The Assam Forest Department has launched an educational initiative to take learning beyond textbooks and connect students directly with nature at Nameri Tiger Reserve.
The ‘Nameri Wild Classroom’, open to students of Class 8 and above, including college-goers, will offer two- and three-day residential learning programmes, Forest and Climate Change Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said.
“It will give school and college students an opportunity to learn directly from nature at Nameri Tiger Reserve,” Baruah said.
The programme includes birdwatching, guided forest walks, wildlife tracking and activities focused on river ecology. Students will also have opportunities to experience rafting on the Jia-Bharali River and learn about the traditions and knowledge of local communities connected to the surrounding landscape.
Naturalists and forest personnel will guide participants, helping them understand the relationship between wildlife, forests, rivers and people. Students will maintain field journals to record their observations and receive certificates upon completing the programme.
“Our forests are living classrooms, offering lessons that cannot always be learnt from books alone. By bringing young people closer to nature, we can encourage curiosity, scientific thinking, environmental responsibility and a lasting appreciation for biodiversity,” the Minister said.
Nameri Tiger Reserve provides an ideal setting for this experience, allowing students to observe the natural world while understanding why its protection matters. Such initiatives can also inspire young people to explore careers and future opportunities in wildlife research, ecology and conservation.
“We believe that conservation begins with awareness and grows through participation. When children and young adults experience nature first-hand, they are more likely to become responsible stewards of the environment,” Baruah said.
Through Nameri Wild Classroom, Assam is investing not only in education but also in the future guardians of its forests and wildlife because some of life’s most important lessons begin when we step outside the classroom and discover the wonders of the natural world, the Minister added.
