS, Constructed Wetland, Biodiversity Jakkur is also a model for Stakeholder partnership and Citizen participation. A model that can be replicatd in any lake. 4. Goals/Objectives (200 words) The main goal of “Nature’s Gurukul” – The Outdoor Learning centre is to bring Citizens closer to nature and provide them opportunities to connect with Nature. Objectives: a. To initiatie a Citizen Science Programme where various Nature related science projects will be implemented with active Citizen engagement. i. The project will be guided by experts ii. An interest group of Citizens will be monitoring and tracking progress of these projects iii. Doctoral research, Post graduate and Graduate students will involve at research level iv. School children will involve at a learning level thorugh field visits and educational programmes. b. To provide support to reserachers working on lake and lake ecosystems. c. To provide opportunities to educational institutes to use the lake as a educational space. d. To archive all information about Jakkur lake . e. To connect lake users with the lake and its ecosystem. f. To conduct awarenss and educational workshops to educate the community about their lake. g. To provide therapeutic Nature healing programmes h. To make customised field guides, audio walks, Information boards to help lake user interact with the lake.
i. To make effective use of Technology to make information accessible. 5. Methods and plan of work, including timeline (400 words) a. The program execution will be as follows: i. The Outdoor learning centre has a Resource Centre (Library), an Activiuty centre and an information centre along with a semi covered workshop/presentation area. These will be equipped with resources needed for execution of these programmes ii. Collaborations with various Institutes and Organisations that can support these programmes at the lake. iii. An ‘Institutes for Conservation’ programme will be launched which will provide opportunities for institutes and organisations to particpate in these programmes. iv. A round of Flora survey at the lake including Tree tagging will be done to archive all pernnial Trees and Plants. v. Seasonal Flora fauna survey will be conducted thrice a year – once in summer, monsoon and winter . This will also help archive the flora/fauna at the lake and also help understand the impact of Jalaposhan’s efforts and help in further planning. vi. Every month one volunteering drive will be conducted for a ongoing project to popularise these projects with Citizens. vii. Every month one educational program like Bird walk, Tree walk, Water Testing will be conducted for different age groups. viii. Every month one enviromental day will be observed at the lake and the others will be celebrated by sharing information about them through various social media platforms. ix. One symposium will be conducted during kere utsav 2019 on a theme related to Lakes. The funds for this will be raised separately. x. A lake Manager to coordinate with all these pogrammes will be hired through any additional funds obtained from Corporates to sustain the program. Till such time Citizen volunteers will coordinate the programmes. xi. The students participating in any research pojects will receive certificates that will help them in their future education and careers. b. Timeline i. First Month 1. Annual calendar of events 2. Resource Identification and collaborations
3. Registrations for ‘Instituts for Conservation’. Open through the yeaar. 4. Initiation of Research projects by various experts and project planning. 5. Monthly educational Programs as per calendar ii. First Quarter 1. The Outdoor Learining centre setup . * iii. Second Month onwards 1. Monthly educational program 2. Monthly environmental day celebration 3. Research Project progress as per plan iv. November – December 2019 1. As part of Kere Utsav an symposium will be organised. Theme will be decided in consultation with experts and Citizens. * *Additional Funds will be raised. 6. Expected Outcome/Impact (400 words) This will be a novel initiative opening up a lake as a Natures laboratory for the purpose of education. a. The main outcome will be that Jalaposhan will be able to get a better understanding about the lake and the research projects will help track water quality, flora an fauna changes which will inturn help understand if the health of the lake is improving or deteriorating. This will also help in timely intervention and problem resolution. b. Aware Citizens will be able to take forward the conservation of the lake in a scientific way. This is the only way that Citizen participation for successful Lake conservation can be made sustainable. c. This will be a wonderful way for academia to participate in real life learning and also participate in an environmental cause. The students can use this as additional credits. d. It will be a very good way for parents and children to learn together and bond with nature and each other. e. It will provide more hands on opportnities for children for discovery learning through exploration and also will be a good way to wean them off from gadgets. f. It will also provide the community opportunities to meet and brainstorm on various issues related to the lake. g. This will also help more people rise for saving bengalurus lakes. h. The learnings can also be utilised for other lakes.
i. The programme once accepted can be taken to other lakes of Bangalore wherein lakes will become interactive spaces. j. This program which is a pilot this year will be adopted as a long term programme by Jalaposhan. k. This will also bring about a change in how the custodians (BBMP, BDA) look at a lake . 7. Budget plan
Sl.No Item Description Cost Quantity Amount Remarks 1 Flora and Fauna
Survey Initial survey of perennials and seasonal survey of flora nad fauna 1,50,000 1,50,000 Cost estimatd in Consultation with Experts 2 Monthly educational
Activity Resource Fee, Materials, Light Snacks 10,000 12 1,20,000 This will be for about 30 participants 3 Environmental Days
celebration Resource Fee, Light Snacks 8000 12 96,000 This will be for about 50 participants 4 Project Volunteering Material and Light Snacks 10,000 12 1,20,000 This will be for about 25 particpants 4,86,000
