Dendrophile Sapien

  Celebrating Taxonomist Appreciation Day: The Inspiring Journey of Salim Pichan On this Taxonomist Appreciation Day (March 19), let’s celebrate an extraordinary field botanist who has dedicated his life to exploring and conserving the biodiversity of the Western Ghats—Salim Pichan! A Passion for Plants, A Legacy of Conservation Born into a smallholder farming family, Salim Pichan grew up surrounded by nature. Though his formal education ended at the higher secondary level, his curiosity and passion for plants led him to become one of Kerala’s most respected parataxonomists and a custodian of traditional knowledge. 8 new plant species discovered, 7 new plant records for Kerala and a plant species named after him—the orchid Seidenfadenia salimii His journey took off in 1997, when he joined a parataxonomy training program at the M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF). His exceptional skills in plant identification and taxonomy quickly set him apart, earning him a role in an ag...

  Kuttanad: Where the Earth Sinks, But the Spirit Rises F or the past few days, I walked the waters and soil of Kuttanad, not just as a researcher, but as a witness — to a world where life floats between resilience and resistance.  Tucked in the heart of Kerala, spread across the districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta, Kuttanad is not just a place. It’s a living delta, a cradle of wetland agriculture, where people have farmed for generations at 1.2 to 3 meters below sea level. Here, rice grows not on the surface of the earth, but in the reclaimed womb of water. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) calls it a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). But behind that prestigious label, what we witnessed was a fragile, flooded life — slowly gasping for balance. But Kuttanad is changing And the greatest weight? Climate change. But even resilience has a breaking point. We travelled across the length and breadth of Kuttanad — t...

  Our Rivers, Our Future: Theme of 28th International Day of Action for Rivers The Lifelines We Neglect: Why Rivers Matter More Than Ever ALEEM YOOSUF N Doctoral Researcher | Invasion Ecologist | Fellow - ECHO Youth Innovation Challenge (WWF-India) | Sustainability & Ecosystem Restoration Advocate | CSIR-JRF NET & GATE XL Qualifier | CU Kerala Alumnus | Founder, TBARC March 14, 2025 Rivers have been the cradle of civilizations, the lifelines of biodiversity, and the foundation of thriving ecosystems. From the Nile to the Ganges, these flowing waters have nurtured human settlements for millennia, providing fresh water, food, and a means of transport. Beyond their tangible benefits, rivers hold immense cultural, spiritual, and economic significance across the world. Despite their importance, human activities have led to the degradation of these life-giving water bodies, pushing many to the brink of collapse. On this International Day of Action for Rivers, we must pause to re...