Ferns work in a range of themes from wildlife and natural resource conservation to communities, culture, and livelihood of people in the Western Ghats. We envision the conservation of nature and promote sustainable development and human well-being based on sound research, policy, and education. Our primary focus is to empower local communities for the conservation of natural resources. Ferns works closely with government agencies, research institutions, civil society groups, and community organizations. Ferns have been working for the conservation and management of a wide range of species including the Asian elephant, birds, butterflies, and odonates in the Western Ghats. Ferns in collaboration with the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department has joined hands with other NGOs launched a citizen science project to study the migration ecology of milkweed butterflies in southern India-the first such initiative in the country. Ferns is also working towards eco-restoration and the management of invasive plants such as Senna spectabilis and Lantana camara in the Ghats.
Riverbank Mapping
Mapping of the Kabini River in Wayanad, a major tributary of the Cauvery River was done. The riparian vegetation, erosion of the banks, and infrastructure along the banks were mapped and analyzed. The project was supported by the Kerala state Revenue Department through the River Management Fund.
Sand Auditing
We conducted a sand auditing in the Kabini River to assess the quantity of available sand deposition. Based on the results of the study, Kerala state revenue department has taken decisions to regulate sand mining from the river Kabani and measures were taken to protect the river in participation with local people.
People’s Biodiversity Register
Peoples’ Biodiversity Register is a document which contains comprehensive information on locally available Bio-resources including the biodiversity, landscape, and demography of a particular area or village. Ferns has updated the people’s biodiversity registers in 22 Grama Panchayats and three Municipalities in Wayanad district. The work was carried out by various Biodiversity Management Committees with the support of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board.
Danaine Watch
Ferns in collaboration with the Kerala forests and Wildlife department and other NGOs have joined hands to launch a citizen science project to study the migration ecology of milkweed butterflies in southern India-the first such initiative in the country. Migration of the milkweed butterflies in southern India is a spectacular phenomenon, where hundreds of millions of butterflies undergo an annual migration. Usually, the migration happens during September-November with the onset of the northeast monsoon, from the plains to the Western Ghats, and they migrate reversely during March-June, just before the advent of the southwest monsoon. The migration was reported more than a century back by the British Naturalists, but we still do not know where they are coming from or where their journey ends. The first publication on the migration by Aitken (1987) says that the unsolved questions on the migration can be easily settled if a number of people in different parts of the country watch the butterflies and take note of the results of their observations. After 120 years of his first observation, Ferns initiated a citizen science project to study the migration ecology of the milkweed butterflies in southern India. The project started in 2018 numerous volunteers are updating their observations on the butterfly migration from various parts of southern India. Currently We are collecting data from public using a web form. We invite all of you to contribute your observations on milkweed butterfly migration in southern India. Follow the below link for submitting your observations.
FERNS 