Environmental research for decades

Environmental research for decades

By Rev.Dr.S John Britto SJ

Tropical ecosystems support a diversity of species and ecological processes that are unparallelled anywhere else on earth but they are rapidly disappearing. My environmental research for the past 25 years has been focused along these lines: a critical knowledge on the structure and functioning of south Indian plant diversity, through enlisting plant species, forest type mapping using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System; analysis of the nature and magesitude of anthropogenic effects on south Indian ecosystems and adoption of it in situ and ex situ conservation measures to restore back to nature the threatened and rare plant species. While adopting these measures, the research collaboration undertaken by me at the national level on the DBT and ISRO sponsored Project on Biodiversity analysis at landscape level in the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats of India was an eye opener. It showed how the evolution and development of effective strategies for conservation, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity should be integrated with social necessities, social sciences and traditional knowledge. Hence I have extended my research to environmental wisdom of the tribals, ethno-medicine and research on sacred groves.

For the past two decades and half, my environmental research in association with late Fr K M Matthew, SJ has resulted in the Illustrated Flora of Tamil Nadu (7 volumes) as a plant diversity source book for the region. I have published more than 100 research papers, authored 5 books, and co-authored 7 books. Extensive field work during 1976-1988 was done in the lowlands and the Palni Hills, the montane counterpart. A field flora in English and later in Tamil helped 'door delivery' of knowledge of diversity to ordinary people. Research base at the Rapinat Herbarium of St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu houses more than 125,000 collections and is widely used as a research base. It has been recognized and approval by the Bharathidasan University as an independent Institution to undertake environmental research. More than 30 major environmental research Projects have been completed since 1970 till date.Our interaction with world centres like Kew gardens, UK, besides ensuring international standards of work, has facilitated a flow of publications from other parts of the world. The Herbarium's hill laboratory 'The Anglade Institute of Natural History' in Sacred Heart College, Shembaganur, has undertaken a mammoth environmental awareness generation programme. Since 1984 till date more than 67,000 trainees have participated. Trainees are of two main groups: students, the executives of tomorrow and villagers, the custodians of environment today. The Institute is actively engaged in conservation research and ecorestoration of 16 endangered plant species of the Palni Hills. In collaboration with the Palni Hills Conservation Council, as its Vice President, I am in the process of getting Palni Hills declared as a Nature Sanctuary and also the creation of 'Kurinji Reserve' incorporating the grasslands of the southern slopes of Palni Hills.

(Fr. S. John Britto, SJ, the former Principal of St Joseph's College, Trichy, is now the Director of Rapinat Herb and Anglade Institute Research Trichy.)

source: http://www.jcsaonline.com/jivanJul06.htm