Interview Summary
Suprabha Seshan speaks about her focus on rainforest plant species conservation, rehabilitation, and restoration ecology, emphasizing the importance of local community involvement. She also highlights the role, vision, and initiatives of GBS while also sharing about her involvement with the organization.
She highlights the significant loss of Western Ghats rainforests due to industrial farming and the need for community-driven conservation. She also underscores the need to reintroduce threatened species.
Suprabha reflects on the different forms of knowledge in conservation, including formal, scientific, indigenous, and experiential. She discusses the challenges of integrating modern ecological science with traditional local knowledge and highlights the need for a holistic approach that values all forms of knowledge and experience.
She expresses concern about the rapid extinction of species and the impact of large-scale infrastructural projects on the environment as well as the weakening of forest rights. She emphasizes the interconnectedness of ecological and human health and the need for education that fosters this connection.
(00:00:40) Personal conservation strategy, GBS’s rehabilitation objectives, personal involvement and initial experiences at GBS
(00:05:45) Vision and mission of GBS, challenges of integrating modern ecological science with traditional local knowledge systems, need for inclusive ecological vocabulary
(00:15:31) Importance of conversations and mutual learning between varied knowledge systems, engaging with the locale and its inhabitants
(00:19:00) Reflections on conservation strategies in India, recognition of community-driven conservation and local knowledge systems, weakening of forest rights, impact of large-scale infrastructural projects
(00:26:28) Ecological Restoration Alliance- India and its objectives, limitations of monoculture, decentralization of agriculture, interconnectedness of ecological and human health, need for education to support ecological consciousness
(00:35:41) Challenging promotion of infrastructural advancement at the expense of ecological disruption, focus on community-based conservation efforts, extinction of species and its impact on the biosphere, appreciation of cohabitation with nature
Dates
- Creation: 2023-01-05
Creator
- From the File: Venkatram, Preeti Shree (Interviewer, Person)
- From the File: Shome, Nayanika (Processing Archivist, Person)
- From the File: Seshan, Suprabha (Interviewee, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Level of Access: Open/Online
Biography
Suprabha Seshan is an environmental educator and restoration ecologist known for her work in conserving and restoring tropical rainforests in the Western Ghats of India. She is the managing trustee of the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary (GBS), a conservation organization in Wayanad, Kerala, that focuses on the regeneration of native plant species and the restoration of forest ecosystems.
Suprabha co-founded GBS's School in the Forest and has been instrumental in leading the ""Landscapes and Lifeskills"" program for young adults. She has also directed numerous restoration projects at Mukurthi National Park and the Tala Cauvery Temple Sanctuary, among others.
In 2006, Suprabha received the Whitley Award for her conservation work. She also holds key roles in several environmental organizations, including the Munnarakkunnu Trust, The Forest Way Trust, and the Environmental Support Group, and is involved in various environmental justice and ecological restoration initiatives across India.
Extent
43 Minutes
Language of Materials
English
Repository Details
Part of the Archives at NCBS Repository
National Centre for Biological Sciences - Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Bangalore Karnataka 560065 India
+9180 6717 6010
+9180 6717 6011
archives@ncbs.res.in