Voluntary Nature Conservancy (VNC India) is organizing the “Wetland Watch 2023” from 19th May to 21st May 2023 that incorporates a holistic understanding of the ecosystem functioning and associated fauna of wetlands, and modules of monitoring this fauna.
Charotar is famous for crocodiles, but few know that it also hosts one of the largest population of sarus cranes as well, and not to mention other numerous wetland birds, and even raptors. Wetland Watch, is designed to provide an opportunity to understand the ecology of a wetland ecosystem and associated species like crocodiles, sarus cranes and odonate species, and hands-on training on research methods, conservation strategies, tools and techniques of monitoring wetland fauna.
Registrations Are Now Closed For Wetland Watch 2023
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
Why Attend Wetland Watch 2023?
- Learn the ecology and functioning of a wetland ecosystem
- Understand about mugger crocodile ecology, observe them is their natural habitat and participate in crocodile monitoring.
- See large congregation of Sarus Cranes, that gather in large numbers (80-100 individuals) only during summers.
- Understand how species like crocodiles and sarus crane share these wetlands with villagers around and interact with them in this landscape.
- Meet people who share spaces with this majestic species and understand how people see these species.
- Learn tools, techniques and instruments used in monitoring crocodile and sarus cranes, two flagship species of wetland ecosystem in this landscape. Especially learn the techniques of how to monitor crocodiles in night using the eye shine count method. See large gatherings of crocodiles.
Schedule
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 1
Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 2:00 PM | Reporting Time at VNC office, Vallabh Vidyanagar |
| 2:45 PM | Trasporting to Accomodation |
| 04:30 PM | Program Orientation and Introductory Session |
| 04:45 PM | Talk 1- Conservation of crocodiles in Charotar. Speaker: Anirudh Vasava, Executive Director, VNC-India |
| 05:30 PM | Tea Break |
| 05:45 PM | Talk 2 -Human-Crocodile Conflict and crocodile conservation. Speaker: Dr. Raju Vyas, Senior Scientific Advisor, VNC-India |
| 06:30 PM | Learning Data Collection Methods and Tools |
| 07:30 PM | Dinner |
| 08:30 PM | Crocodile Night Count |
Day 2
Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 08:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 08:45 AM | Sarus Crane Congregation/Wetland Bird Counting |
| 01:30 PM | Lunch |
| 04:00 PM | Wetland Visit and Learning Field Techniques |
| 06:00 PM | Talk 3 Sarus Conservation in Human Dominated Landscape of Charotar Region, Gujarat. Speaker: Dr. Jatinder Kaur, Head, UPL-Sarus Conservation Project |
| 06:45 PM | TTalk 4- Fish Diversity and Conservation Issues in India. Speaker: Dr Harshil Patel, Scientist at Thackeray Wildlife Foundation |
| 07:30 PM | Dinner |
| 08:30 PM | Crocodile Eye Shine Count |
Day 3
Time | Program |
|---|---|
| 08:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 08:30 PM | Field Visit |
| 11:30 AM | Chief Guest Lecture |
| 12:15 PM | Concluding Session/Certificate Distribution |
| 01:00 PM | Lunch |
| 02:00 PM | Returning to VNC-India office, Vallabh Vidyanagar |
Accommodation
The registration fee includes the accommodation, so you don’t have to book separately. The accommodation includes Non-AC rooms on three sharing basis.
The main attraction in the town, where all the participants will stay, is 195 years old sacred Swaminarayan temple which is also the centre of Swaminarayan Sampraday.
Getting Here
Vadodara Airport (Vadodara):
The nearest airport is Vadodara Airport, which is about 40 kms from Vallabh Vidyanaga
Sardar Patel international Airport (Ahmedabad):
It is about 80 kms from Vallabh Vidyanagar.
Travelling by train:
Nearest railway station is Anand Junction Railway Station which is about 7 kms from Vallabh Vidyanagar.
Travelling by Bus:
As Vallabh Vidyanagar lies between two major cities -Ahmedabad and Vadodara, commuting by bus is convenient due to regular connectivity of bus.
Register
Registrations Closed
FAQs
Anyone over the age of 18 years is eligible to participate in Wetland Watch.
- Admittance to all sessions (including Plenary Lecture)
- Morning breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea & snacks, and dinner
- Local transport during the field work
- Participant’s Kit which includes a T-shirt, a backpack, and a Book named ‘Muggers of Vadodara’
- Accommodation during the period of the program.
You will receive an email if your application has been accepted to participate and the email will have a link from where you can pay registration fees.
Once selected and registered successfully (when the fee is paid), participants cannot cancel their registration, nor can get refund.
Shoes and torch are must. You can also bring your water bottles and caps. A diary would be good thing to keep around to note-down things. You can also bring binoculars and camera. A small backpack will be required to keep all the things in.
Participant’s registration fee for Wetland Watch 2023 is ₹2,500. It includes accommodation.
The participants will be placed at a hostel facility, at Vadtal. Whereas various sessions will be conducted at the conference hall of the CHARUSAT University, Changa. The rooms will come with basic facilities, with attached bathroom/toilet. The rooms will be allocated on three person sharing basis. The rooms are Non-AC. The organizer holds the right to place the participants as preferred. No discussion will be entertained on w.r.t to accommodation facilities and rules. There will be no internet facility at the accommodation location. Participants who would like a continuous fast internet connection are advised to make their own arrangements. Transport for field visits will be arranged by the organizer, throughout the duration of the program only.
Simple vegetarian food will be served to the participants. We will not entertain any special dietary needs.
To confirm your participation for the event, you will need to pay the registration fees before the deadline mentioned in the email. If you fail to pay the fees in the given timeframe, your applications will be rejected and the spot will be allocated to other participants.
Participants are themselves responsible for their transport from Airports/railway station/Bus station. Vallabh Vidyanagar, is five km from Anand railways station and can be reached through auto-rickshaw available at the station. You may contact the program organisers. if you have any queries regarding your travel.
Connect With Us
101, Radha Darshan, B/H Union Bank of India, Vallabh Vidyanagar – 388120
Office Hours:
Mon – Sat: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
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