GUWAHATI, July 30: Dr. Purnima Devi Barman, UNEP Champion of the Earth and wildlife biologist at Assam-based NGO Aaranyak, recently led an innovative community conservation training in Prek Toal, Cambodia, engaging 20 local women conservationists and park rangers.
Organised by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cambodia, the one-day programme on July 28 was held at the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary, a Ramsar site in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve, aiming to replicate the women-led conservation model that successfully revived populations of the endangered Greater Adjutant Stork (Hargila) in Assam.
Dr. Barman integrated traditional knowledge, cultural identity, and ecological science during the sessions, encouraging participants to design community-based conservation strategies suited to Cambodia’s ecological and cultural context. A key highlight was the unveiling of educational posters on stork behaviour, crafted by Dr. Barman, symbolising a grassroots commitment to wildlife coexistence.
The training included interactive and culturally rooted activities like leadership exercises, folk-inspired textile-based biodiversity hunts, and the “web of life” game illustrating ecological interdependence. A collective pledge ceremony concluded the event, marking a shared resolve to protect Cambodia’s wetlands and wildlife.
Dr. Barman also announced the formation of the Sisters and Brothers of Storks, a new global network to foster collaboration in conserving storks and promoting inclusive, women-led conservation efforts across borders.
“This is not just about saving a species,” she said. “It’s about empowering communities—especially women—to protect nature by making conservation a part of their cultural identity and daily lives.”
The event marks a significant step in South-South cooperation on biodiversity, gender-inclusive conservation, and deeper ties between Assam and Cambodia through shared ecological values.