KIS Center for Environment and Humanity

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KIS CEH is a collaborative platform in our bioregion and beyond, offering experiential learning programs, research opportunities, and community-driven conservation projects that lead to practical solutions to crucial human environment issues.

What would our shola grassland mosaics be without native grasslands, among the most important yet often overlooked ecosy...
21/06/2026

What would our shola grassland mosaics be without native grasslands, among the most important yet often overlooked ecosystems in these hills. Supporting a range of flora and fauna, enhancing soil health, improving water infiltration, storing carbon, and providing critical habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, these are rich reserves of biodiversity.

As part of CEH's efforts to promote ecosystem restoration and conservation, a native grassland zone has been established at CEH. Using 12 species of native grasses and five grassland-associated plant species collected from the local landscape, this is a living demonstration site for native grassland restoration, biodiversity conservation, and ecological education.

16/06/2026

Some of our favourite moments in nature, in the Palani Hills, are often documented for posterity on our cellphones. When we slow down and learn how to photograph some of the stunning birds we share these hills with, these moments become portraits of beauty, too.

Students who participate in our Junior Naturalists Action Network (JNAN) program took part in a photography workshop with CEH director Dr Farshid Ahrestani, this summer.

In the comments below, share in the fun and tell us which species you spotted, in this short video!

'We focused on understanding the participants’ backgrounds, during which we spent considerable time learning about their...
08/06/2026

'We focused on understanding the participants’ backgrounds, during which we spent considerable time learning about their residential areas, existing waste handling practices, their perceptions and knowledge of waste management, and their willingness to adopt improved practices,' says Rajamanikam Ramamurthy, CEH's Program Coordinator, seen here displaying relevant educational materials at Bethania Foundation, a Christian mission which helps orphaned, disabled and destitute children around the Palani Hills.

CEH initiated waste management training for 40 staff members from the foundation, as part of our long-term plan. This included evening school teachers, vocational training instructors, kindergarten teachers, and office staff, following interactions with their students–and, we spent time learning about their particular context.

Next: we will focus on guiding and supporting them in implementing proper waste management practices within their communities.

While the Western Ghats may not have felt the most drastic effects of climate change (yet), the region's fragile ecology...
05/06/2026

While the Western Ghats may not have felt the most drastic effects of climate change (yet), the region's fragile ecology is registering impacts, slowly.

For, rising temperatures filter through to this lanscape too; the consequences of frequent extreme weather events and changes in rainfall are compounded by phenomena such as over-development of land (leading to land-slides and more), creating changes in habitat. For example, climate change could threaten the natural environment of Western Ghats endemics such as the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon (Columba elphinstonii), a recent study found ('Biogeography and habitat suitability of the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon using MaxEnt', published in 'Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy').

A recent two-year survey found nearly 35 percent of dragonfly and damselfly species recorded in the Western Ghats now missing, and a variety of tree species are affected by shifts 'primarily driven by rising temperatures, increased precipitation seasonality, and changing elevation-related microclimates' ('Climate-induced shifts in habitat suitability of forest types and adaptation strategies in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India').

Let's act now, 'Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future'. Get involved, by posting a climate signal—an impact you’re witnessing or a solution you believe in—using and tagging for example - and, check the UNEP page for more actions you can take.

Photo: Shola forests and grasslands by David Raju/ WikiCommons

Few of us have seen this endangered creature in the flesh. The Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) is the only mounta...
02/06/2026

Few of us have seen this endangered creature in the flesh.

The Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) is the only mountain ungulate in southern India. Endemic to the Western Ghats, the sure-footed tahr relies on the high-altitude habitat of montane grasslands and shola forests spanning Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Seen here in a field of neelakurinji in the Nilgiris, the tahr is a truly special sight. And, a reminder to do better by the challenged species of fauna which need to be conserved.

Photo: Kalyan Verma/ WikiCommons

A recent graduation day was particularly meaningful for CEH's Junior Naturalist Action Network (JNAN) students; it recog...
18/05/2026

A recent graduation day was particularly meaningful for CEH's Junior Naturalist Action Network (JNAN) students; it recognizes their education outside their classroom!

For 61 local students from 17 schools in Kodaikanal this May, completing our 23-day program marked a unique achievement: a successful series of Saturdays immersed in nature and learning more about it.

Around 250 participants attended the ceremony - including approximately 100 students, 120 parents, as well as principals, teachers, and NGO representatives. In addition to the graduates, 46 second-year students and 13 first-year students received appreciation certificates for their active participation in the 2025–26 JNAN program.

This year, Dr Bradford Barnhardt, principal of KIS, also inducted 12 JNAN mentors who had successfully completed their second- and third-year programs; they received symbolic 'mentorship caps' and will undergo focused training in student mentorship.

What's more, all graduating second- and third-year students received a White-bellied Blue Robin pin as a symbol of commitment to conserving threatened species in Kodaikanal. The pins were presented to the students by Dr. Farshid Ahrestani, CEH's director, and we heard from students and parents about the impact of this special initiative.

This is the third cohort of the JNAN program, which we have seen evolving over the years. Congratulations, graduates!

Behold the bison, one of the most magnificent creatures you'll see in the Palanis. A common sight in Kodaikanal today, t...
16/05/2026

Behold the bison, one of the most magnificent creatures you'll see in the Palanis.

A common sight in Kodaikanal today, the gaur (bos gaurus) has increasingly been encountered in urban settings, over the last decade - even while it is considered vulnerable, given its dwindling habitat.

Larger than any other wild bovid species, they attain a shoulder height of 1.8 metres (6 feet) or more and have white 'stockings' on their legs. Bulls are dark brown or blackish, cows and young reddish brown.

Humans and wildlife are still learning how to coexist in our hills. Meanwhile, we continue to admire these mighty creatures - at a careful distance.

13/05/2026

Meet CEH's Director, Dr. Farshid Ahrestani!

An authority on large herbivore ecology and the gaur - the world's largest bovid species - Farshid is a teacher, software engineer and research ecologist with 30 years of experience in the US. He spent a decade in academia as a researcher at Columbia University, Pennsylvania State University, The Institute of Bird Populations and as a Fulbright Scholar, and has published numerous scientific articles in journals such as Science, Ecology, Journal of Tropical Ecology, and Oikos.

Farshid studied computer science and engineering at BITS, Pilani, Rajasthan and Syracuse University in New York, and ecology at State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, USA, before earning a PhD from Wageningnen University, The Netherlands. He is passionate about contributing to the betterment of the Palani Hills after growing up in Madurai, and helped assess wildlife habitat in the Palani Hills in the 1990s.

And, he hopes his time at CEH can help make a difference in leaving Kodaikanal and Palani Hills a better place for future generations. Hear from him directly in this video!

Sometimes, the best way to learn, no matter where and how you're studying, is by getting your hands dirty!One of the asp...
10/05/2026

Sometimes, the best way to learn, no matter where and how you're studying, is by getting your hands dirty!

One of the aspects of experiential learning at KIS is training students hands-on, via CEH's Living Laboratory program, in biochar preparation and mulching.

Sustainable agricultural practices we demonstrate include organic farming, shola nursery development, native grassland restoration, and farmer outreach programs. Biochar is prepared using farm waste materials, and it improves soil health; it enhances soil structure and nutrient retention, increases microbial activity, and supports moisture conservation. Inoculation methods are also part of this! Raw biochar is enriched using organic inputs such as panchagavya (a traditional, organic mixture of five cow-derived products—dung, urine, milk, curd, and ghee), compost, cow dung slurry, or microbial solutions, before application to the soil.

Mulching practices also featured: students were introduced to the concept via cut dried grass, crop residues, dry leaves and other organic materials—as well as its benefits, including moisture conservation, w**d suppression, soil temperature regulation, and improvement of soil organic matter.

We've had an enjoyable month of slow and steady engagement, this Earth Month. People showed up quietly and often in smal...
07/05/2026

We've had an enjoyable month of slow and steady engagement, this Earth Month. People showed up quietly and often in small groups, to celebrate 'Our Power, Our Planet'.

There was a wonderful audience at our Earth Day event, a special talk on the kaatu maadu with an interesting presentation by CEH director Dr Farshid Ahrestani (image 1) - everything you wanted to know about bison but were afraid to ask!

A small group of film enthusiasts enjoyed 'Humans in the Loop', with its layered and nuanced messaging, which led to an engaging discussion afterwards (image 2). Popcorn and hot chocolate and quality cinema - this is what CEH's Film Club hopes to sustain as a means of coming together.

And, at our roundtable brainstorming meet on the age-old issue of improving our waste management systems, we saw an engaged citizenry look for impactful answers (image 3). We're here for the long haul!

Here's to taking the spirit of people power onwards and upwards!

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Center For Environment And Humanity, Upper Shola Road
Kodaikanal
624101

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