Great Conservation Efforts by School Children in Kolkata

A joint visit was made by Howrah Suparna and United Religions Initiative (URI) represented by Mr. Bishwadeb Chakraborty (Regional Coordinator, URI, Eastern India) on November 10 to Miraloke located in New Alipore, Kolkata. This program involved with the student interaction focused on the their grand success in establishing a medicinal plant garden and a pollinator sanctuary on school campus. The students at Miraloke  have developed this pollinator sanctuary with a basis in medicinal plants. This initiative aims to conserve local biodiversity, support traditional medicine, and provide education and awareness to the public about the importance of pollinators and medicinal plants. The visitors were welcome by students and teachers headed by the Principal, Mr Partha Sarathi Bose.

The collaboration included guiding the students on sustainable practices and biodiversity conservation, highlighting their achievement in creating a specialized garden that serves both ecological and educational purposes.The medicinal plant garden and pollinator sanctuary not only preserve important plant species but also foster awareness about environmental responsibility among the students, which aligns with Howrah Suparna’s focus on conserving medicinal plants through habitat protection, cultivation programs, and biodiversity monitoring. This visit exemplified a partnership approach to promoting traditional ecological knowledge and sustainable environmental practices among young learners in an urban setting.

Key points of the interaction and visit: Miraloke students have established a medicinal plant-based pollinator sanctuary.The sanctuary supports the local ecosystem by conserving medicinal plants and pollinators. Mr Chakraborty interacted with the students to understand their interest and enthusiasm in appreciating ecology, environment, importance of conservation of medicinal plants and pollinators like bees and butterflies. He encouraged the students to continue their great efforts and emphasized upon the history, mission, vision and objectives of URI across eastern India; and their implications at the global level to the students in very simple terms.

Howrah Suparna and URI provided guidance and encouragement to sustain and enhance the project. The initiative promotes biodiversity conservation, traditional knowledge preservation, and environmental education. It serves as a model for community involvement in ecological and health-related plant conservation.This collaborative visit underscores the importance of inter-organizational support in nurturing young environmental stewards and fostering community awareness about ecological sustainability through practical, hands-on projects like the medicinal plant garden and pollinator sanctuary.

Photo credit: Saikat Kumar Basu