| Code | Workshop | Workshop Brief | Resource Person |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | Research with fishers and other ecological knowledge holders | The lived experiences of fishers give them knowledge about a number of different areas of interest to ecology and conservation researchers, including marine biodiversity biology and ecology, habitat ecology, environmental change and impacts, practical applications of solutions to threats, blue economy, and blue crimes. This workshop introduces participants to different knowledge systems, including fishers’ ecological knowledge, working with fishers as knowledge holders, researcher assumptions and biases and the need for reflexivity, research with fishers using different methods, the potential for research fatigue, and recognising fisher’s contribution to research. While the workshop will focus on research involving fishers, as that is where our experience lies, concepts may also be applied to studies with other ecological knowledge holders. | Andrea Phillott, Chetan Rao |
| S2 | Nature Guide's Toolkit: Observation, Interpretation & Storytelling | A great nature guide does more than identify species—they help people notice, understand, and connect with nature. By combining careful observation, interpretation, and storytelling, they transform an ordinary walk into a memorable experience that inspires appreciation and conservation. This interactive workshop introduces participants to the essential skills that every nature guide should develop. Drawing from Ataavi's experience of training bird experts and leading guided nature walks across India, participants will learn how to observe nature beyond species identification, record meaningful field observations, identify engaging narratives, and communicate them confidently to diverse audiences. The workshop combines a guided outdoor observation walk with practical exercises in field note-taking, nature interpretation, audience engagement, and storytelling. Participants will practice designing and delivering short interpretive experiences based on their own observations while receiving constructive peer and facilitator feedback. By the end of the session, participants will have a practical toolkit for planning and leading engaging nature walks that encourage curiosity, foster deeper connections with nature, and inspire conservation action. |
Aksheeta Mahapatra, Rahuldev Rajguru, Guru Prasad KR |
| S3 | Crafting Conservation Careers: The good, the bad, the ugly | Careers in conservation remain relatively underexplored, despite a growing number of students pursuing academic pathways in conservation science and allied disciplines. While these careers are often perceived as exciting and glamorous from the outside, they come with unique challenges and realities that are less frequently discussed. It is therefore essential for prospective students to develop a nuanced understanding of both the opportunities and limitations before committing to a career in this field. This workshop is designed to guide students through the diverse domains of Environmental Science, Ecology, Conservation, and Sustainability Studies. It aims to provide clarity on academic and professional pathways while equipping participants with practical insights into the conservation sector. Key Focus Areas 1. Academic pathways and requirements for building a career in ecology and conservation 2. Career trajectories and opportunities after entering the job market 3. Job market analysis across sectors including academia, corporate, NGOs, research, and entrepreneurship, with indicative salary trends 4. Case studies highlighting real-world experiences, along with the pros and cons of conservation careers The workshop will follow an interactive format, incorporating discussions, Q&A sessions, and hands-on activities. Participants will engage in structured exercises such as SWOC (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Challenges) analysis and career goal planning to better understand their individual aspirations and career fit. Primarily intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students, the workshop is also open to PhD scholars interested in exploring or refining their career directions. The content will focus particularly on the Indian and broader Asian job market context. Having conducted several iterations of this workshop in online formats since 2021, this in-person session is designed to offer a more engaging and immersive experience through direct interaction, collaborative learning, and peer discussions. |
Pankaj Koparde, Anushka Rege |
| S4 | Tree Identification and Phenology: Basic Workshop | Looking at the nuanced structures of plants can be intimidating. But knowing what parts of a plant to look at and how can help us become more familiar with plants. Plants are grouped into families based on certain features in their leaves, flowers and fruits. By recognising these features, we can reach the plant’s family and greatly narrow down the possibilities of its identity. Some of these families will be discussed in the advanced workshop on plant identification. So, to identify plants, let us begin by learning about the types of leaves, flowers and fruits. Leaves, flowers and fruits - the features used to identify plants - are also seasonal and vital for plant life cycles. Studying this cyclicity (called ‘phenology’) over long periods can help us understand many aspects of an ecosystem, including the impacts of climate change! In this workshop, we shall learn the basic units of morphology used to identify plants: leaf, flower, and fruit types. We shall go outdoors and learn to recognise the different features of plants in the field. Lastly, using our new ability to identify plants and their seasonal stages, we shall learn the ‘SeasonWatch’ method of monitoring tree phenology. Note: This workshop (current or previous editions) is mandatory for attending the advanced workshop on plant identification. |
Sayee Girdhari, Rishika K |
| S5 | Study design in ecology and conservation | How should a study be designed to ensure that it effectively addresses the identified research question? This workshop will discuss important elements of study design in ecology and conservation including how to identify and distribute sampling units and avoid bias while doing so; how many samples to collect; and what inferences can and cannot be drawn from particular research designs. Throughout, we will use examples to make concepts as clear as possible. As a part of the workshop, we will set exercises in study design for participants and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the designs that participants come up with and ways to improve them to obtain better results. | Kavita Isvaran |
| S6 | Beyond Words: Using Dance, Movement, and Expression for Science Communication | Effective science communication often relies heavily on language, be it through talks, papers, or written outreach. However, conservation challenges are deeply emotional, sensory, and embodied, and communicating them across diverse audiences requires tools that transcend linguistic and cultural barriers. This interactive workshop introduces participants to the use of dance, movement, and physical expression as powerful tools for science communication, particularly in the context of ecology and conservation. Drawing from both scientific understanding of animal movement and artistic traditions that depict wildlife, the session will explore how the human body can be used to interpret, communicate, and evoke ecological processes and species behaviours, as well as foster a sense of wonder and stewardship for the natural world. Participants will engage in a series of guided exercises that combine basic movement theory, observation of animal locomotion (using videos), storytelling through gesture and expression, and collaborative performance-building. Participants will work together to create a nonverbal performance to spread a specific (chosen by the group) message of conservation, restoration, or awareness. Overall, the workshop encourages participants to step outside their comfort zones, experiment with embodiment, and discover alternative, impactful ways of communicating science to varied audiences. |
Priya Ranganathan |
| S7 | Making field-data collection easier: An Intro to Epicollect and ODK | Field data collection and subsequent data entry are among the most time-consuming and error-prone steps in ecological research. Traditional methods like paper datasheets and field notebooks can present challenges including data loss, transcription issues, and difficulties in collecting data under field conditions such as heavy rain. Mobile-based data collection platforms offer a practical and efficient alternative. Tools such as Epicollect and Open Data Kit (ODK) help researchers record, store, and manage data directly in digital formats, reducing errors and the time and effort required for data entry. This workshop will introduce participants to these two widely used platforms and demonstrate how they can be applied in ecological field studies. Participants will learn how to build data collection forms ranging from simple surveys to moderately complex forms incorporating inputs such as photos and GPS coordinates. The workshop will also cover basic data management and export options for both platforms. This will be a completely interactive workshop where participants can bring their own research problem and a basic format for data collection. Instructors will help them build these forms themselves, and also guide them in sharing forms, enabling multiple users to collect data, and downloading and formatting data for further analysis. There will be a primary focus on Epicollect, with a brief introduction to ODK for creating more complex forms. |
SANATH R M, Abhirami C |
| S8 | Tangled Data, Tangible Tales: Ecological Data Art | The workshop offers participants an opportunity to develop skills of visualising and translating ecological and animal behaviour data into creative narratives for conservation outreach and science communication. Effective conservation action requires raising awareness within our communities about the knowledge generated through scientific research. However, public access to this knowledge is often hindered by the difficulty of interpreting technical language in academic journals, forming echo chambers of communication. This also raises important questions: How does science-inspired creative communication include other forms of knowing , such as the insights of indigenous stories and knowledge-holders? How do we incorporate participatory methods and interaction in outreach efforts? Conservation outreach has been attempting to bridge these gaps through a multidisciplinary collaborative approach—bringing together researchers, creative practitioners, technologists, and authors to reach wider and more diverse audiences. There is growing interest within both scientific and creative communities to collaborate on conservation-focused initiatives. Yet, for many emerging practitioners—whether from research or creative backgrounds—navigating the intersection of data, creativity, and collaboration remains a challenging and uncertain terrain. This workshop seeks to offer clarity in this domain to enthusiasts of science communication and conservation-outreach, by providing an exposure into conveying insights, derived from data through critical and creative thinking, using various forms of storytelling ranging from creative charts to participatory, interactive art. This interactive and experiential learning session will involve sharing inspiration and hands-on training into creative research and information design for conservation. |
Sambita Modak, Chandrima Home |
| S9 | Games for Nature & Conservation | Basic Game Design Workshop to learn how to make biodiversity education fun, interactive, and accessible through games and play. Participants will explore the role of games in conservation education and communication, conflict resolution, community building, and nature learning. The workshop will introduce participants to a range of existing biodiversity games, basic principles of game design, and hands-on opportunities to create their own conservation themed games. The larger vision is dedicated to game play and game-mediated learning and sharing towards building resources, tools, and a biodiversity games archive for educators and facilitators, and eventually create a network of practitioners across who can use games to train teachers, youth leaders, and nature educators |
Peeyush Sekhsaria, Priti Bangal, Karthik Natarajan, Prasad Sandbhor |
| S10 | Using behavioural science and design thinking for conservation action | Conservation action at its core is about changing human behaviour. In this workshop, we will highlight how behavioural science, incorporating insights from economics, psychology, and design thinking can help understand both, ‘what’ and ‘how’ to stoke behaviour change for conservation. This interactive workshop will use discussions, applied case studies from India and abroad, and a hands-on exercise to introduce participants to two key methods. (1) The human-centred eight-step behaviour change journey (frame - empathize - map - ideate - prototype - test - launch - assess) is a widely-used system to develop and test interventions, (2) Use design flash cards to co-develop participatory “nudges” with diverse stakeholders - to create robust interventions. Here, we will also explore how to identify and avoid the attitude-behaviour gap, and bolster traditional methods such as awareness, regulation, and incentives. These behaviour change tools are ideally situated to strengthen conservation action and outreach in complex, dynamic systems such as those that involve diverse stakeholders. |
Arjun Kamdar, Tejaswini Nagesh |
| Code | Workshop | Workshop Brief | Resource Person |
|---|---|---|---|
| L1 | Studying animal behaviour and its role in conservation | This workshop is for students interested in learning about conducting systematic observations of animal behaviour. The workshop will start with a discussion on sources of observational bias and how the biases may be removed by appropriate sampling strategies. In the second session participants will get practical experience in standard methods for sampling behaviour systematically. Behaviour data collected by participants will be analysed and interpreted in the third session. In the fourth session, participants will learn about the ethics of conducting behavioural studies, and will learn about case studies from India and abroad, where insights from animal behaviour have been successfully applied to conservation. | Devica Ranade, Ishika Ramakrishna, Samira Agnihotri |
| L2 | Plant Identification: Advanced Workshop | Many find botanical terms and scientific names intimidating, but plant identification doesn’t require memorising them. For those who think all plants look alike, a closer look reveals a surprising diversity of features that distinguish one species from another. With curiosity and a keen eye, anyone can learn to observe the right characters and discover the many clues plants offer about their identity. Identifying plants is like solving a mystery - it’s a logical, step-by-step process similar to scientific deduction. Each plant presents a unique combination of morphological features that serve as clues to its identity and familial relationships. Like detectives, we follow a guided sequence of observations, eliminating possibilities along the way and narrowing down the species. This workshop introduces participants to this process of deduction. You will learn basic botanical terms and key characters that help differentiate species or at least narrow down the options. The goal isn’t just to label a plant with a scientific name, but to cultivate the ability to notice what makes each plant unique. Designed for students interested in plants or those addressing broader ecological questions, the workshop includes both classroom and field components. In the classroom, we’ll explore the foundations of plant identification and inference. In the field, we’ll apply those skills to real-life observation. No prior knowledge of botany is required—just an interest in plants and a willingness to learn the tools and techniques of plant identification. Please note: Attending this year's or previous editions of the ‘Tree Identification and Phenology: Basic Workshop’ is mandatory for attending this workshop. |
Sayee Girdhari, Arun Kumar N, Bibidishananda Basu, Gauravya Mohan, Rishika K |
| L3 | Understanding the nuances of Fellowships and Grants writing in Ecology and Conservation | Researchers in biodiversity conservation and ecological sciences must continually secure funding throughout their careers to support research activities, develop new collaborations, and advance their professional growth. In addition to research grants, students and early-career researchers frequently apply for fellowships in India and abroad to acquire new skills and techniques, pursue independent research, and participate in scientific conferences, workshops, and training programs. Ecology and conservation science have evolved rapidly in recent years, becoming increasingly interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary. While academic achievements, research experience, publication records, and the quality of the proposed work remain the primary criteria for selection, supplementary application materials often play a crucial role in distinguishing successful candidates. Despite the importance of these skills, formal training in fellowship and grant writing remains limited across many academic and research institutions in India. This workshop aims to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the fellowship and grant application process and to familiarize them with the expectations of reviewers and funding agencies. Participants will learn about common mistakes that weaken applications and the professional and ethical standards that should be maintained throughout the application process. The workshop will address several practical yet often overlooked aspects of securing grants and fellowships, including identifying suitable supervisors and collaborators, initiating professional communication, interacting with funding agencies, preparing effective CVs and cover letters, writing compelling statements of purpose, and preparing for interviews. Participants will also receive an overview of major funding opportunities available nationally and internationally. A key component of the workshop will focus on research proposal development, covering the structure, content, and presentation of both concise and detailed proposals, with emphasis on crafting competitive and persuasive applications. |
Sabuj Bhattacharyya, Monica Kaushik, Chandrima Home |
| L4 | Qualitative Research in Conservation: Power, Positionality and Practice | Conservation research, practice and outcomes critically depend on engaging with human communities, in diverse social and cultural landscapes. Human action in relation to environment is guided by our ability to think, imagine and form meaningful relationships with other humans and the non-human world. At the same time, it is constrained and shaped by social structures and institutions, most notably by relationships of power and inequality in society. Conservation challenges, such as protected area management, ecological restoration and human-wildlife conflict, must be understood in this context. This interactive workshop will introduce participants to qualitative research methods that are valuable in making sense of this inter-related complexity of social worlds and human action. Qualitative research paradigm follows a distinctive approach to the nature of our social reality (ontology) and how we can create valid theoretical knowledge about this reality (epistemology). Researchers build on this approach to understand and explain life-worlds and actions of human beings in different contexts, whether the forest guard in a village, the elderly leader of a pastoral community or the corporate manager who is an amateur birdwatcher and wildlife enthusiast. This workshop will draw upon research in fields like political ecology and environmental anthropology to demonstrate the value of qualitative methods in conservation research and practice. The advantages and challenges of two key methods—in-depth interviews and participant observation—will be explored in due course. Using interactive methods, hands-on activities and role play, the workshop will discuss the significance of bias, value judgments and ‘hidden transcripts’ in researching with human subjects. |
Budhaditya Das, Venkat Ramanujam |
| L5 | Introduction to GIS & Mapping using QGIS | GIS is a tool used in conservation science that incorporates ecological, spatial, and socio-economic data. This helps us visualise, analyse complex data across space and time. The workshop is divided into two parts: a theory, which will discuss the basics of GIS and its application in conservation biology, followed by a training session on using QGIS as mentioned below: | Biswa Bhusana Mahapatra |
| L6 | Thorny subjects: Conducting interviews on conservation-induced conflict | Biodiversity conservation is fundamentally a human endeavor—driven by people’s values and commitment. Therefore there is a growing recognition that human interaction skills are critical to conservation practice especially in conflict-ridden situations and include the ability to recognise and understand different values, ideas, feelings and opinions to resolve disputes, solve problems and work collaboratively towards conservation goals. Despite this, there is a significant gap between the recognized need for training in human interaction skills and the actual training available to conservationists (see Conservation Biology 1996 Vol 10(4) and 2025 Vol 39(2)). Hence, in this workshop we propose to draw from the principles of counseling psychology to equip participants with essential human interaction skills that will enable them to conduct sensitive interviews with stakeholders in the domain of human-wildlife conflict. They will also learn about attending behaviors to foster genuine rapport, foundational listening skills to understand participant narratives in a non-judgmental way, and effective responding skills to engage empathetically and thoughtfully. Together, these competencies will help them to build a working alliance with stakeholders and ultimately enhance the quality and impact of conservation efforts. |
Madhuri Ramesh, Sagarika Phalke |
| L7 | Crafting Narratives for a Fragile World | "At the heart of this workshop is a simple belief: great science needs great storytelling. Much of the vital work in wildlife and climate science never reaches the wider public. When it doesn’t connect, the possibility of building empathy for the natural world diminishes. This workshop uses creative narrative techiniques to bridge that gap. The workshop explores how to tell compelling stories about the natural world, that are grounded in science and field research, but reach audiences beyond them. It is designed for scientists, budding writers, field conservationists, and anyone looking to communicate their work more effectively. While rooted in writing, it also draws from Roundglass Sustain’s rich repository of films, photo essays, and visual art to show how storytelling can be multi-dimensional and multimedia, especially in today’s age of fleeting attention spans." |
Megha Moorthy, Radhika Raj |
| L8 | Analysing count data – fitting and interpreting Generalised Linear Models (GLMs) | Many questions in ecology and conservation science involve count data, such as the number of individuals of a species, the number of species (species richness), counts of behaviours performed by animals, counts of events such as crop damage, counts involving binary data (sex ratio, disease incidence, survival, mortality etc.) and so on. How do we analyse and make sense of such data? Regular linear models, like regression and ANOVA, do not perform well with count data. However, there is a class of powerful models, Generalised Linear Models (GLMs), that works very well with such data. GLMs are now commonly used to analyse count data in ecology and conservation science. In this workshop, we will focus on understanding, modelling and arriving at conclusions to questions in ecology and conservation science that involve count data. We will aim to (i) get an intuitive understanding of the sampling processes that generate count data; (ii) fit and interpret GLMs to count data; and (iii) discuss common pitfalls to analysing count data and ways to overcome them. This session will involve both discussions of the way these models work and hands-on experience in fitting and interpreting them using the software R. | Kavita Isvaran |
| L9 | Building Low-Cost Ecological Monitoring Tools: From Sensors to Field Deployment | This hands-on workshop introduces participants to the use of low-cost electronic tools for ecological monitoring in field settings. The session focuses on how simple sensors can be used to measure a range of environmental variables relevant to ecological research, including but not limited to light, temperature, and sound. Participants will individually build and program a basic data-logging device using an accessible microcontroller platform. Through this process, they will learn how sensors interface with microcontrollers, how data can be recorded and stored, and how such systems can be adapted for different ecological questions. The workshop emphasizes flexibility and real-world applicability rather than specific sensor types. Demonstrations of alternative platforms (such as ESP32) will be included to show how similar systems can be extended for applications like wireless data collection and remote monitoring. The session will also cover practical considerations for field deployment, including durability, power management, and data reliability under natural conditions. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a working understanding of how to design and build low-cost monitoring tools, and how these systems can be adapted to suit diverse ecological and conservation research needs. |
Rakesh Khanna A |
| L10 | You have data. What now? Statistical thinking, R programming and making meaning from data in conservation science | This workshop introduces participants to critical and hands-on engagement with data in conservation science. The six modules in this workshop are: 1) data and how we collect them, 2) estimates and our confidence in them, 3) charts (i.e. graphs or figures) and how we interpret them (4) Honesty in our use of estimates and interpretation of charts (5) thinking like a computer (6) a self-paced introduction to R programming using topics 1 through 5, and (6) leveraging LLMs in the data pipeline and doing it well, and with thought. | Akshay Surendra |
| Code | Workshop | Workshop Brief | Resource Person |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | The Right Plot says a Lot: How to Visualise Results Effectively | Humans are visual learners; often, the patterns that captivate us are simple and clear visual aids. The goal of this workshop is to equip participants with relevant data visualisation tools while emphasising how to align analytical goals with the most appropriate visual methods. Our focus will not just be on creating plots, but on choosing the right representation to communicate inferences effectively. We begin by reinforcing the importance of clarity, interpretability, and inclusivity in presenting results. Participants will explore two complementary approaches. First, we examine how to visualise data distributions and discuss when and why to use specific plot types. Second, we focus on representing key summary statistics, including measures of central tendency, and how different visual choices can shape interpretation. Ecological data and environmental conditions can vary on a daily, seasonal, annual, and decadal scale. Finally, we explore periodic patterns that can be categorical (e.g. seasons) and continuous, and the associated responses in organisms, using circular rose plots. The workshop also highlights common pitfalls in data visualisation – non-informative scales, overplotting, and inappropriate chart selection – and how to avoid them. |
Arpit Omprakash, Gokul Valiya Parambil |
| S2 | Mycelial Entanglements: Through Waste, Words and Woods | Mushrooms of India (MOI) is a citizen science collective supporting amateur mycologists and spreading awareness on fungi. Initiated as a WhatsApp group for mushroom identification, the collective has evolved to include various activities such as Fungal Surveys with Forest Departments, fungal festivals and educational workshops. Three members from this group have come together to bring the world of fungi to SCCS. This workshop highlights the ecological entanglements of fungi and urges participants to study, search and support these organisms. One of the goals is to promote citizen science, by a) teaching participants to utilize iNaturalist during the Mushroom Walk, and b) encouraging them to work in groups deciphering scientific articles and creatively represent their findings (Article Interpretation). The Mycelium Material Workshop will make tangible what is usually invisible and help participants make sense of living systems. The goal of the workshop is to get participants to think differently, not only about fungi, but through fungal perspectives about the rest of ecology. It teaches us how to critically understand, how to openly listen and look, and how to follow the interconnections around us. The workshop will provide technical skills (eg. analysis of research, mycelium cultivation, scientific observation and documentation), artistic expression, intuitive learning and systems thinking. |
Biplab Mahato, Milla den Hollander, Siddharth Fitwe, Nitha Fathima Nazir |
| S3 | Using eBird Data for Ecology and Conservation | eBird, is now one of the world’s largest citizen science platforms. The spatiotemporal coverage offered by eBird has enabled the quantification of ecological patterns and hypotheses that explain them for entire bird communities and mountain ranges. eBird data has been used in a vast array of ecological applications including ecotype-occupancy, migrational movements, tracking bird population, and highlighting areas important for conservation and more. This workshop introduces participants to the full potential of eBird data for ecological research and conservation planning. An overview of eBird and the kinds of data it gathers will be given at the start of the session. After that, participants will learn how to use this data to ask insightful ecological questions about long-term trends, seasonality, or species distributions. They will be guided through data extraction, cleaning, and visualization through a practical walkthrough. Understanding observer and spatial biases that can affect analyses and how to mitigate them with best practices will be emphasized. The workshop will demonstrate how to make valid deductions while recognizing limitations using case studies from a local context. Additionally, it will concentrate on how to enhance the robustness of eBird data by integrating it with other ecological datasets. This workshop is especially valuable for students and conservation practitioners seeking to work with open-access biodiversity data. By the end, participants will have the conceptual and practical skills to responsibly use eBird data to support their own ecological research or conservation goals. |
Faizee Ali Khan, Alen Alex, Zeba Madani |
| S4 | Making friends with R: a beginner's workshop for ecologists and conservationists | R has become one of the most widely used tools in ecology and conservation, yet many students and early-career researchers find it intimidating and are unsure where to begin. This workshop is designed for absolute beginners and assumes no prior experience with programming or R. Through a hands-on and highly interactive format, participants will be introduced to the RStudio environment and the fundamentals of working in R. The workshop will begin with basic concepts and functions, helping participants become comfortable navigating R and understanding how code works. Participants will then learn how to create reproducible workflows using R Markdown, import and manage datasets, identify and address common data issues, and prepare data for analysis. Building on these foundations, the workshop will introduce simple approaches to data exploration, visualization, and basic statistical analyses commonly used in ecological and conservation research. Throughout the workshop, emphasis will be placed on developing practical skills, good analytical habits, and confidence rather than advanced programming or statistics. The pace will be deliberately slow, with opportunities for participants to follow along on their own computers, ask questions, troubleshoot problems, and practice each step of the workflow. By the end of the workshop, participants will have completed a basic analytical workflow, from importing raw data to generating visualizations and conducting simple analyses. The workshop is intended for students and early-career researchers in ecology, conservation, and related fields who are looking for a supportive introduction to R. While no prior programming experience is required, participants should have a basic familiarity with fundamental statistical concepts and terminology, as this is not a statistics workshop. The focus will be on implementing, visualizing, and interpreting analyses in R rather than teaching the underlying statistical theory. |
Swapna Nelaballi, Deyatima Ghosh, Sruthi Unnikrishnan |
| S5 | The Knowledge of Nature, and the Nature of Knowledge - Rethinking Knowledge Systems in Conservation Science | Conservation, as we know it today, has been driven forward by the significant and crucial contributions of science; helping better understand ecosystems and biodiversity. Yet ecological knowledge is also produced through many other traditions, intellectual and epistemic projects (or ways of knowing)—including oral histories and folklore. This inquiry-based workshop asks participants to reflect on how knowledge about “nature” and “conservation” is constructed. What gives some knowledge in conservation primacy over others? The workshop seeks to explore how these knowledges are shaped (i.e. through social contexts, historical processes, cultural relationships, etc). Apart from group discussions, participants will also collaboratively map out answers to questions like: Where does our understanding of “nature” come from? What counts as “legitimate” environmental knowledge in conservation science? Who holds ownership over “legitimacy”? How is such “legitimacy” created? How do different knowledge traditions—scientific, experiential, cultural, or historical—interact in conservation practice? Is knowledge, in its multifarious forms, inherently inclusive, or inherently exclusive? Participants will also work to identify different forms of conservation knowledge within their own research or regional contexts, and explore how these perspectives might complement and strengthen core scientific approaches to conservation. The workshop is designed as an interdisciplinary learning space to think more critically about the production and custodianship of knowledge systems, and the broader intellectual foundations of conservation; paving the way for a more pluralistic perspective on engaging with the earth. | Harshad Sambamurthy |
| S6 | Make your own Protected Area Update | For 32 years and running the Protected Area Update (PAU), has been publishing news reports on wildlife conservation, livelihoods, and relevant laws and policies, from across India and also South Asia. The newsletter primarily accesses news from the mainstream English media and presents it in a tightly edited format of 24 pages published six times a year. It helps give the reader a bird's eye view of conservation issues and developments from around the country and has become a standard source of information for those interested in matters of wildlife and conservation. The multiple experiences over the last three decades have convinced us that the PA Update format of news gathering and sharing has huge potential and multiple possibilities. This workshop seeks to build upon these learnings and the potential that this offers The purpose of this workshop is two fold: 1. To expose the participants to the world of media and of conservation reporting. This will include: a) an understanding of the world of the media, specifically of environment and wildlife reporting b) understanding the possibilities of using long term media reporting and analysis to gain conservation insights c) Understanding the process of putting together the PA Update itself 2. To draw upon the above and work towards conceptualising and creating an PA Update during the workshop on a theme of the choice of the workshop participants. |
Pankaj Sekhsaria, Reshma Jathar |
| S7 | No Boat, No Problem: a practical approach to designing marine field research under constraints | Marine field research is often perceived as inaccessible, requiring specialized training, expensive equipment, and logistical support such as SCUBA certifications and boat access. These barriers can limit participation, particularly at early career stages. This workshop challenges that perception by equipping participants with the tools to design feasible, rigorous marine research projects under real-world constraints and limited budgets. Through a combination of short presentations and interactive exercises, participants will explore how limitations (such as restricted access to remote study sites, limited funding, or lack of specialized equipment), can shape, rather than prevent, effective study design. We will introduce a range of accessible approaches, including baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS), snorkel-based visual surveys, open-access data sources and software, highlighting the ecological and behavioral questions each methodology can realistically address. Our workshop is centered around hands-on activities in which participants work in small groups to evaluate and redesign flawed study scenarios, and to develop their own research questions while bearing in mind logistical constraints. Emphasis will be placed on identifying biases, aligning methods with questions, and assessing feasibility in dynamic, often unpredictable marine environments. By the end of the session, participants will be able to translate broad ideas into practical study designs, critically evaluate methodological choices, and identify realistic pathways into marine field research. This workshop is aimed at students and early-career researchers with an interest in marine ecology and conservation, and requires no prior marine field or SCUBA diving experience. |
Bharat Ahuja, Titus Immanuel |
| S8 | Messy field data to elegant graphs – basics of cleaning, summarising and plotting data using tidyverse in R | Why do we need R when we can use spreadsheets? Why do R scripts seem so complicated? Can working in R actually be intuitive and easy? If you have worked with field data, you already know that it almost never arrives in a clean, analysis-ready form, and figuring out what to do next can often be confusing. This workshop will take you through ‘tidyverse’ – a collection of R packages that make data wrangling and plotting intuitive. The workshop, aimed at beginners, is specifically designed to help you take raw and messy datasets from the field and convert them to clean, usable formats that are ready to plot, or plug into your statistical models. We will learn the basics of how to easily clean, filter, subset and create simple summaries of your data. The workshop will also cover different ways in which we collect data (wide versus long form), how to reshape and merge datasets, and understand why certain data formats are easier to work with in R. We will also learn the basics of generating plots and customising aesthetics using the ‘ggplot2’ package. While AI can do all of this and more, this workshop will help you read, understand and validate the generated code, while also helping you learn to write codes independently and gain confidence in your ability to summarise and present your data. |
Arpitha Jayanth, Aparna Krishnan |
| S9 | Designing Ecological Restoration: From Principles to Practice | Ecological restoration is increasingly recognized as a key strategy to address biodiversity loss, land degradation, and climate change. However, successful restoration goes far beyond planting trees or implementing standard interventions. Every landscape is unique, with its own ecological conditions, social context, governance systems, and stakeholder priorities. Consequently, restoration requires careful analysis, negotiation, and context-specific decision-making. This workshop introduces participants to the principles of ecological restoration through real-world problem solving. Participants will explore different restoration scenarios, identify ecological and social challenges, understand stakeholder perspectives, and collaboratively design restoration strategies suited to each landscape. Participants will also experience how restoration decisions are made in practice. Rather than focusing on technical tools alone, the workshop emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptive decision-making. | Himani Sharma, Satish Kumar Sharma |
| S10 | Bat acoustic data recording, processing, and analyses: new approaches and automation | The use of acoustic methods in insectivorous bat studies has substantially increased in recent times. Data from acoustic recordings are often used to survey occurrence and identification of bat species, and assess foraging activity in a given time-period. However, ecological inferences possible from acoustic data collected over many nights, multiple seasons, or long-term multi-year studies, are seldom realized, mainly due to practical difficulties in processing and analysing such large amounts of data. In this workshop, we intend to popularize novel and effective approaches to use long-term acoustic data to study various aspects of bat ecology through efficient processing and analysis methods. We will introduce participants to logical basic steps involved in making the best of bat acoustic data and in unambiguous data extraction and curation, to cater to diverse research and monitoring workflows. Specifically, we will 1) introduce participants to efficient use of low-cost and open source detectors to record bats 2) share tips for end-to-end processing and analyses of these data using manual and semi-automated methods for ecological inferences, and 3) introduce participants to the latest developments in automated bat data processing, especially the BatEchoMon, India’s first autonomous, solar-powered, automated bat detection and classification system. We will also describe related workflows, processes, and analytical components that we have been developing for Indian bat species, as well as other new developments in the field. It would be ideal if participants interested in registering for this workshop have some prior experience with bioacoustics. Participants will receive automated bat call data processing code(s) and guidance for usage in this interactive, hands-on workshop. |
Kadambari Deshpande, Vedant Barje |
| Code | Workshop | Workshop Brief | Resource Person |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | Exploring Restoration Through the Lens of TGBS (The Global Biodiversity Standard) | The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) provides a standard for nature-based solutions, to drive positive outcomes for ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. This holistic approach to ecological restoration views a site as a living ecosystem, not merely as an area for plantation or beautification. TGBS is a scientifically rigorous standard that measures uplift in biodiversity, using a global framework with a local assessment. Restoration is measured by change from baseline to current conditions across a range of key elements such as habitat quality, native biodiversity, soil health, water systems, ecological connectivity, and long-term stewardship. By combining sound baseline studies, Reference Ecosystem benchmarking, and measurable outcomes, TGBS helps guide the creation of resilient, self-sustaining landscapes over time. In this introductory workshop, participants will work together in groups to explore restoration through the model of TGBS, using evidence from a restoration case study. They will assess ecological change, develop solutions to further improve the site and design methods to evaluate the social component of restoration projects. They will explore how baseline data and reference models are used in these assessments using the Ecosystem Recovery Wheel (ERW), and how informed management practices can strengthen outcomes. The session provides an overview of both the framework and its application, encouraging participants to think critically about what effective, holistic restoration looks like in practice. |
Isha Bhate, Milla den Hollander, Sanjana Radhakrishnan, Yogita Karpate |
| S2 | Inking Nature: A Nature Journaling Workshop | Discover the art and science of nature journaling by blending creative expression with systematic observation of your surroundings. Participants can expect hands-on engagement that maximizes their curiosity and expression as they integrate words and drawings in their documentation to depict textures and patterns in nature. Through activities and guided prompts, we intend to engage participants to explore, observe, document, and learn the diverse ways to begin their own nature journal practice. Nature Journaling can be a way of taking research and field notes as a form of inquiry. Or even a medium of conservation outreach for nature education, citizen science, or storytelling. The workshop is designed to be accessible to individuals of all skill levels, and aims to leave participants with insights on how to integrate this practice in their own work. |
Sambita Modak, Kasturi Saha |
| S3 | Environmental Theatre - Art based outreach to Schools , Colleges and Genral Public | "Body , Voice and Text as a strong mediums of Communication Across the nation a as we observe Folk ats forms and especially theatre , we can observe how simple Human Animal Conflict has been converted to many forms of Folk Theatre . Theatre has been a strong mediums in History to address many social issue and can be applied to Conservation The workshop will have 2 components . First introduce the participants in to simple technique techniques , Voice Body and Text . Secondly look at certain environments issues both from a perspective of Flora and Fauna . Therein see how the form of theatre can be applied to drive an emotion to the Environmental problem . The participants will therein write a short script using the learnings of the workshop . And finally present it to the larger group . Be in a classroom , under a tree , open garden , auditorium Environmental Theatre can be used as both a strong mediums of conservational outreach and also trigger a discussion point from Superstition to urban Wildlife to Conflicts of forms . " |
Vikram Sridhar |
| S4 | Necropsy as a tool for Conservation | Wildlife forensics is an important tool for understanding the causes of mortality in wild animals, particularly as human pressures on natural ecosystems continue to grow. By examining biological evidence, conservationists can identify threats that are otherwise difficult to detect and generate information that informs wildlife management and conservation action. This workshop introduces participants to necropsy as a conservation tool, demonstrating how post-mortem examinations can reveal insights into causes of death, ecosystem health, and human impacts on wildlife. Marine strandings are a good example of this, where forensics can be used to identify threats that are difficult to observe at sea. Based on real-world stranding-response experience, the workshop will guide participants through interpreting external and internal indicators in stranded animals. This workshop emphasises the broader analytical skills involved in interpreting biological evidence. Participants will learn how to identify signs of trauma, injury, and disease, and how these observations are used to build and evaluate hypotheses about the cause of death. Through interactive case studies, participants will work with images and field notes from actual stranding events to develop their own hypotheses about the cause of death. The focus will be on critical thinking, by weighing multiple lines of evidence, dealing with uncertainty, and recognizing the limits of available data. These are skills that extend beyond marine systems and can be applied across ecological research, wildlife management, and conservation practice. |
Suranjana Ganguly, Manya Kotera |
| S5 | Archives of Wildlife Past: Using historical records for ecological research | Archives hold collections related to natural history and conservation. A major hurdle preventing students and researchers from engaging with archives is lack of awareness and specific research skills to navigate archival catalogues. Archives at NCBS holds collections related to ecology and conservation in the form of fieldnotes, research data, notebooks and journals, photographs, drawings, audio-visual data, letters, media-clippings, as well as oral history recordings. This includes collections from ornithologists like Salim Ali, Jamal Ara; ecologists such as R J Ranjith Daniels, from activists and conservation organisation such as Pandurang Hegde and Kalpavriksh and rare journals like Bengal Natural History Society (BeNHS) Papers, Newsletter for Birdwatchers etc. Using collections from the Archives at NCBS as well as collections from digital archives and repositories across the globe like Biodiversity Heritage Library, we will showcase possibilities of integrating such archival records in ecology research and practice. We will introduce exciting archival resources and data related to natural history and wildlife. Participants can learn how to use archival catalogues, and frame research questions. They will discover ecological research projects centered around archival data, and get an introduction to the field of history of natural history. We hope to introduce the history of ecology and conservation to showcase how engagement with the archives can help students of ecology to access field data, methodologies, images, reports and publications which can further their research and practice. We’ll also introduce participants to ethics and CARE practices for data related to indigenous and other marginalised groups, traditional knowledge systems, and community data. This could help participants frame and align their own data collection and community engagement with best ethical practices. The workshop will navigate these learnings through a series of practical exercises using archival catalogues and records. |
Anjali Ramachandran, Nisha Bhakat |
| S6 | Language and Ecology - Communicating Nature Through Local Languages | South Asia is as rich in biodiversity as it is in linguistic diversity. However, as a colonial legacy publication on natural history and conservation issues are mostly in English. It is essential to engage with the grass-roots public and relevant stakeholders (such as legislators, media persons, forest department) on conservation issues in local languages. This would help them to better understand the subject. This will also help the naturalists, conservationists and wildlife biologists to create awareness among wider sections of the public. There is a close link between language and conservation movement. Hence, it is essential to encourage students to communicate conservation science through vernacular languages. In this workshop we will introduce students through an interactive lecture on importance of using local languages, challenges in writing and translating into local languages, aspects to consider while translating ecological concepts, importance of documenting and redeeming traditional nomenclature and coining new scientific terminologies. We also briefly discuss about the current status of nature writing in different Indian languages. |
P. Jeganathan, Pooja Pawar |
| S7 | Living Landmarks: How Communities Shape and Are Shaped by Water | Rivers connect nature and communities. They give rise to civilizations and can also shape their decline. This interactive workshop is an opportunity to explore these different perspectives in a fun and engaging way. Rivers are living landmarks, and their future depends on the choices we make together. Through games, group discussions, and role-playing activities, participants will step into the shoes of different river stakeholders, including farmers, fishers, local communities, policymakers, conservationists, and industries. Together, we will explore how decisions about rivers are made, the challenges different groups face, and why managing rivers is rarely straightforward. The workshop is designed to encourage conversation rather than lectures. Participants will work together to solve real-world river management scenarios, share their own experiences, and learn from one another. Whether you are a researcher, practitioner, student, artist, or simply interested in rivers, this workshop offers a welcoming space to exchange ideas and gain a better understanding of how healthy rivers depend on balancing both people and nature. |
Sneha Shahi, Vidhya Vigashini, Aayush Vasava |
| S8 | Who Speaks for Fungi?: Fungal Ethics and Traditional Ecological Knowledge | The workshop will begin with a short introduction to the central provocation: fungal conservation is not only about species, specimens, or records. In many contexts, fungi are also food, medicine, livelihood, seasonal knowledge, sacred matter, microbial inheritance, market commodity, and community-held memory. Participants will be invited to consider how conservation decisions change when fungi are understood not as isolated organisms, but as beings embedded in ecological and social relationships. Reflection Framework: Six Questions Before We Act Participants will be introduced to a simple ethical reflection framework for fungal conservation: Ecological relationship What relationships sustain this fungus — host, substrate, insect, soil, forest type, season, climate, disturbance? Knowledge relationship Who knows this fungus, and through what practices — foraging, healing, fermentation, farming, ritual, trade, taxonomy, field research? Power relationship Who is asking questions, who is expected to answer, and who controls what happens to the knowledge? Risk of visibility What could happen if this fungus, site, practice, recipe, or community knowledge becomes more visible? Forms of refusal or secrecy What might non-disclosure be protecting? How should conservation practitioners respond when knowledge is withheld? Care beyond species protection What would care require for the fungus, its habitat, and the people in relationship with it? |
Prithvi, Malavika Bhatia |
| S9 | Messy field data to elegant graphs – basics of cleaning, summarising and plotting data using tidyverse in R | Why do we need R when we can use spreadsheets? Why do R scripts seem so complicated? Can working in R actually be intuitive and easy? If you have worked with field data, you already know that it almost never arrives in a clean, analysis-ready form, and figuring out what to do next can often be confusing. This workshop will take you through ‘tidyverse’ – a collection of R packages that make data wrangling and plotting intuitive. The workshop, aimed at beginners, is specifically designed to help you take raw and messy datasets from the field and convert them to clean, usable formats that are ready to plot, or plug into your statistical models. We will learn the basics of how to easily clean, filter, subset and create simple summaries of your data. The workshop will also cover different ways in which we collect data (wide versus long form), how to reshape and merge datasets, and understand why certain data formats are easier to work with in R. We will also learn the basics of generating plots and customising aesthetics using the ‘ggplot2’ package. While AI can do all of this and more, this workshop will help you read, understand and validate the generated code, while also helping you learn to write codes independently and gain confidence in your ability to summarise and present your data. |
Arpitha Jayanth, Aparna Krishnan |
| S10 | Combating Cyber-enabled Wildlife Crime through Citizen Science Initiatives and Open Source Intelligence | This two-part interactive workshop equips participants to identify, investigate and report cyber-enabled wildlife crime. Part One introduces the foundational concepts of wildlife crime in India before shifting focus to the rapidly growing threat of cyber-enabled wildlife crime. We will analyze the scale of this issue across global, South Asian, and Indian contexts, highlighting how modern social media platforms have become thriving marketplaces for illegal wildlife trade. Part Two transitions from theory to action by turning participants into proactive "Cyber Spotters." We will demonstrate Wildlife Trust of India’s (WTI) citizen science initiative—the Cyber HAWK app—and show participants how to seamlessly report digital and on-ground wildlife crimes. Following this, we will introduce foundational Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) techniques specifically tailored for digital wildlife crime investigations. Participants will learn how to safely and legally gather actionable information from suspicious online posts. The workshop culminates in a hands-on practical exercise where participants will apply their newly acquired OSINT skills to real-world, cyber-enabled wildlife crime case studies. By the end of this session, participants will have generated concrete intelligence packages that can be directly shared with WTI/law enforcement agencies for enforcement action. |
Monesh Singh Tomar, Shankar Prakash |
| S11 | Foundations of Conservation Education | Education, when designed thoughtfully and delivered with sensitivity, serves as a powerful tool for lasting change. It can effectively address shifts in behaviour, attitude, or knowledge, forming the foundation for successful programmes aiming for social impact. This workshop is for students and practitioners who are either working on conservation education initiatives or are keen on initiating a conservation education project in their work and research context. Our goal is to introduce participants to foundational approaches and framework of conservation education that can support them in starting or strengthening their work in this space. The workshop will give an overview of the why, what, and how of conservation education. Through existing case studies, participants will explore some key factors that shape the planning and implementation of effective interventions. The workshop will combine interactive discussions and activities for participants to critically reflect on the nuances of conservation education. | Priyanka Prakash, Vena Kapoor |