JAY JOSHI
Simply being is one thing, and being aware of our surroundings is another. Thousands of Goans live and work in this land, which is gifted with abundant natural beauty, little are we aware of the fact that our surroundings are a living, breathing habitat, home to a number of species of birds, and animals. “Not only does the habitat serve other animals, but also serves our society, in that, it caters to our health, environment, ambience as well as commercial interest. This concept of ‘ecosystem services’, ” says Charan Desai, president of SAWE, ie Study and Awareness of Wildlife and Environment, an NGO that works to further the very goals stated in its name,
SAWE will be organising an event titled ‘The Habitat Tour’ with the goal to create awareness about various habitats in Goa and ecosystem services they offer, informs Charan. “For instance, the river Mandovi gives a unique beauty and ambiance to Panaji, and also adds to the capital city’s commercial value. The habitat created by the river makes the city attractive and rich with health, wealth as well as biodiversity. Once you are aware of this fact, you appreciate the gifts of nature even more,” he outlines.
Its new venture is indeed aimed at achieving the core goal of SAWE, which is to create awareness, but it also seems to be bordering on business-venture similar to ecotourism. “Well, eco-tourism is a good way to create awareness, and do hope to venture into eco-tourism. The point of difference is how we will utilise the funds from this event,” elaborates the environmental activist.
SAWE was forms in 2013, and specializes in studying crocodile habitats, and human-crocodile interaction around Goa. The NGO also works to raise awareness of key environmental issues in different schools. “The funds collected from this exercise will go towards conducting surveys and procuring equipment for our studies. Secondly, we visit a number of schools upon invitation, but some rural schools hesitate to call us as they lack funds. We could use the new revenue to reach out to these institutions.” The NGO also has a project to monitor the number of animal deaths on the road, and has set up a team of volunteers for the job.
Habitat Tour seeks to cover all major habitats in Goa including forests, rivers, marine life, mangrove clusters, as well as places such as sacred groves ie areas of forests that have cultural and religious significance and history, and traditional Goan arecanut plantations that serve as home to a number of animal and bird species. The event will also include boat rides, bird-watching, and a session on reptiles of Goa.
“This is the first time that we are coming up with an event that is a combination of tourism and awareness, and we hope it has a deep and positive impact,” concludes Charan.
