The article published in the editorial section of The Hindu Newspaper talks about the Nilgiris and explores the author’s journey of falling in love with the natural beauty of the Nilgiri biosphere in Tamil Nadu and her commitment to conservation. Starting with an unexpected connection to a single eucalyptus tree, she discovers the unique plants, animals, and landscapes that make the Nilgiris special.
The article further talks about how human activities like tourism and farming increase, and this area faces environmental challenges, including pollution and habitat disruption. Local communities, nonprofits, and the government have started working together to protect the region and adapt to the returning wildlife. The author highlights the power of storytelling to inspire people to care for nature, hoping that sharing the story of the Nilgiris will lead to greater conservation efforts.
Twenty years ago, the author and her husband visited Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, where they stayed in an old, beautiful bungalow surrounded by nature. One particular tree near the entrance, a huge eucalyptus, caught the author’s attention. At first, she had thought of eucalyptus trees as harmful because they use a lot of water and are often considered invasive. But this tree changed her mind. Its massive trunk, ghostly branches, and perfectly shaped canopy captivated her. This tree made her see the natural world differently and led her to love the entire Nilgiri region, where they eventually bought a second home and became deeply involved in conservation.
The Nilgiri biosphere is a special area covering more than 5,500 square kilometres across parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. It’s a UNESCO-recognized reserve filled with unique and rare plants and animals. The area includes famous spots like Doddabetta Mountain, one of the tallest peaks, and the Moyar Gorge, a deep valley. In the Nilgiris, you can find plants and animals that don’t exist anywhere else, like the medicinal Baeolepis nervosa plant, used by the Irula tribe, the Nilgiri Chilappan bird, and the star-eyed bush frog. This rich biodiversity makes the Nilgiris a truly precious area.
Recently, however, human activity in the Nilgiris has grown a lot. The region is known for its tea plantations, a tradition from colonial times, but now tourism and agriculture have expanded. This brings economic benefits and jobs, but it also creates problems. Tourists often leave trash behind, creating pollution and heavy traffic, while farmers use pesticides and fertilizers that contaminate the water sources. This pollution affects the rivers and lakes, harming the once-pristine environment.
To protect the Nilgiris, local communities have started working together. Some groups, like ‘Clean Coonoor,’ are focused on reducing waste by promoting recycling and reusing materials. Another group, the Keystone Foundation, helps indigenous communities become more resilient to climate change. The state government is also involved, planning to reduce plastic use, aim for carbon neutrality, and protect native animals like the Nilgiri tahr, a mountain goat unique to the area.
Because of these conservation efforts, wildlife has started to return to the Nilgiris in larger numbers. Wild animals like leopards, Indian gaurs, and sloth bears are now more visible, sometimes even close to people’s homes. Climate change has also pushed animals to explore new habitats, and it’s now common to see wild animals near villages, tea plantations, and houses. For example, leopards hunt for stray dogs, while sloth bears and wild gaurs sometimes roam around people’s yards. Although these encounters can be risky, many residents have adjusted to living close to wildlife, even though conflicts still occur sometimes.
All over the world, more people are connecting with nature, and technology is helping make this possible. Groups like the Nature Conservation Foundation and WWF are using tools like mobile phone alerts, GPS tracking, and cameras to help people stay safe around wildlife and to protect animals from poaching. By tracking animals, it becomes harder for poachers to operate in secrecy, as more people are watching and caring about these creatures.
The author believes that protecting the Nilgiris is a job that everyone has to take part in—not just the government, but also local communities, farmers, and businesses. Creating strict boundaries between humans and wildlife with fences or walls isn’t practical in a place like the Nilgiris. Instead, the author feels that cooperation and the use of technology can make a real difference in conservation.
Finally, the author explains that in order to protect nature, people need to feel connected to it. Storytelling is a powerful way to inspire this connection. When people hear stories about the beauty and wonder of places like the Nilgiris, they feel motivated to protect it, even if they can’t visit in person. The author’s team created a documentary called The Nilgiris – A Shared Wilderness to celebrate the Nilgiris and raise awareness about its importance. They hope the film will encourage people to care about and take action to protect this precious natural area, ensuring that the Nilgiris will be preserved for future generations.
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The Editorial Page of The Hindu is an essential reading for all the students aspiring for UPSC, SSC, PCS, Judiciary etc or any other competitive government exams.
This may also be useful for exams like CUET UG and CUET PG, GATE, GMAT, GRE AND CAT
To read this article in Hindi –https://bhaarat.hellostudent.co.in/