Island school in France to adopt Assam biologist's community-driven wildlife conservation model

Lycee des Lumieres, an educational institution, has signed a two-year agreement with the wildlife biologist, Purnima Devi Barman to train students on community-based conservation.

Guwahati: A successful community-based model on wildlife conservation, which brought the coveted Green Oscar award to a woman biologist in Assam, is all set for adoption and implementation in an island school far away in France. 

Lycee des Lumieres, a reputed educational institution of Mayotte island, one of the 18 regions in France, has signed a two-year agreement with the wildlife biologist, Purnima Devi Barman to train students on community-based conservation.

Barman, who is a biologist with Aaranyak—a biodiversity conservation group in Assam—won several awards for leading the community in two villages for conservation of greater adjutant storks, an endangered bird species. She was also conferred with the reputed Whitley Award, which is also called Green Oscar in 2024. 

Aaranyak on Friday said as per the agreement, the school will follow in the steps of the Hargila Army, the community group, which Barman successfully mobilised for conservation of the storks at Dadara and Pacharia village in Assam's Kamrup district. Storks in Assam are called Hargila. 

"The school is very impressed with the way Barman motivated village women to work for conservation of the storks. Lycee des Lumieres will use the knowledge and expertise of Barman and her army of women conservation workers to create an army of students within the school, trained to protect species and biodiversity as a whole," said a statement issued by Aaranyak.  

The France-based school expects that the experience and knowledge of Barman will provide cultural enrichment and knowledge in terms of protecting Hargila and support students by sharing her knowledge, it said.