THE PROJECTS WE SUPPORT: NATURE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

The Nature Conservation Foundation (www.ncf-india.org) is one of India’s leading research and conservation organizations that works to advance science-based conservation while working closely with local communities. NCF’s vision of ensuring that nature and society flourish together is reflected in its long-term, evidence-based conservation initiatives across the country. Its ability to combine rigorous ecological research with community-driven conservation makes it exceptionally well positioned to deliver meaningful conservation outcomes.

NCF has been at the forefront of hornbill research and conservation in India for over two decades. In the Eastern Himalaya Programme, the team have built a deep understanding of hornbill ecology, and a long-term monitoring of hornbill nesting, roosting and populations. Apart from hornbills, the EHP team also undertakes research on plant-animal interactions, tropical forest dynamics, tree phenology, and ecological restoration. Conservation work is focussed on developing effective conservation models in some sites in Northeast India as well as forest restoration and a nature education program in Arunachal Pradesh and northern West Bengal.

NCF’s Hornbill Nest Adoption Program is an example of successful conservation through community partnership. Developed in collaboration with the Nyishi community and the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, the programme has protected hornbill nests outside a protected area, resulting in the successful fledging of more than 237 chicks of three hornbill species while supporting indigenous livelihoods and strengthening local stewardship. Similar efforts in northern West Bengal have enabled the successful fledging of 122 chicks from 52 nests of 4 hornbill species. These efforts are complemented by forest restoration, nature education, capacity building, and sustained engagement with local communities and government agencies. 

S U T R A TEXTILE STUDIES

SUTRA Textile Studies is a not for profit society established in Kolkata in 2002, with the objective of raising awareness of our textile heritage through seminars, exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations, publications and other means, to pave the way for further research, documentation, conservation and development of our textile traditions in order to impact the grassroots level.

SUTRA has organised three international seminars on Natural Dyes.

2010: "RAKSHA: Conservation of Textiles and Textile Traditions"

RAKSHA, meaning 'to protect or save' was primarily about conservation. There were two components: VRIKSHA ( meaning plants, trees, shrubs ) and VASTRA ( meaning garments )

VRIKSHA focused on the conservation, awareness and promotion of natural dyes;

The focal point of VRIKSHA was the rare 19th century natural dyed textile swatches found in the collection of the Botanical Survey of India, ( BSI ) Kolkata. These had been compiled around 1870 by Sir Thomas Wardle, who documented over 3,200 natural dye samples of indigenous dye plants of the Indian sub continent, the only extant documentation of India's vegetable dyes; and John Forbes Watson who compiled the existing textile traditions of natural dyed, woven and patterned textile swatches in several volumes.

The VRIKSHA seminar also discussed natural dyes, dye yielding plants, economic history, traditional and modern techniques of textile conservation. A selection of archival material from the BSI were displayed at the exhibition accompanying the seminar.

RAKSHA was held in February 2010 at ICCR, Kolkata with the support of the Ministry of Culture, The Ministry of Environment & Forests, Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A), The Indian Museum, The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and ICCR amongst others.

2014: February; ICCR, Kolkata:

COLOURS OF NATURE : when MARG magazine decided to publish a special issue dedicated to natural dyes, SUTRA was requested to organise an event to coincide with the launch of the magazine. This resulted in a full fledged event on natural dyes, comprising seminar, exhibitions, workshops, discussion forum, film shows, demonstrations, sales, excursions and children's art competition.

INDIGO SUTRA

9, 10, 11 & 12 November 2017, Kolkata

An international event to celebrate, promote and revive natural indigo

INDIGO SUTRA celebrates Indigo, the world's oldest, most widely used and unique dyestuff, and the only natural blue dye.