Just outside the city of Delhi stands the sprawling 286-acre campus of one of India’s prominent institutions, the Shiv Nadar University. Universities offer courses on a variety of subjects, such as natural sciences and engineering. Our campus is surrounded on three sides by farmland and lush lakes, which may come as a surprise to those who think of India’s capital as a tangible metropolis.
As a university professor, one of us (Datt) was struck early on by the biodiversity on campus. University researchers painstakingly documented a total of 354 plant species (234 wild and 120 cultivated). The fauna is also rich in diversity, with 10 mammals, 65 birds, 9 reptiles, 5 amphibians and 54 butterflies home to the university.
However, when I spoke with the students, I found that they were unaware of the incredible biodiversity around them and what the university was doing to protect it. For years, the campus was virtually empty except for ‘No Plastic Dumping in the Lake’ and ‘Watch Out for Snakes’ signs. Both messages seemed far from celebrating the flora and fauna on campus. As a science communicator, I wanted to do something about this.
We could have taken pictures of the different species present and put up signs all over campus. Universities like mine have many naturalists on staff teaching and researching, and they may have helped. However, I had another idea.
Folk art can be a powerful visual and non-verbal tool for communicating complex scientific ideas. I wondered if this idea could be adopted as a way of showing biodiversity at the university. I hoped it would generate both curiosity and perhaps pride. I contacted folk artist Sudarshan Shaw with the aim of creating a biodiversity map of the university campus. He is best known for his biodiversity map of Andhra Pradesh, which features more than 55 species of flora and fauna, in a traditional style called Pradesh. Kalamkari.Derived from Hindi columnmeaning pen, this form of folk art involves intricate types of painting on cloth.
Sudarshan also produced the first biodiversity map representing Orissa. Patachitra Style – Said to date from the 12th century, an art form used to depict Hindu mythology on paper Pattaor canvas.
I (Shaw) was thrilled to be a part of this project. When Bahar conceived the vision to create a biodiversity map for educational institutions, university campuses, it was unique, visionary, and most importantly, truly local. bottom. It quickly became apparent that we were all united in making meaningful collaboration possible.
I believe that true conservation can best benefit from the use of local voices, languages, histories and practices, among others. The majority of humans living in “busy landscapes” are unaware of non-human species. A rapidly dying curiosity that makes young minds realize that nature is not far away, that it is all around us, everywhere, every day, that we are an integral part of it. , amazement, lighting a fire in consciousness will take a long time. How to promote conservation.
Together we decided to create a biodiversity map of Shiv Nadar University in Mughal art. This painting style is generally confined to miniatures and developed primarily in areas where the Mughal king ruled South Asia from his 1500s to his 1700s. I (Shaw) chose the Mughal style because the paintings I know show harmonious images of the contrast between the marvelous architecture and the wilderness nicely nestled around it. I myself felt this connection when I visited the campus and saw patches of wildness allowed to thrive among architecturally articulated buildings and meticulously managed botanical gardens. rice field. And Mughal miniatures are one of the few folk art forms that stylize the drawings as close as possible to the real life of the flora and fauna, making them more scientifically accurate and giving them a uniquely tranquil character and visual appeal. seems to be one. I took advantage of this stillness during the height of COVID-19 restrictions to paint some 50 species of birds, mammals and plants.
To create the map, we combined three disciplines – ecology (by the campus and its scientists), communication and art – in various vantage points (libraries, hostels, etc.) throughout the campus. I came up with the final product. So that students can stop and learn about the natural world around them.
We believe this is the first example of creating a biodiversity map of the built environment. Maps now take many forms. We sourced fabric from weavers in Banaras, India, dating back hundreds of years, printed a map, and made a stole. When our guests visit our campus, we give them a stole as a sign of respect. It has become a prized possession for all members of the Siv Nadal community.
Since biodiversity maps were placed at key locations on campus, students have become more aware of the biodiversity around them. In fact, maps have proven to be excellent recruitment tools. One student told me (Datt) in class that he saw a map on a pre-school tour and “I just realized this is the university.” [she] I wanted to study elsewhere. ”
Scientific information can be important. It may not reach all audiences, especially those without formal education. We have seen that using simple communication tools such as maps can create interest in nature. At Siv Nadar University, this project demonstrated that unconventional visual tools are powerful in conveying complex terminology to well-educated target groups in urban areas, while at the same time promoting positive attitudes towards the surrounding nature. We have shown that it is possible to generate We call on other universities to explore how folk art can be an educational tool in times of climate change and species loss. We believe projects like this have a lasting impact on audiences while communicating concepts related to the science of biodiversity in a quirky, memorable and authentic way.
This is an opinion and analysis article and the views expressed by the author are not necessarily those of the author. Scientific American.
