2. Objectives of the Practice: As the institution is situated in a rain shadow geographical location, there is a requisite to establish an eco-friendly/ green campus with a great number of vegetation. Consequently, the institution can achieve the reduction of carbon footprint, nature conservation, and pollution prevention by virtue of this practice. Moreover, the targeted plantation of saplings can enhance urban bird diversity as they offer extensive nesting and foraging sites. This practice is also aimed to instill in the minds of the students to plant saplings,groom nurseries, understand soil conservation, establish biodiversity, become an entrepreneur, etc.
3. The Context: Global warming and climate change are the most complex phenomena, which can be simply addressed by greenlining our mother planet. Trees contribute greatly not only to reduce the global warming/climate change impact but also enable the effective carbon sequestration. Moreover growing trees lead to the maintenance of the equilibrium between various environmental components. Many of the ecological factors such as monsoon cycle, soil carbon, greenhouse gas balance, maintaining plant/ animal diversity, and oxygen production are effectively governed by trees. The key challenge is to educate our society towards the emerging environmental issues and their efficient mitigation strategies. Making our students plant saplings and maintenance against various environmental factors make them socially responsible citizens in addition to their graduation. In addition, a green aesthetic environment creates a pleasant atmosphere for all in the campus to deliver their tasks in a more complacent manner.
4. The Practice: The institution has rigorously planted a huge mount of saplings during this assessment period resulting in a green revolution in the campus. A team of dedicated faculty members from various departments are working hard in creating a network with various government agencies, self help groups, and NGOs to collect plant saplings and maintain them in the in-house mini nursery. Student volunteers have also been regularly engaged to maintain the collected plant saplings in a better manner
Apart from the regular activities towards sapling plantation and maintenance, the institution has organized the following mega events for progressing towards green campus:
- “One Day One Tree” - Sapling Plantation for 365 days as part of Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
- Creation of a Miyawaki forest in the institution.
- Planting 3000 palm seeds in the institution.
One Day One Tree - Sapling Plantation for 365 days: As the part of effective transformation from Environmental Education to Environmental Action, “One Day One Tree - Sapling Plantation for 365 days” scheme effectively integrates students, faculty members, nonteaching supporting staff, alumni, and public. In this regard, the institution has successfully planted saplings from July 15th 2022 to 14th July 2023 including holidays. They are highly encouraged to plant sapling on their birthdays and other important occasions throughout the year. In addition to that, the academic visitors, VIPs, alumni members, industrialists, and other stakeholders have also been encouraged to participate in this mega sapling plantation event.
Creation of Miyawaki Forest: Miyawaki is one of the well known and most efficient ways of tree plantation towards the creation of micro level forest on the undervalued marginal lands. The institution has created a Miyawaki forest in the campus by planting nearly 1000 saplings of 42 different plant species, which are being well maintained by the students.
Planting 3000 Palm Seeds: The palmyra tree, the official tree of the state, is highly revered and has a long history of association with Tamil culture. It has been extensively used for making various domestics products such as but not limited to umbrellas, baskets, mats, hats, etc. Its syrup is used to make jaggery, which creates rural employment and generates significant income. With this perception, the institution has organized a mega event to plant 3000 palm seeds in our campus with the active participation of students, faculty members and nonteaching staff. Palm seeds are gathered from nearby villages and through NGOs. The seeds are growing well.
5. Evidence of Success: The tree planting bloom has been successful, which has transformed the entire campus gloomy and greenish. The biodiversity of the environment has tremendously enhanced by virtue of these three ventures, which enables the identification of new bird species in the campus in recent days. The total ambiance of the institution has remarkably changed, helping both directly and indirectly the smooth progression of teaching and learning. Also, this event effectively utilizes the unused land source of the institution.
Through the One Day One Tree - Sapling Plantation for 365 Days event alone 976 saplings were planted in the campus in a span of one year and they are well maintained by the students and faculty members. It has created a wonderful platform for the students of the Botany Department to explore their study on the various growth parameters associated with the planted trees. The institution has successfully created the Miyawaki forest with more trees which are being maintained regularly. The institution is also witnessing more palm seedlings shooting up in its vicinity.
6. Problem Encountered and Resources Required: The institution has a mind set to handle any challenges regarding the grooming of the saplings. In spite of which some saplings were unable to grow notwithstanding the nature of soil prevalent in the campus. Moreover the climatic conditions can also be attributed as this area is prone to very hot climate. Adding to the woe, watering the plants during semester holidays and long vacations creates haphazard in bringing up the plants. But the institution takes enormous care in making alternative arrangements to overcome this disadvantage by appointing care takers and student volunteers.
Since the campus is more than 140 acres and the number of plants and trees are huge, watering them is a hectic task. However the institution has installed water pipe lines at many strategic points to fulfill the requirements. Sometimes the saplings are to be purchased for a high cost and may not be available in proximity to the institution, which are effectively handled by the institution.
7. Notes: The institution has transformed into a model campus portraying various species of plants attracting the eyes of visitors and to a larger extent SAPLING PLANTATION has exponentially increased the value parameters of the institution.
