An environmental organization, the Adventurers, is working in the jungles of South India. It has an ambitious plan to protect the biodiversity and culture of the region. There is plenty to do and not much time. The precious forests are buckling under the pressure of the expanding population and the avarice of poachers and timber smugglers. Dams and mines that deplete natural resources haunt the indigenous people. Flora and fauna are on the brink of extinction as their habitats disappear at a rapid pace.

It is not realistic for the Adventurers to pay more people to sustain its projects; the financial resources are not adequate. But it is not in the spirit of the organization to sit back and watch the rain forests disappear. A solution has to be found no matter what the constraints.

S.L.N. Swamy, the founder president, has found the solution in the large volunteer base he has nurtured over the years. His vision of energizing people from all walks of life and drawing their attention towards the plight of these forests has become a reality and created a win-win situation for all concerned.

Swamy realized that people who come for the "fun" of adventure activities gradually turn their attention toward serious conservation issues. Determined to harness this awareness, Swamy drew out a strategy to involve them in tasks that would check the degradation of the ecosystem and revive the cultural heritage of the region.

His plan sought to match the interests of the individuals to the existing problems. For example, someone interested in orchids would gather data about their dwindling numbers. Someone keen about culture would organize workshops to revive the folk arts. Side by side, he has been able to infuse the values of a close knit family into the organization and has insured that volunteers maintain a long-term relationship.

Sustaining and expanding his dedicated volunteers, he and his group have made an impact on the South Indian forests. Together they have set up co-operatives for forest dwellers and educated them about better utilization of renewable forest resources like honey, wax and seeds: planting endemic species that are decreasing in number, gathering data about endangered animals, exploring forts and ancient monuments and tracing their history, even managing eco-tourism trips. The volunteers gain insights into an absorbing culture while exploring a prime wilderness area. The forest communities and the fragile ecosystem now stand a better chance as they get the attention deserve.

From Adventure to Conservation
The Western Ghats run parallel to the West Coast of peninsular India, stretching nearly 1400 kilometers from Gujarat in the north to Tamil Nadu in the South, running through Maharastra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. These hills shelter a distinct biodiversity, and they are rich in natural resources like iron ore, bauxite that support the economy of its vast population. The many rivers and streams make the region ideal for growing cash crops like coffee, cashew, rubber and a host of spices.

One of the innovative methods adopted by Swamy to involve volunteers has been the means by which he draws attention to the plight of these tropical forests. He strongly felt that merely preaching about the environment in seminars, classrooms or other confined forums would have only a superficial impact. His own concern for the Ghats grew only after his adventurous pursuits there, and it dawned on him that only such a physical experience could move people to act.

Swamy's romance with the Western Ghats dates back to the late 1970's. Encouraged by the advice of noted Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, the conquerer of Everest, to explore one's own backyard, the Ghats became Swamy's infatuation. Assisted by a core group of like-minded individuals, he began exploring trails and running adventure programs for hikers, campers, rock climbers and kayakers. His frequent outings were a revelation to Swamy: He was taken aback by the disappearance of the forest and the erosion of the culture. As more people came into the folds of the Adventurers through its outdoor programs, they underwent a similar transformation. Swamy found the human resources he was looking for and diverted their energies toward conservation and cultural restoration.

In this part of India, unlike regions closer to the Himalayas, there was little awareness of outdoor activities. It is only in the past two decades that such activities have gained momentum. Swamy, with a full-time staff of 15 people, built a strong network of volunteers and supporters using the novelty and excitement of adventure tourism, which has so far lured 100,000 visitors. What begins as an exciting activity - a hike in the forests, a canoe trip or maybe a visit to a tribal family village - soon evolves into respect for nature.

Says Swamy, "In most people it leaves a feeling of wanting to give back something to nature. We have been effectively translating this positive feeling into meaningful action."

A Flexible Structure for Recruitment and Training
Visitors who want to join hands in the effort to protect the Ghats make the transition from adventure enthusiast to volunteer. "Without compromising on the safety and ethics, volunteers have a free hand to promote our agenda," he says. "When we have a specific campaign or program, there will be a game plan, which everyone has to adhere to." As the volunteers get more involved, they gains skills and especially they better understand the wilderness and the communities living there, and the Adventurers gradually grooms them to handle projects, initially with some monitoring and then independently. International volunteers also go through an orientation lasting four to five weeks, then work in an area that best matches their interests and the organization's needs.

The number of volunteers fluctuates. During the peak seasons, in the summer months of April and May and later in the winter vacation of October and November, there is a surge in volunteers, up to 250. Volunteers are drawn from all across the Ghats and sometimes beyond. Since the activities are spread over a vast region, most volunteers needed for a specific project are drawn from the immediate surroundings. With this dedicated army, the Adventurers has been able to enhance citizen participation and its programs and projects are accessible to as many as 20,000 people a year.

What begins as an exciting activity - a hike in the forests, a visit to a tribal family village - soon evolves into respect for nature.

Nurturing a Sense of Family and Kinship
The group functions like an extended family into which volunteers are quickly absorbed. Most of the action is either at the headquarters Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, or at the Adventurers' forest base in a tiny hamlet called Honnemardu. This is the hub of all conservation efforts and also the outdoor training campus. No matter where and how they are inducted, volunteers are made to feel completely at home. Every day, as they come to adopt local practices and try to communicate in Kannada, the local language they come a step closer to the community. "We don't even think of them as volunteers or as some outsiders wanting to help us,"
Swamy says. "We think of them as our family and we work for a
common goal."

The enchantment of the Western Ghats helps. To many this is a welcome respite from their mundane surroundings. Some spare their weekends, some just staff the Bangalore office for a few hours a day. People from various parts of the country spend a week or two of vacations at the base camp and assist in projects there. International volunteers spend six months to a year.

Honnemardu's popularity has spread to the rest of the nation and far corners of the globe as much as to the villages tucked in the hills. School children, youth, families, defense and police personnel, teachers, corporate managers, bureaucrats, eco-tourists from various countries - everybody comes to get a taste of adventure. Open-hearted villagers who make the pilgrimage to experience a ride in a raft or just to see this much talked about place add to the charm.

Later when the volunteers fan out into the Ghats they will enjoy the hospitality of these villagers. Rama Naik, hailing from Kanoor village and a leader of the Nayak community who is always willing to offer hospitality, says: "Swamy is more like one of us. Getting to know him and those who come with him has changed the way we look at these forests and its wealth. Now I think differently about city people, too. They are warm, friendly and sensitive, just like us."

The village people are at the helm of the restoration and community projects, teaming up with volunteers from outside the forest areas to plant trees, and draw up plans for benign use of forest resources as part of the Western Ghats Restoration Project. Swamy and his volunteer brigade have found their way into the hearts of the people by lending patient ears to their problems and concerns.

Encouraging Volunteers to Find Their Niches
Swamy has been highly successful in using the diversity of the projects to enable volunteers find their niches, an art that has rubbed off on his colleagues and yielded a pool of volunteers from the spectrum of society, including software professionals, college students, retirees, homemakers, teen-agers, civil servants and teachers.

In addition to the adventure and awareness programs, the Adventurers work closely with local communities like the Nayaks, the Halakkis and the Kunubis. These communities rely on the forests around them for most of their needs. For many volunteers who spend time with the Adventurers, becoming an integral part of these communities, terms like sustainable development begin to make more sense. All these concepts are debated and discussed with forest dwellers, an approach that builds mutual respect.

"I feel I have gained a lot through these interactions," says Subramanya, a business entrepreneur and volunteer from Bangalore. "Their lifestyle and proximity to nature amazes me. They grow their own food, they build their homes, they make their tools and implements and they treat their own ailments. I take back wonderful lessons of self-reliance from my escapades here." The kinship that Subramanya and his wife, Vasantha, establish with different kinds of people and the satisfaction of giving back something to nature are the key incentives.

Another important aspect of the program is the interdependence of volunteers. The best example is the way the international and the local volunteers state work together. The local volunteers know the language and customs, and thereby act as a bridge between the international volunteers and the local population. They melt down the barriers of communication and culture while learning new skills and techniques like windsurfing or kayaking from their international counterparts. "I have met and made friends with other volunteers from the far corners of the globe and it has been my window to the world," says Hemanth Kumar, a young software engineer, who spends a few weeks in summer running adventure camps for school children.

The large pool of volunteers does drain the time and energies of the full-time staff. Effort put into training may be wasted if volunteers drop out, sometimes for personal problems, sometimes for lack of attention. It is also not very easy to keep the motivation high in a setting where there is no direct tangible benefit.

"The immense number of our volunteers can at times be overwhelming," says Nomito Kamdar, a key member of the Adventurers. "There have been days when I have just spoken with them, addressed their concerns - and done nothing else." Swamy adds: "I remember once when one of our very active volunteers was terribly upset that I did not attend his sister's wedding. In India, if you are part of the family, you are expected to attend every social function in the family. We try our best to be a part of our volunteers' joys and sorrows, but at times it may be practically impossible to participate in every social gathering."

While some volunteers love to work on outdoor programs with school children, others want to interact with the indigenous people. Some are passionate about wildlife; a few others may want to liaison with Government agencies. The organization tries its best to utilize the skills and talents of the volunteers, rather than expecting them to be proficient in specific skills. On the other hand, when volunteers are willing to learn new skills, there are plenty of opportunities to do so.

For many volunteers who spend time with the Adventurers, terms like sustainable development begin to make more sense.

"It is important for the volunteers here to strike a balance between doing what they are most comfortable at and adapting their skills to the ongoing projects," says Lisa Garfinkle, the organization's international coordinator. Garfinkle, who is from Montreal, arrived in 1990 as a volunteer, stayed on and is one of the stalwarts of the organization. She helps in recruiting international volunteers by spreading the word among outdoor organizations in North America and has also been garnering international support for the projects. Her work was the subject of a documentary for a Canadian television series, "Man Alive."

Global Attention and Local Co-operation
The Adventurers has gained broad visibility. Recognizing Swamy's entrepreneurial skills, Ashoka granted him a fellowship in 1996. His work has been a subject for regional, national and international media. But the best publicists have been those who participate in his programs. The eco-tourists from abroad spread the word in their countries. The United World College in Europe and Canada recommends the Adventurers programs as volunteering opportunities for its students. Many of the Adventurers staff who been trained at outdoor schools across the world maintain ties and reach out to outdoor enthusiasts there.

A year ago the wildlife artist Robert Bateman of Canada spent two weeks in the forests with the Adventurers and was impressed with their work. At the end of Bateman's trip, the group held a farewell dinner that was attended by all the active volunteers. Chandrappa, 72, a retired electrical engineer, was asked to honor Bateman by presenting a silk shawl. Chandrappa's eyes were moist with emotion as he performed this ritual, but there was also a glint of pride. It is this pride and this sense of belonging that draws volunteers to this intimate family called the Adventurers.

To volunteer with The Adventurers:
The Adventurers hosts about a dozen international volunteers every year, depending on the number of projects. Criteria change as projects change, but the essential requisites are respect for the outdoors, interest in working with groups and interacting with villagers and willingness to spend time in wilderness settings.

To find out more, contact:
Swamy S.L.N.
The Adventurers
142, 69th Cross, 5th Block, Rajajinagar,
Bangalore INDIA 560 010
Phone: 91-80-3305508 or 91-80-3409712
Email: adventr.iiaa@aworld.net






Written by Venkatesh M. Raghavendra, a wilderness trainer and volunteer with the Adventurers. Reprinted with permission from Changemakers.net.

To read another Global Envision article about social entrepreneurship, see A Center for Women.