Large scale destruction of forests, wildlife & their habitats as well as lack of awareness among the mass on wildlife issues has motivated a small group of nature loving students to collectively organize a platform " FOUR STAR NATURE CLUB" under the aegis of WWF-India, long back in 1991, keeping them busy with the activities like plantation, exhibition, drawing and essay competition on environmental issues among the students of the locality in schools and also in public places. The members also enjoyed bird watching and trekking though wilderness and hills in and around Bongaigaon city with their limited resources but full of enthusiasm. The group finally organized as a Society under Societies Registration Act, 1860 with the name NATURE’S FOSTER (NF) and got registered vide their registration No. 123 of 1994-95 under . This year the organization is celebrating 30th years of association with the community for the preservation of natural heritage of the state.
Some of the key wild animals and their habitat are in peril due to anthropogenic causes like rampant killing, poaching, loss of habitat, and human settlement in the forest areas. For last 20 years Nature’s Foster has organized various programmes to sustain the existing habitat of the wild animals as well as to improve the degraded habitats. In this endeavor the conservation effort were focused on the people’s participation.
The Nature’s Foster has taken up various projects of national and international repute. Among these The Golden Langur Conservation Programme was a great success. The Golden langur,(Trachypithecus geei Khajuria, 1956) is an important and endangered endangered primate species of South Asia with unique taxonomic and conservation status is found only in a small pocket of forests in North Western Assam, India and Bhutan. A substantial population of this primate is also distributed in some isolated Reserve Forests (RF) of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Dhubri districts of western Assam. Kakoijana is such a RF where a viable population of GL was thriving for their existence. After thorough study and courageous initiatives and community based conservation programmes on this small forest area has brought back the habitat of this primate. A key tool in this endeavor was to divert the wood smuggler into sustainable economy providing various economic activities through self help group development.
Every year the organization carries out survey on the waterfowl diversity and abundance of avifauna in the wetlands of lower Assam. Well adapted methodologies are used to learn about the wetland status of the area and encourage the students and bird enthusiast to take part in annual water bird surveys and help them to know about the migratory birds and counting method.
The nature’s foster in association with RSPB, ATREE and CEPF involved in study of one of World’s rarest heron the ‘White bellied heron’. White Bellied Heron (Ardea insignis), a Globally threatened and critically endangered species known from the eastern Himalayan foothills in Bhutan and north-east India to the hills of Bangladesh, and at few places at Myanmar. They have a extremely small and rapidly declining population. In 2007 Nature’s Foster has started systematic studies on the distribution and status of WBH in Assam. This research emphasizes to record the occurrence of the species in the Indo Bhutan bordering areas and other wetlands of Assam.
Due to socio-political unrest and ethnic violence the forest of western Assam is facing rampant loses from last few decades. The nature’s foster in association with US fish and Wildlife division and Margot Marsh biodiversity conservation society is organizing and supporting the community volunteers in different locations of Manas biosphere Reserve to vigil and protects the habitat.
In its water animal monitoring programmes, the organization also regularly monitor the existence of Gharial and Gangetic river Dolphin in Brahmaputra river system since 2007. In this endeavor nature’s foster encourage the young students and fisherman communities of the area.
As a part of floristic study programme NF have listed the endangered and threatened plant species in the western part of the state, as well as carried out study on the Orchid diversity, Pteridophytic flora of the state and preparing checklist of Under-cultivated and wild relatiives of the cultivated species in Assam.
Under the aegis of Govt. of India NF is taking active part in developing watershed in Bongaigaon District, Assam. This is one of the most innovative activities under WDP by NF is development of watershed. This approach has conventionally aimed at treating degraded lands with the help of low cost and locality accessed technologies such as in-situ soil and moisture conservation measures, afforestation, etc., and through a participatory approach that seeks to secure dose involvement of the user communities. The Watershed Community remains at the centre of this watershed development project who plan and implement the project in their watersheds. The role of official agencies is more that of facilitators and coordinators. We believe that this project has helped in making the National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas into a people’s movement and benefited the villagers in getting their yields increased and economic benefits to the land less villagers through development their micro enterprises through formation of SHG.
NF also carries out some interesting environmental education programme like nature game, quiz on wildlife, projects on local birds and plants, wildlife film shows, seminars etc. They also educate them about the skills of bird watching and their conservation. Environment education trips to nearby wildlife areas. Around Two hundred schools were formed with ECO Clubs under the Project Green Corps through Ministry of Environment , Forest and Climate , Govt of India and acted as District Nodal Agency for Bongaigaon Districts in Assam .
Moreover as a part of outreach Programme, the NF organizes various education programmes for the students of fringe villages and for the elderly people and woman with the help of some well developed audio-visual aids. Exhibition, Poster displays, Film shows and Stalls in the community gathering like Mela and Pujas in the fringe areas. They also organize some street programme in the cities.
The NF has a great repute in the city of Bongaigaon for their rescue services. The wildlife rescue and rehabilitation team works 24x7 to rescue the wildlife in distress. Till its inception of Wildlife Rescue team at NF, we attend more than 200 rescue calls annually for rescue of snakes , birds and other animals including species like critically endangered Pangolin from human habitation , illegal poachers / hunters and release them into their safe habitats with the forest officials.
Moreover, the organization have a special team to disseminate the information and aware about the SNAKES and their myth and misconceptions among the mass. This team always ready to catch snakes in distress inside your living room to your stare garage. They aware the people about the snakes and help them differentiate poisonous and non poisonous one and to care for them.
The NF also taking initiative to preserve the Sacred Forests of the state. In Assam, there are different ethnic groups with cultural and traditional harmony. All these ethnic groups have their own culture and belief. But this diversity of culture is dramatically changing due to rapid urbanization. Some of these communities have faith over worshiping the forest, trees and hills. This worship is performed mainly for the wellbeing of the human, thus if this culture of worshiping the forest continues, the conservation of natural resources will also continue, and in turn may help in human wellbeing. Moreover, these area also harbour diverse indigenous plant species which can prove to be a good animal habitat. Recently NF has initiated conservation of these community forest and sacred forest areas of Bongaigaon district Assam.
The Nature’s Foster is devoted to the preservation of the natural diversity of plant and animal species, and their habitats, through the prevention of environmental degradation and destruction. Nature’s Foster develops and implements scientific strategies and policies (programmes)for decreasing fossil fuel use, preventing climate change, and preserving plant and animal species and their habitats. We educates the public about a wide variety of environmental topics including preservation of natural habitats, endangered species preservation, animal rescue and other related environmental topics. NF disseminates the results of its research and studies on the widest possible basis through its printed publications and other public exhibitions.
To find out more about their work, or to support their efforts, write to:
General Secretary
Nature’ Foster
Shastri Road, North Bongaigaon
P.O. Bongaigaon, ASSAM
PIN. 783 380
Email: naturefoster@gmail.com
Website: www.naturesfoster.org
