The Woodpecker Annual

A read, use and reuse Diary full of interesting earth facts and nuggets of information on plants, animals and cultures. This has found enthusiastic acceptance among a host of people.

Chautauqua

A compilation on Life and Living. This annual, too, has found its way to several corporate desks.

A Do-it-yourself-Kit on Vermicomposting

a handy leaflet that demonstrates in simple steps and with the aid of illustrations, the miracles you can work with leftovers and garbage at home.

Medicinal Plants for your Backyard

— on how to grow and care for plants and herbs that have healing properties and how they can be used to guard against common ailments.

The Indian Ritus

a desk aid on the Indian seasons and how they touch our lives.<

The Terrarium

An Earth capsule recreated in a sealed bowl representative of the atmosphere and Earth. The plants inside the terrarium are self-sustaining and need minimal care. Available on order.

Manual on Pre-feasibility for installation of low/medium Head Micro Hydro Turbines

This comprehensive Field manual on feasibility estimation of microhydel, provides a set of dummy table for information collection. This will enable the user to quickly get into the work as already conceived framework for survey is made available through relevant and necessary dummy tables. It identifies the data to be collected which can be easily adapted to the various sites based on the context of the area, its accessibility, nature of terrain etc. This field manual was developed out of extensive field studies of low/medium head schemes under operations. This manual also lists the bulk of information that user has to gather in the field like technical details, location, hydrology, meteorological information etc. It also provides a format for the user to get acquainted with the estimation of cost of civil works, break-up of plant and equipment cost, analysis of demand and availability of power in the region, operational cost that would be incurred etc.

Tourism Research Information Package (TRIP)

TRIP (Tourist Research Information Package) is a fox-pro based software package on Tourism. The package incorporated secondary informations on tourism and allied activities collected from tourist centres to provide a comprehensive guide for tourists. Initially the package is designed aiming at the service of tourists visiting the hills of UP and Himachal later it would be extended to serve the other tourist destinations of the country. Parallely it also generates data base about the tourist. This integrated package is divided into two parts one designed to incorporate the details of tourist and other to provide the information required for tourist of specific destination. Beside the use it provides to the tourist, it also helps the concerned organisations to monitor and plan the tourism in a more sustainable manner. It would also enable the individual’s involved in the research of tourism to update themselves of the tourism scenario with reliable information. This package will be updated on regular basis to provide the latest and most dependable information to the tourist and researcher.

‘Bhukamp Awarodhak Bhawan Nirman Evam Nirmit Bhawan Ko Bhukamp Awarodhak banane Ke Upay: Ek Pustika’ (Hindi)

(A manual for construction of earthquake resistant structures and retrofitting of already existing Structures). This manual produced in Hindi was aimed at enabling the local people to understand the simple techniques of retrofitting of already existing housing structure. One of these guide titled ‘Bhawan Hile Par Na Gire’, is a comprehensive guide for rural people of earthquake prone Garhwal region. This manual formed basis for training and extension programmes in the region. A set of simple technologies to improve stone masonry and local roofing techniques is presented along with the illustration. Download report

`Bhukamp Banaam Samukhik Shakti’ (Hindi)

(Earthquake Vs Community Cooperation a booklet exposing the reality of seismicity in the region and the role of the society) This booklet provides a basic background to the seismicity in the region and the nature of responses that are required from various kinds of institutions. It is aimed at the local community in general and particularly focuses on how village institutions, local political and social personalities could contribute to disaster preparedness and mitigation. Download report

Mountain Tourism for Local Community Development – Training Manuals

These manuals on Mountain Tourism for Local Community Development were designed as base-materials for imparting training to the different stakeholders in order to build the capacity for understanding the underlying issues. The four major stakeholders that were identified viz., Policy Planners, Programme Managers and Implementors, Local groups and Visitors. Three comprehensive manuals were produced and pilot training programmes held to evaluate the utility of the manuals. The identification of Stake holders and the major aspects of capacity building led to the development of specific manuals. These manuals were designed after a need-identification workshop and detailed listing of various topics and the depth to which each stakeholder has to be sensitised in the context. Different modules were developed using examples from the documentation arising out of the ongoing research programme and other experiences in training and capacity building in related areas. Orientation Training Programme for Policy Planners in Hindukush Himalayan Countries, contributed to the organizing team of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

Training Workshop

  • on Mountain Tourism for Local Community Development for Programme Managers and Implementors, 27th –29th September, 1997, at Ranichauri Hill Campus, Tehri Garhwal.
  • on Mountain Tourism for Local Community Development for local NGOs and Community Based Organisations, 2nd – 4th December, 1997 at Dehradun and Ganeshpur (Rajaji National Park)

Field kit and Manual for Water and Soil Quality Monitoring

This bilingual manual and kit aimed at enabling school children in urban and rural areas and local CBOs to understand the utility and importance of water and soil testing. The kit enables monitoring of 14 parameters commonly monitored to understand the quality. Water and Soil Sampling techniques and the procedure for the analysis of specific parameters are described in the manual. The standard and the norms are also incorporated. A Field Training Expedition in Water Quality Assessment was organized for Children participating in the 11th Round Square Conference organized by Welhams Boys School, Dehradun, 18th –22nd December, 1997

Map Exhibition

and Discussions with local communities on Urban Environmental Maps of Indore, November-December, 2001, Indore The Urban Environmental Maps produced for Indore were kept on display for a month and local community groups and general public were invited for discussions which provided feedback to the final report.

Training Programme

on Community Based Energy Planning for institutions in ODAF and LAYA network, January 28th to 31st, 2002, Vishakapatnam. Orissa Development Action Forum is a network of 10 institutions in Orissa and Laya operates as a resource centre for several groups in North Andhra. The three day programme focused on energy issues, planning mechanisms and the technologies readily available.