Conservation

• » WILDLIFE CONSERVATION & ANIMAL WELFARE ASSOCIATION, (WCAWA) DAHANU 2017

  Donated an additional three FRP round tanks to WCAWA, to facilitate the treatment of sick and infected turtles.

  

• » WILDLIFE CONSERVATION & ANIMAL WELFARE ASSOCIATION, (WCAWA) DAHANU 2015

  The Foundation donated two Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) turtle holding tanks to WCAWA, an NGO in Dahanu to isolate and treat ill and infected turtles.

  

• » SEA TURTLE INTERPRETATION CENTRE, RUSHIKULYA, ORISSA 2013-2014

  The Foundation donated towards the restoration of The Vasant J. Sheth Memorial Sea Turtle Interpretation Centre, Ganjam, Orissa damaged by Cyclone Phailin in November 2013.

  

• » RESTORATION OF TORAN-DWAR, JHALAVAD, GUJARAT 2011

  Funded the restoration of the Toran Dwar in Jhalavad, in Gujarat, in collaboration with the Yuvraj of Dhrangadhara.

  

• » RESTORATION OF THE MUMBAI PORT TRUST STORM SIGNAL 2004 & 2009

  The historic and useful Mumbai Port Trust Storm Signal at Girgaum on Mumbai's Chowpatty seaface was beautifully restored by the Foundation with a panoramic steel plaque illustrating the city's skyline and history in 2004. The plaque was damaged by miscreants and was replaced by the Foundation in 2009.

  

• » "SAMUDRAMANTHAN" PUBLICATION ON MARINE ECOSYSTEMS IN MUMBAI, 2009

  Published a teacher's manual on Mumbai's coastal ecosystems, developed by Srushtidnyan, an environment-based NGO. The publication will be used to train teachers and students. The back section will also have an appendix for BMC corporators, MLA's, MP's, environmental groups and NGO's to spread awareness amongst different target groups and will provide solutions at a state and national level in its second phase. Copies are available for reference at the Foundation office and can be purchased directly from Srushtidnyan

  

• » ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAMME, 2008-2009

  Supported an Environment Education and Awareness programme for secondary school children in Thane's municipal schools organised by The Energy And Resource Institute (TERI). The project revolved around five themes - global warming, what a waste, every drop counts, lights off and urban biodiversity. The event created awareness in eight schools and targeted 500 students of class IX.

  

• » WORLD WETLANDS DAY, 2007-2008

  Supported the World Wetlands Day celebrations on February 2nd, 2008 organised by The Energy And Resource Institute (TERI). The event created awareness amongst students on the need to preserve the wetlands as they provide natural buffers against calamities.

  The programme included nature walks in Navi Mumbai, followed by a well-researched presentation. A poster competition titled "Save the Wetlands" and a quiz competition followed.

  

• » CONSERVATION EDUCATION PROJECT, MUMBAI, 2006-2007

  • Assisted an environmental educational organisation, Srushtidnyan, to initiate and create awareness about conserving the wetlands and mangroves of Bombay in 30 Marathi speaking schools.
  • Project Samudramanthan, Mumbai, 2007-2008 Supported Srushtidnyan, to develop a training manual on conservation issues in the marine and coastal ecosystems of Mumbai.
    The manual will be used to train teachers, BMC corporators,
    MLA's, MP's, environmental groups and NGO's to spread
    awareness amongst different target groups and provide
    solutions at a state and national level.

  

• » SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION PROJECTS, 2004-2006

  Orissa:
  • Rushikulya Sea Turtle Conservation Project, Orissa
    Established "The Vasant J Sheth Interpretation Centre" in 2004 at Rushikulya in Orissa, India's largest Olive Ridley turtle rookery.
    Interactive educational panels and audiovisual material on sea turtles in English and Hindi provide excellent information on mating, nesting and hatching behaviour of the turtles. The Interpretation Centre is popular with many researchers, scientists, students, and tourists.
  
  Maharashtra:
  • Maharashtra Sea Turtle Conservation Project
    Supported a second turtle conservation programme on the west coast, run by Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra (SNM), an NGO based in Chiplun (Maharashtra) actively involved in protecting the sea turtles and their nests. Through the involvement of villagers, 36 nests were protected and 1624 hatchlings released in the year 2005-2006.

  

• » CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME FOR THE INDIAN COAST GUARD, 2004

  In 2004, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) with support from the Foundation launched a programme for the Indian Coast Guard to raise awareness about endangered marine species like dugong, whale shark, giant clam and coral reefs. Workshops were held at Port Blair (Andaman Islands), Porbandar (Gujarat) and Kutch (Gujarat) and in Lakshadweep. One hundred and twenty officers were trained. As part of the project, a short documentary has been done on the Gulf of Kutch.

  

• » CONSERVATION EDUCATION VAN 2002

  In 2002, donated a custom designed Conservation Education Van to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), equipped with educational aids, posters, projectors and a screen. The van was used for extensive travel to rural and coastal schools and communities, spreading the message of conservation. In 2009, the Foundation funded the refurbishment of the van.

  

• » MARITIME SAFETY, TRAINING AND WELFARE INSTITUTE, 2002

  In 2002, the Foundation made a generous donation towards the Gujarat Maritime Board's Safety, Training and Welfare Institute in Alang, Gujarat. In recognition of this, the Gujarat Maritime Board placed a plaque on the auditorium wall in 2008. The institute conducts regular safety programmes aimed at reducing the number of accident victims in Alang.

  

• » DOCUMENTATION OF MARITIME HERITAGE SITES, 2000-2008

  Documented more than 500 maritime sites along the coast of Gujarat, West Bengal, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra & Goa. The project includes 1,000 photographs of forts, lighthouses, jetties, remnants of custom houses, sacred monuments like temples, mosques, dargahs, churches, derasars and agiaries; schools and libraries, havelis, palaces, old style architectural houses, inscriptions and cemeteries.