The Annual Research Seminar (ARS), which is one of the major annual events of the frontline biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak, was held virtually on November 22-23, 2021.
The programme was held on the virtual platform, keeping in view the crisis unleashed by the ongoing pandemic.
The seminar started with the online registration of the participants followed by a welcome address by Dr. Jimmy Borah, one of the members of the organising committee of Aaranyak. Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, who heads the organisation took the programme forward with his inauguration speech.
During the first day of ARS 2021, a total of 16 oral presentations were made on various research works, ranging from community-based conservation initiative, habitat restoration, environmental crisis, wildlife crime, population ecology, Aaranyak said in a statement.
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The sessions were interactive with active participation from the audience and participants.
The first day concluded with a plenary talk by the renowned rewilding expert and conservationist Prof. Carl Jones, MBE of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, UK.
The talk by Prof. Carl Jones was very enriching and inspiring, the statement said.
The session was moderated by Dr. Alolika Sinha of Aaranyak.
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The second day of the event started with a plenary talk by Bahar Dutt, a conservationist and author.
She spoke on the vital theme ‘Rewilding in India and a critique view’, followed by a questionnaire session.
The talk was moderated by Ivy Farheen Hussain of Aaranyak.
On the second day, a total of six talks were presented by the researchers of Aaranyak.
Following this, Dr. Jimmy Borah and Dr. Parag Deka highlighted how the scientific work of Aaranyak has been
instrumental in aiding in informed conservation decisions.
With the closing remark by Dr. Dilip Chetry, vice-president of Aaranyak and a senior scientist this year’s ARS was concluded with a promising resolution for future conservation initiatives through applied research.
Dr. Jimmy Borah offered the vote of thanks, Aaranyak said in the statement.