Introduction Cover story Reports Research articles Useful Info Know Your Ecosystem
Announcement Executive Committee Limgis 2001 Lake2002
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Bringing about a radical change in people’s mindset towards the environment is impossible, but a gradual change through education and awareness is practical. KERF (Karnataka Environment and Research Foundation) aims to be a partner in this progressive change through its many activities to protect the environment. It is from this premise that this edition of the KERF newsletter on the theme ‘AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS’ is brought to you. |
Aquatic ecosystems play a very prominent role in the ecological balance. They facilitate many crucial processes in nature, which make human survival possible. Mankind has been exploiting these resources with utter neglect, without bothering about the consequences. Humankind needs to be educated to behave better with nature. Environmental education worldwide has tried to teach people to live in harmony with their environment. This was reflected in LIMGIS 2001, the winter school on essentials in limnology and GIS. The weeklong interaction among students and scientists emphasised the need for restoring and conserving aquatic ecosystems, through the application of GIS tools. It was one small significant step for a few individuals, but a giant leap for the cause of ecosystem conservation. Watershed management is a holistic approach, which is an integrated and accelerated effort involving the entire watershed in environmental restoration and preservation to stop further degradation of these fragile Ecosystems. Soil and water conservation is a very important aspect of watershed management, the rational utilisation of land and water resources for optimum production with minimum hazard to natural resources.
Human and ecosystem health cannot be considered in isolation. Environmental pollution has caused tremendous problems to humanity. Man by neglecting the environment and destroying precious ecosystems has essentially taken the path of self-destruction. Environmental restoration and human health exercises strive hard to bring about a compromise between ecosystem and human needs in order to make survival possible for the future generations. Education and change, not confined to buildings of stone, are vital for our future. Everyday, there is much that we can learn from our surroundings and others. We wish this newsletter would enable you to see aquatic ecosystems in a new light henceforth. There is tremendous scope for partnering in conservation. The emphasis on aquatic ecosystems in this issue sincerely hopes to create greater awareness on and towards the environment…towards a positive and prosperous change.
