Serenella Fernandes and Kayden D’Souza, two enthusiastic 13-year-old students, are sparked to immerse themselves in the conservation of Goa’s rich biodiversity.
The transformative catalyst for the two Class VIII students was their participation in scientist Snigdha Sehgal’s recently held workshop in Pilerne titled ‘Science & Storytelling in Nature’s Lab’.
“The scientific experiments we did with plant pigments, the nature walk and the storytelling session centred around different types of leaves made me and my friends more observant of the beauty of nature. While many children struggle to choose a career, the workshop gave us direction by helping us know our interests, making us want to dive deeper into the concepts taught,” said Fernandes.
D’Souza, too, was excited to learn more about the natural world through the workshop and stated that he wants to become a conservationist to prevent the planet’s destruction.
“I enjoyed experimenting with plant pigments and seeing a praying mantis camouflage with the leaves during the nature walk. It sharpened my observation skills and inspired me to involve myself in the conservation of Goa’s biodiversity,” said D’Souza.
Sehgal’s workshop, conducted at the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) Campus in Pilerne, is a part of the month-long Greener Side Campaign, an initiative by Echoes of Earth, India’s greenest festival, that aims to shine the spotlight on the Western Ghats and raise awareness about the importance of conserving Goa’s rich biodiversity.
According to the World Wildlife Fund’s experts, human activity is the main cause of the ongoing sixth mass extinction, wherein a high percentage of biodiversity is getting wiped out in a short span of geological time; hence, Sehgal’s endeavours to foster a scientific and conservationist mindset among young children are the need of the hour.
“Biodiversity helps keep the Earth’s ecosystems in balance and aids evolution. Unfortunately, we are destroying our planet and have left its conservation to the children of today. Fortunately, children are much more receptive towards learning about the environment and having fun with nature; appreciation entails automatic protection,” said Sehgal.
Sehgal’s workshop was curated to encourage children to question whatever they observe, to notice the smallest details in the environment around them and to experiment with pigments from plants to show them what the natural world is capable of producing.
Arcanja Fernandes, a faculty member of Chubby Cheeks Spring Valley High School, Pilerne, who accompanied the students, stated that more children-friendly events like Echoes of Earth’s Greener Side Campaign need to be held in Goa as “practical and observational learning is as important as theoretical learning and conservation of Goa’s biodiversity is imperative.”
Dr Pradip V. Sarmokadam, Member-Secretary of GSBB, also aided Sehgal in educating the children about the various types of medicinal plants in Goa during the nature walk and was of the firm belief that armed with the right information, children are the saviours of the planet.
“There is a need to share with children both scientific and traditional wisdom. Only then will they be able to appreciate the natural ecosystems around them and know the need for their conservation. This will also strengthen their connection with nature and teach them to be responsible in their roles as conservationists and future citizens,” stated Sarmokadam.
