More than 100 students from Chandra Matriculation School and PSGR Krishnammal Higher Secondary School had a day out in the Ukkadam lake and Forest College to have a hands-on experience and knowledge on wetland systems and forest ecology to mark the World Wetlands Day on February 2.
The event was organised by Nature Conservation Society (NCS) and Environment Conservation Group (ECG) in association with the Forest Department.
This day is observed to raise awareness on the importance of healthy wetlands and their role in reducing the impact of extreme weather conditions such as floods and droughts.
S. Ramasubramanian, District Forest Officer, spoke to the students on the importance and the need to conserve the wetlands.
He also urged the students to carry the message of conservation to their friends and relatives. Mr. Ramasubramanian insisted the need to have a watch tower and interpretation centre at the lake so that more students could observe and study about birds present in the lake.
N.I. Jalaluddin, president of NCS, and Mohammed Saleem of ECG, spoke to the students on how green NGOs and the public were very active in Coimbatore and contribute towards conserving the wetlands.
They said that the wetlands of Coimbatore were the feeding ground for birds from as far as Tundra, Russia, central Asia and Europe during this season.
Some rare birds such as Gull, Osprey, Bar-headed goose and Red knot were seen in our wetlands this season, they added.
The students were able to spot more than 40 species of birds in the lake and were able to name more than 30 species.
Staff Reporter adds from Udhagamandalam
Students were informed and educated about the importance of wetlands, and the need to conserve them at a programme conducted by the Ooty Town Public Awareness Organisation on Thursday.
Students from the CSI Gell Memorial Girls Higher Secondary School were told about how wetlands play a vital role to the local ecosystem, and of their importance to birds and animals. The students made a pledge to protect and conserve local wetlands.
G Janardhanan, president of the Ooty Town Public Awareness Trust, said that the last decade had seen whatever remnants of wetlands left in Udhagamandalam destroyed by unbridled development. “Only a fraction of the original wetlands in the Nilgiris still remains. These need to be protected, and the government should ensure that they are left intact,” he added.
