Biodiversity Fest-2011, Aversa, Ankola, Uttar Kannada. Karnataka

One hundred and fifty students and about twenty five adults from the diverse bioregions of Karnataka came together on February 25 & 26, 2011 for an annual biodiversity festival. The students were all members of DNA (Department of biotechnology Natural resources Awareness) club from Tumkur, Ujire, T. Narsipura, Sringeri and Ankola. These five high schools were chosen by the DBT (Department of Biotechnology), New Delhi and the Karnataka regional resource centre, the ATREE (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment), Bangalore to start DNA clubs in.  Each club had 25 members and a coordinator who conducted several activities throughout the year including field trips, lab experiments, bio monitoring, hands on activities, audio visual shows and action projects- all related to environment and biodiversity.  At the end of each academic year the students gathered in one place to share their experiences and celebrate the rich local culture, tradition and biodiversity. Aversa (Jaycee School) was chosen as the venue for this year’s festival.

 On the morning of the 25th, the students met for a lively breakfast of idlies steamed in cups made of jackfruit leaves. After a traditional and nourishing breakfast, the students moved outside to march through the streets of Aversa. Drummers and dancers in traditional bear costumes led the procession.  This dance is traditionally called as suggi kunita or ‘Harvest dance’ which is performed by Halakki vakkals, a local tribe. Dr. U.G. Naik of Centre for Marine Biology, Karwar was invited as a chief guest and Mr.Cajy Silva, an expert on mangroves and a doctoral student at the centre accompanied him as another guest.

A loop through the town brought the students and faculty back to their assembly hall where the Jaycee school girls opened the festival with a dance invoking lord Ganesha.

The theme of this year’s fest was “Coastal life and Marine ecosystem” and as such all the activities revolved around it including the cuisine, field visits,   inaugural session and stage arrangement.

The stage was set with a student dressed as a ‘Halakki vakkal’ tribal woman near her thatched hut and another dressed as a fisherman in his fishing boat. Halakki Vakkals are the original inhabitants of the district and are predominantly occupied as agriculturalists. They are known for their honesty and hard work. The women folk carry fire wood on their heads over long distances and either sell them for an additional source of income or use them as domestic fuel. Fishermen known as ‘Ambigaru’ very often live close to the coast and depend on fishing for their livelihood, very often their only source of income. The womenfolk take their catch to the market and earn a decent income. Most of the population here is fish eating. The banner “Biodiversity festival – 2011” was made by the students with whitewashed shells of bivalves over painted ocean waves. A model of “Kutri” the traditional method of stacking harvested and dried paddy plants in the field itself formed part of the stage.“Moode” the traditional method of storing paddy in bundles of hay made the platform for the coconut palm inflorescence.  This was cut open to “bloom out” to inaugurate the function.

After an entertaining welcome ceremony, each student received a notebook made of recycled paper to take notes of the presentations. The inaugural speech by Dr. U.G. Naik was about marine ecology and underwater geology. He also released a poster on ‘Snakes of India’ brought out by ATREE. Lining the walls of the auditorium, visual reports of experiments conducted by the students and specimen displays supplemented the speeches. Each coordinator spoke about the various activities they conducted for the year.

Lunch and tea times provided breaks in the lecture. Around 5: 30 the students went on a field trip to the beach to see the ecosystems they had just studied.

The timing of the beach visit was perfect. Upon arrival, students spoke to the fishermen as they were getting ready for fishing. They got to know several interesting details of their lives and occupation. All the students then dispersed, and like scientists, examined shells, tide pools and marine animals. Engaged students brought numerous shells and crustaceans to teachers eager to learn more about their surroundings.

 At the end of the first day of activities, participants of the biodiversity festival enjoyed a serene sunset over the ocean before returning home (for the Ankola students) or back to the festival site for visiting students.

On the second day of the festival, students again met for breakfast before leaving to visit a Post graduate centre for Marine Biology and a science center and museum at Karwar. The ocean view from the science museum and preserved specimens of marine animals provided the students an opportunity to link the animals and their habitat and get a glimpse of the ocean biodiversity.

Next, students attended a short lecture from Dr. V.G.Naik and saw an audio visual presentation on biodiversity of a local coral reef. After seeing animal specimens, students traveled to a nearby Mangrove forest to see their habitat. Mr. Cajy Silva gave a lecture on mangroves at the site, passing around different plant specimens and explaining how mangroves germinate and grow. After a micro perspective on mangroves as plants, the speaker explained how mangroves are vital to the marine ecosystem, being a breeding ground for several marine species, protecting habitats and communities from tsunamis and hurricanes. With deep water based roots, the mangroves work like speed bumps, slowing winds and water while sheltering animal and plant life that thrives nearby. Through the mangroves, the students learned how people depend on their environment as the speaker told the story of a coastal town where residents, devastated by a hurricane, regretted their detrimental treatment of their habitat, lamenting, “By destroying the mangroves, we have destroyed ourselves.”

The evening session began with the students’ presentations where students spoke about the project work they had done during the year. Later the students went around seeing the exhibits that were displayed all around. The Jaycee school students who had hosted the fest had set up all the experiments they had conducted throughout the year as also the diversity in edible sea life in the form of preserved specimens. A session with the coordinators by the RRA resource persons and a small valedictory function brought an end to an exciting and stimulating event.

 As these students carry the burden of environmental pollution and dwindling bio resources from previous generations, it is crucial that they understand the importance of living sustainably within their bioregion. The biodiversity festival was enlightening and fun, while it also equipped Karnataka’s students with guiding knowledge for healthy and environmental lifestyles. The combination of the lectures, field visits and science museum exhibition gave the students a hands-on and well rounded education of the marine ecosystem in general and Uttar Kannada in particular. Local students appreciated a deeper scientific understanding of home while visiting students learned about one of the diverse bioregions of Karnataka.

 By Rama Nayak , DNA coordinator , Jaycee School with inputs from Chelsea McCain, an intern from Oregon, U.S.A.