A TRYST WITH NATURE

-Ms. Sunita D’Souza

On 28^th August, 2012, 31 of our students from the Nature Club and a few representatives from Stds. VII and VIII moved outside the school campus to acquaint themselves with their neighbouring friends – the trees in Five Gardens.  Accompanied by the ever-enthusiastic teachers, Mrs. Pavita and Ms. Sunita, the vivacious photographer for minute details, Mr. Bosco, and the green campaigners from the GreenLine team, Ms. Parveen Sheikh and Ms. Devyani Singh, the students breezed along with a sprightly spring in their walk.  Though it was a post-lunch session, the rains and the cloud cover provided the cool ambience to the greening exercise titled ‘Green Mapping’.

Our school students were joined by another group of green enthusiasts from a neighbouring school, DPYA.  While Ms. Parveen led this group into the engaging activity, Ms. Devyani guided our young brigade in the park.  The students listened in rapt attention to the instructions by our guide. Specific symbols encased in a circle were assigned to different types of trees, e.g.    P   for peepal tree,   B   for     bamboo tree,  X  for  copper pod tree… The students showed their enthusiasm to learn the names of the trees and the use of specific symbols.  Armed with this knowledge, and with the intent to identify the trees found in the garden, the students enjoyed this novel task of ‘Green Mapping’.  

Their desire sated and the boundless energy sublimated for a worthy cause, our students, along with their teachers and guides, returned refreshed and energized to continue contributing their bit for the environment.  We are sure our nature friends – the trees – were happy to welcome us, just as we were in transports of delight to embrace them, feel them and pamper them.  Our next stop is our school campus and our neighbourhood.  Our students seem to be in a tearing hurry – and mind you, it’s a good sign – to rush to their homes and gardens to identify the trees around them with the newly acquired ‘greening’ skills. 

In case you visit Five Gardens these days, you may recognize some of these symbols etched on the trees – provided the torrential downpour has not played truant with this spirited activity of our youngsters. However, it’s never too late to begin some ‘green mapping’ ourselves.  Jump on the GreenLine wagon.  It’s fun!