Sundarvan, CEE's Nature Discovery Centre, acts as a catalyst and stimulant to start a process of enquiry into nature. Its objectives include:
• introducing urban children and adults to the beauty and harmony of nature, improve awareness of urban wildlife such as birds, snakes and other creatures, and in the process awaken their love for plants and animals
• promotion of conservation education through live animal and ecosystem exhibits, snake shows, nature education camps, slide and film shows, and celebration of environment-related days
• providing a public service of rescuing, and releasing into appropriate habitats, reptiles that have strayed into areas of human habitation, protecting them from harm.
Sundarvan offers a number of educational programmes based on outdoor activities that include camping and trekking. Sundarvan has permanent camping facilities at Bakore and Beyt Dwaraka in Gujarat. Sundarvan also undertakes collaborative public educational programmes with other conservation organizations such as WWF India and BNHS. Sundarvan has been recognized as a mini zoo by the Central Zoo Authority, and is a popular public education facility in Ahmedabad. |
CEE has several programmes on experiencing nature, guided by a strong belief in the value of learning through direct exposure, enhancing appreciation of the beauty and interrelatedness of nature, and promoting learning by methods that are inherently fun. It sharpens observation, brings fresh insights to the familiar and the obvious, compelling revision of popular beliefs and dispelling common misconceptions. Many individuals, having undergone such exposure, are inspired to embark on their own voyages of discovery about the environment.