Volunteers pitch in to clean up Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

ERODE: Officials of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) observed the World Sparrow Day, World Forest Day and World Water Day in the reserve forest in Erode district on Thursday.

STR and Nature and Geo Society (NAGSO), an environmental and wildlife conservation organization, came together to host several events to celebrate the days and to bring awareness among the public in keeping the environment clean, planting saplings and preserving water-bodies .

Sathyamangalam DFO K Rajkumar headed the event while forest ranger P Thimmanaicker led the team of NAGSO volunteers in Gunderipullam dam.

During the event, the forest officials briefed participants about the the rich biodiversity of the western ghats and the role that the south-west monsoon and north-east monsoon play in keeping the entire belt and the southern tip of the country alive with diverse flora and fauna.

He also elaborated about the function of the rain gauge that has been installed.

NAGSO volunteers cleaned up the reserve forest and collected all wastes like plastics, glass and papers around the dam and created awareness on keeping a clean environment among public and the tourists who were present in the area.

Some of the tourists and even locals pitched in the clean-up drive.

“We walked up-stream along with the volunteers and we interacted with them. Facts about tigers, forests, water and human interdependence was elucidated. We advised volunteers to conserve tiger, forest and environment,” DFO Rajkumar said.