Image credit: Project Team
This project aims to create a sustained space for dialogue between Bengaluru’s mainstream Kannada media, urban ecologists, and nature writers.
Rapid urbanisation continues to put increasing pressure on Bengaluru’s green spaces, lakes, and biodiversity. The people who understand these threats best; ecologists, field practitioners, and citizen scientists, need to connect more with media professionals who can carry their knowledge to a wider public.
We note a diminishing interest in writings about science and biodiversity in Kannada which is essential for environmental responsibility, and long-term support for biodiversity conservation. Most young writers prefer to publish in English which may lead to a significant gap in other Indian language content that resonates deeply with communities. Even though Karnataka has a strong tradition of nature writing, with several who helped connect readers with forests, rivers, farming landscapes, and environmental values, the pool of experienced writers is getting smaller. There are even fewer experienced women nature writers. Moreover, valuable ecological research often stays confined to academic and specialist circles, rarely translated into accessible narratives for the public. Mass media, especially trusted local-language newspapers, is a powerful but underused channel to close this gap.
The approach centres on building three interconnected networks; media professionals, urban ecologists, and Kannada nature writers; through a workshop for media professionals led by ecologists, and a workshop for nature writers led by editors and journalists on editorial processes. The project will support publication of 15–20 Kannada articles on urban biodiversity and climate change, prioritising women contributors, backed by a language-editing panel. A freely available e-book will document storytelling guidance and the history of Kannada nature writing.
Expected outcomes include a stronger, more diverse cohort of Kannada nature writers, deeper media-ecologist engagement, wider public reach through trusted newspapers, and a scalable model adaptable to other cities, languages, and themes.
. By Nature Conservation Foundation and Hareesha AS.
Project Start Date: September 2026
Contact details:
Nature Conservation Foundation
Dr. Hareesha AS
- https://hareeshaas.wordpress.com/
- hareesha329as@gmail.com