Asian Elephants in Kerala

For those interested is supporting the work of strenthening legal protection for Kerala’s Asian Elephants, please read the following notice of an upcoming ecological conference scheduled in Kerala for Mid December. Contact details and relevant website for more details are posted below. 

CALL FOR PAPERS: Announcing Major Kerala, India Ecology Conference 

Dr. Glen Barry of Ecological Internet to serve as Academic Convener, and present on the global biodiversity, ecosystem and biosphere imperatives for biocentric land planning and strengthened legal protections for Kerala's Asian elephants - and their corridors, particularly the Sigur plateau - as an umbrella species for other ecological values. 

September 19, 2012 

By Forests,org, a Project of Ecological Internet 

Dear Forest Protection Colleagues: 

I am pleased to announce a major international conference on conservation of India's forests, wild life, and ecology; and to issue a call for academic papers and attendance. The conference will occur in mid-December, 2012, in Kerala, India, located in the Western Ghats, which is known for its lush ecosystems, tremendous biodiversity - including viable Asian elephant populations - and high levels of human development, as well as human encroachment upon these vital ecosystems. Noted ecologist Dr. Madhav Gadgil, author of the important and controversial Kerala ecological land sensitivity designations, as well as Dr. V. S. Vijayan, Chairman of Salim Ali Foundation and Former Chairman of Kerala Bio-Diversity, have indicated they will be participating in the conference. 

The Kerala Eco Conference will emphasize global aspects of Kerala's ecological sustainability issues, placing issues of Western Ghats' broad environmental challenges within the larger international perspective of climate change, mass extinction, loss of ecosystem services, international environment law, landscape planning, and land use laws and policy. It is desired that various countries' practices as to protection of their hills and mountains' terrestrial ecology, and protecting watershed functionality and wildlife corridors in their countries, can provide an essential global view to the proceedings. An emphasis will be upon biocentric planning and law for India's ecology, people, elephants and other biodiversity, and their future together. 

Ecological Internet has been active in campaigning to protect critical elephant corridors in Kerala since 2006, achieving stunning success, including the relocation of a proposed Neutrino laboratory from prime elephant corridor habitat. On this basis, I have been asked to act as academic convener and coordinator for the conference, and will be presenting a paper which examines the importance of ecological conservation in the Western Ghats to global climate and ecological sustainability. I will highlight the importance of biocentric landscape planning to ensure adequate elephant habitat and corridors – particularly in the Sigur Plateau – using elephants as an umbrella species to secure ecosystems, biodiversity, water and future sustainable development potential. 

I ask that you please circulate the conference announcement (below) widely – particularly to your environmental law and academic ecology colleagues and departments around the world – as this will truly be an international affair. I would love to make your acquaintance there personally, as we work together to protect one of the most special natural ecosystems on Earth. 

Please contact the conference organizer Nagaraj Narayanan at nagaraj@keralalawacademy.org or myself Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org with any questions. I hope to see you soon in India's special evergreen city! 

Warm regards, for Earth, 

Dr. Glen Barry 

Political Ecological and President, Ecological Internet 

P.S. Within the next few days additional conference materials will be made available at http://KeralaEcoConference.org/ 

Arunachala Birds

I hope by this time some of the readers of Arunachala Grace will have discovered my Blog Arunachala Birds.

The postings on Arunachala Birds are of Birds and Animals I have photographed or spotted either in my own garden or upon my walks near the Samudram Erie and Arunachala countryside.

As well as information about the species of indigenous and migratory Birds (and Animals) of Arunachala, I am also trying to supply information about the development of this area and how it impacts on the animals and ecosystem.

Indian Spot Billed Duck

Some of my latest postings on ‘Arunachala Birds’ are of the White Breasted Waterhen, ‘Birds’ Favourite Trees, Glossy Ibis, Indian Spot Billed Duck and a posting on ‘Explore The Tree of Life’.

So, if you are interested in ecology and connecting with the bird and animal population of the Arunachala area, I invite you to visit my ongoing and developing Arunachala Birds.

Arunachala Grace News, June 2009

Arunachala Grace Newsletter, June 2009 will be sent out direct to subscribers email inbox by the end of this week. This month there are articles on Self Help Groups (SHGs) at Tiruvannamalai, Arunachala Reforestation, Arunachala Tidbits, review of a new book on Spiritual Masters (many connected with this area), sayings and fables. The ecology section features the bird; the Golden Oriole and describes the medicinal and ayurvedic properties of the Wood Apple tree and fruit.

If you are not yet a subscriber, please go to the subscribe facility on the left column of this page.

Shiva - Lord of the Earth

Rudra-Shiva is the ultimate symbol of the environment. In which is combined the forces of nature and Pancha Bhutas: air, water, earth, fire and space. The five elements or Pancha Bhutas are represented by five Shiva lingas, which are famous Temples and pilgrimage centres.

Many natural forces are imprisoned in Shiva's person: his flowing tresses represent the forests themselves, trapping within them the mighty river Ganga, the source of perennial water and life. His vibhuti or sacred ash is the symbol of fertility, a gift of the earth.

Lord Shiva is Pashupati, Lord of Animals. He is accompanied by Nandi the bull and viewed generally beneath the Bilva Tree. He is Bhupati, Bhuteshvara or Bhutanatha, Lord of the Earth. Bhuta is the spirit of the earth worshipped in rural India.

As the ascetic Rishi meditating on a hill, the mountains become the sacred home of Shiva. Several Shiva temples are found on hills. From Kailasha in the Northern Himalayas to Tiruvannamalai in the South.

By sanctifying them, important watersheds were conserved, preserving forests and providing water for existence.

Shiva holds Agni or fire on the palm of his hand. It symbolises the energy released during creation. The drum represents the sound Om, the origin of creation. The Trishula or Trident in his hand represents the feminine half of creation. Every aspect of this deity invokes nature.

[Thanks to N. Krishna]

New Videos

Today I changed the Video Pod at the bottom left hand margin of Arunachala Grace and currently the videos are;

Ramana Maharshi: Including footage of the great Saint

Reweaving Shiva's Robes: Fascinating narrative about the creation of ecological consciousness at Tiruvannamalai and the formation of the ARS (Arunachala Reforestation Society)

2001 Deepam: Footage taken on top of Arunachala during the lighting of the 2001 Deepam Cauldron.

Journey Through Universe: And just to keep things in perspective a very nice video presentation describing the size of the Universe

Earth day, April 22

Earth Day
April 22, 2007

"May there only be peaceful and cheerful Earth Days to come for our beautiful Spaceship Earth as it continues to spin and circle in frigid space with its warm and fragile cargo of animate life."

[United Nations Secretary-General U Thant, 1971

The equinoctial Earth Day is celebrated on the vernal equinox to mark the precise moment that spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. On equinox, night and day are in equal length anywhere on Earth. Therefore, a perfectly vertical pole standing on the equator at noon during equinox will not cast a shadow. At the South Pole, the sun sets and ends a six-month-long day while at the North Pole, the sun rises and hence ending six months of continuous darkness.

**********

"EARTH DAY uses one of humanity's great discoveries, the discovery of anniversaries by which, throughout time, human beings have kept their sorrows and their joys, their victories, their revelations and their obligations alive, for re-celebration and re-dedication another year, another decade, another century, another eon. EARTH DAY reminds the people of the world of the need for continuing care which is vital to Earth’s safety.

EARTH DAY draws on astronomical phenomena in a new way; using the vernal equinox, the time when the Sun crosses the equator making night and day of equal length in all parts of theEarth. To this point in the annual calendar, EARTH DAY attaches no local or divisive set of symbols, no statement of the truth or superiority of one way of life over another. But the selection of the March equinox makes planetary observance of a shared event possible.

"The vernal equinox calls on all mankind to recognize and respect Earth's beautiful systems of balance, between the presence of animals on land, the fish in the sea, birds in the air, mankind, water, air, and land. Most importantly there must always be awareness of the actions by people that can disturb this precious balance."

[Margaret Mead, [Anthropologist]

**********

Earth Awareness

Earth day, is also observed to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth's environment and is nowadays observed by national governments in over 175 countries. Grassroots groups seek to make Earth Day into a day of action which changes human behavior and provokes policy changes. For more information visit:
http://www.earthsite.org/

Hoist the Sails

Four billion years ago
Our lonely Earth
Set sail on cosmic seas
Guided by an unseen hand
Of nature, God or chance.

As life evolved
Through endles eco-cycles
Man was born, destined
To destroy or enrich
the Precious Ship.

And now his hand
Has seized the tiller
But his ear has not
Yet caught the Captain's
Quiet command.

The sails are down, the ship becalmed,
Its fragile life at stake.
No longer do we ride the gentle swells of
Silent seas and breathe
The fragrant air.

Broken are the rhythms
Of our cyclic plants
And other living things.

But now the Captain speaks again
Our quiet thoughts at last reveal his voice.

"Hoist the sails, Earth Man.
Set them for celestial winds.
Hold the tiler firm,
The course ahead is clear."

Be He nature, God or chance
His voice is heard
And we shall heed
The Captain's quiet command.

[By John McConnell]