Tiger Watch – Conservation Leadership Program, May 11-15, 2013

Tiger Watch has been a pioneer in wildlife conservation in Ranthambhore over the past decade. Its anti-poaching operations, reform projects and conservation models have inspired many to get involved in conservation activities.

Hence, each year Tiger Watch organizes a workshop to facilitate wildlife enthusiasts on ground conservation work with interactive sessions and field trips.

Each individual can be a leader in evolving better and newer ways in conserving resources. Environment agencies are working towards this but most of the time, the centralized institutional system does not work at the ground level. For that, there needs to be interaction with people who are working in the field, as they are the ones who have evolved and developed the means and measures to conserve nature with the available resources in the most efficient manner, understanding the ground realities. The motive of this program is to discuss the current scenario and thrash out new ideas and strategies.

Duration: 11 May to 15 May, 2013

Program schedule

•  Six lecture sessions with prominent conservation experts
• A session with forest guards hearing their forest stories
• Two visits to Ranthambhore National Park to understand the ecology of the tiger
• Interaction with ex-poachers
• Cultural sessions

We would have speakers from forest department, ex-poachers and forest guards. However the core of the program would involve talks and close interactions with the following workshop leaders:

• Vidya Athreya – Vidya is an ecologist working for the last 8 years on interactions between a large cat (the leopard) and humans when they share the same space. She is interested in understanding the drivers of man-animal conflict in the backdrop of the socio-cultural ethos in India, which inspires tolerance for other life forms.
• Dr. Govardhan Singh Rathore – Dr Rathore has more than 20 years of community conservation work to his credit and has helped in reform of several villages. Prince Charles awarded him with the precious Ashden Award for renewable energy. He runs a school for 600 kids of Ranthambhore. He has helped plant more than 500 biogas plants to substitute firewood and reverse the impact of deforestation. Along with the community, he has planted about 4 lakh trees around Ranthambhore. Dr Rathore has also built a state-of-art 100-bed hospital for villages near the park area. He is a true icon in community conservation.
• Nimesh Ved – Nimesh currently works independently and has been involved with conservation issues at remote locations in Central and Northeast India. He was based at these conservation priority locations where he led field teams and nurtured programs. During the recent past, he was based in south Mizoram where he designed, implemented and documented a conservation education program that was locale specific and sensitive to the cultural values of the landscape. Conservation education is his area of interest where he explores platforms to interact with different segments of the society on wildlife issues.
• Dharmendra Khandal – With a doctorate in botany, Dharmendra is the country’s foremost spider expert, and a connoisseur of Rajasthan’s flora and fauna. Dharmendra has been working at the ground level for tiger conservation since the past 9 years. A futurist in anti-poaching and wildlife conservation, he has not just helped governmental agencies convict poachers but also established ethics and methodology in anti-poaching strategies. He has religiously taken up the work of rehabilitating poachers’ families.

Program requirements

• Applicants must be 18 years and above. The course is intended for people who are currently involved in conservation, students, wildlife writers, or those interested in wildlife conservation.
• The number of participants will not exceed 25. Participants have to make their own arrangements to reach Sawai Madhopur. The participants are expected to be present by noon of May 11, 2013 i.e. the first day of the course.

Course Cost: Rs. 16,000/-* (including AC accommodation for the course period, meals, park safaris, local travels, field visits and course expenses)

• Fees do not include extra meals/ beverages etc
• Fee does not include travel charges to and from Sawai Madhopur.
• Fee does not include hotel arrangements before noon of 11th May and after noon of 15th May 2013

Mode of Payment: Cheque or demand draft in favor of “Tiger Watch”

Last date for registering: 1st May, 2013

Please send us the completed application form before the date mentioned above. Forms received after the last date of registration will not be processed.

Click here to download the application