Wokha, August 3 (MExN): Wokha Forest Division organised a capacity building programme for teachers-in-charge and students of Eco Clubs under National Green Corps on July 31 at Forest Colony Community Hall, Wokha.
Around 40 schools from Wokha Town, Chukitong Range, and Nyiro Range attended the programme, informed a press release.
The roles and responsibilities of the teachers-in-charge as well as students were highlighted by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Wokha, Zuthunglo Patton, IFS. She encouraged the teachers-in-charge to motivate the students to care for the environment by engaging them in activities related to the environment. The activities cited were planting of trees during World Environment Day, trekking and nature study to nearby forests like Mt. Tiyi or exposure visits to Doyang dam, Amur Falcon roosting site at Pangti in November, rallies to spread environmental awareness, and activities like debates, quiz, painting competition, speech, essay writing, etc. on burning issues such as Jhum cultivation, forest and wildlife conservation, biodiversity, etc.
The teachers-in-charge were reminded to submit the reports of all activities carried out by the Eco Clubs on time along with proper photographs in the prescribed format and also to fill out the Eco Club Biodiversity Register, which is expected to encourage students to understand nature better and also form a baseline data for future management strategies required for sustainable utilization of biodiversity as well as to serve as a means to record traditional knowledge and conservation of species.
Meanwhile, the students were encouraged to participate wholeheartedly in all activities conducted by their schools and were also briefed on DOs and DONTs so as to contribute as individuals towards a healthy, hygienic and clean environment, the release stated. They were further briefed on reducing, reusing and recycling plastic and general awareness on civic sense as well as forest and wildlife conservation.
The Field staff of Wokha Range presented a special skit portraying a typical childhood scene where people go to the forest to sit, chat, eat and have a good time, but littering at the same time and using catapults to shoot animals and birds. The skit ended with one of their friends appearing on the scene and stating those were not the right things to do as they are harmful to environment, the release added.
