A motley group of students, engineers and bankers go deep into the heart of a Goregaon forest to follow nature trails, as they play scientist for a day

The Conservation Education Centre (CEC), a part of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) launched a programme called, 'Be a Scientist for a Day' on January 26, 2011.
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The programme, which includes five nature trails spread across a 33-acre property within Goregaon forest, gives amateurs and nature lovers an opportunity to get into the shoes of a scientist just for a day.


Participants standing near a Ghost Tree

This reporter, who was there for one such event over the weekend, accompanied the participants during the two-hour trail.

Though the programme was launched on January 26, the BNHS has undertaken to hold the event once a month, for the whole year. "The United Nations (UN) has declared 2011 as Forestry Year and we have planned a series of events throughout the year to celebrate this theme," said Kaustubh Bhagat, education officer, CEC.

Bhagat explained the programme's objective, "Under this project we are carrying out year-long biodiversity surveys on the BNHS Nature Reserve at Goregaon with the help of experts and the public."

The programme conducted on February 19, saw people participating from all walks of life. It enabled them to observe, record and analyse the data collected in a scientific manner.

The organisers say this would sharpen their analytical and observation skills, which are useful for wildlife studies.

Participants
What does it take to be a scientist? Power of observation? An inquiring mind? Research?
Perhaps all of it and much more.u00a0 Rachna Jadhav (14), displayed some of it at the, 'Be a Scientist for a Day' programme. Jadhav, a Class IX student, said, "I love insects. And if you notice carefully you will see how beautiful and colourful they are. I will definitely come for the next session," declared the amateur scientist after carefully wrapping up a dead crab in a polythene bag."