KOCHI: The Forest Department is all set to extend its Nature Camp project in the coming year. Under the project, students from schools and colleges are taken to wildlife sanctuaries and national parks to spend a day or two in the forest. Overwhelmed by the huge response to the project, the Forest Department is now in the process of identifying more forest areas where the camps could be conducted.“As of now, nature camps are conducted in 14 out of 22 sanctuaries in the state. In 2011, we conducted about 60-70 camps in each of these 14 areas. We are now identifying forest areas other than sanctuaries where this project could be conducted,” said K J Varghese, Chief Conservator of Forests (ABP) .The forest department is giving special focus to this project as a way to impart wildlife education, he said. “Special focus is given to provide better resource persons, classes on nature interpretation are conducted and reading material to students are provided,”said Varghese.Schools, colleges and student clubs can apply for the Nature Camps. Each camp consisting of a maximum of 40 students are taken to an allotted sanctuary or national park to spend a maximum of 3 days in the forest. During the camping there will be tree walks, trekking, slide shows of forests, screening of films on wildlife and ecology, lectures on wild life conservation, bird watching and so on. “Project is aimed at creating awareness among youngsters about forests and its threats. Students who have a first hand experience of forests are much more sensitive towards ecological issues and conservation. About 20 years back when we started the programme people were hardly aware of the threats to nature. But today that is not the case. The response to this programme from students and schools too is an acknowledgment of this awareness,” said the Divisional Forest Officer N B Induchoodan.
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