LKUB COUNT 2019
Lavkumar Khachar Urban Bird Count 2019
Organized by BCSG
Mr. Lavkumar Khachar of Jasdan was perhaps one of the most respected and eminent personalities in Gujarat and the whole of India in the field of nature education and conservation. In fact, his name is synonymous with Nature Education. He spent his life studying nature passionately and taught people to understand and love it.
He was born in the erstwhile royal family of Jasdan in Saurashtra, ruled by the great warrior clan of Kathis. He spent his childhood in the natural surroundings of Hingolgadh and he imbibed the interest in wildlife at that tender age and obviously the natural beauty of Hingolgadh and its surroundings inculcated many qualities in him as a true naturalist.
He was educated at the Rajkumar College, Rajkot where in 1956 he started his career teaching Biology and Geography, after completing BSc (Botany) with Honors from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. As a student of Biology, he was greatly influenced by Biologists such as Charles Darwin.
As a teacher he pioneered the concept of ‘Back to Nature’ focusing on outdoor adventure activities for the young. Rajkumar College was the first school in India to undertake such venturous outdoor activities.
His creative implementation of Nature Study Programmed so impressed the board of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – India, that he was given the responsibility of conceiving and initiating its education and youth movement in 1976.
In 1984, he took charge as the Director of Sundarvan – a nature discovery center in Ahmedabad under the aegis of the Centre for Environment Education (CEE). Today, State Governments and Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s) are following the model created by him across India.
He launched the nature education and camping movement that has been replicated and emulated nationwide by other nature lovers. The Hingolgadh Nature Conservation Education Programme (HNCEP), which was founded by him, is still instrumental in opening the eyes of nature lovers to the natural and cultural landscape, at the same time contributing to the local economy without threatening the local culture.
He was instrumental in notification of two very important national parks; The Great Himalyan National Park and The Marine National Park.
He co-authored ‘Sixty Indian Birds’ with Late Sh. Dharmakumarsinhji.
He was recipient of following awards.
*The Salim Ali – Loke Wan Tho Lifetime Award for Excellence in Ornithology for his pioneering work in Ornithology.
*Certificate of Merit awarded by His Royal Highness Prince Philip for his contribution in initiating the Youth Education Movement and developing the Nature camps for WWF – India.
*Venu Menon Lifetime Achievement Award.
Let’s celebrate his birthday as ‘Urban Birds-Count Day’ to give tribute to his contribution in nature conservation and nature education.
Every day we see birds around us in urban landscape. Once upon a time we used to see lot of babblers and crowsand sparrows roaming in the cities of Gujarat! But now, we see them in smaller numbers and even absent in many areas. Keeping in mind this factabout changing scenario of bird-life in urban settings in our cities, Bird Conservative Society of Gujarat (BCSG) plans to celebrate the Lavkumar Khachar Urban Bird-Count, on the birthday of Late Sh. Lavkumar Khachar. On this day you have to devote 30 minutes in whichever city you are; see the birds – identify them and count the number. Email us the data on birdcsgujarat@gmail.com.
What ?: ‘Lavkumar Khachar Gujarat Urban Bird-count’
When ?: 24 February 2019
How ?:
- Go birding, preferably for half an hour.
- Make a separate list (with counts of birds) for each location covered.
- Upload your list(s) to ebird and share with this ebird id “Bird Conservation Society,Guj” or share directly on this GOOGLE FORM or download this GOOGLE SHEET and enter your data and email on birdcsgujarat@gmail.com
Who? Anyone with an interest in birds! This is a great opportunity to introduce your family and friends to the wonderful world of birds.
DETAILS : The Bird Conservative Society of Gujarat (BCSG) announces the Lavkumar Khachar Urban Bird Count for the year 2019. This is a single-day event to commemorate the birth anniversary (24 February) of Late Shree Lavkumar Khachar.Participants have to do bird count on 24th February. The only criterion for participation in the event is an interest in birds. Participants can observe and records birds in their chosen urban area, preferably for over half an hour.