A n g l a d e I n s t i t u t e

ANGLADE INSTITUTE

The arrival of A. Anglade , a professor of Philosophy was a landmark in the natural histiry and considered as a father of this institute.

This institute is the hill laboratory and field station of the Rapinath Herbarium,St Joseph college, Tiruchi, well known spot for Multivolume Flora of south India.

The infrastructure of this institute includes, the tremendous as well as ancient Museum ,Herbarium, Library Archives and gardens.

Environmental division including research and in greater detail the environmental awareness generation programme.

Museum

The insects and spiders family comprises thousands of species such as Stick insects over 30 CM in length, a largest Moth in the world.Almost 209 species of beautifull Butterflies are available in the Museum Particularly attractive are Great Yellow Minos, the Map flies and Crino is the third most beautiful indian butterfly. Over 250 specimen of Moth are available, especially attractive are Gigantic Atlas with a wing expanse of 30cm, Moon Moth etc. Snakes are poor;y represented in the Museum. There are about 100 snakes are available Pythons(4.5 M) long, Rat snake both are harmless.Among poisonous snakes King cobra(3.6 m long), Russel viper,green viper etc are availabe. A collection of 20 specimens of birds are available Among the best songsters are Blackbird and whistling schoolboy etc and for color, the Paradise flycatcher and the great Indian Hornbill.

Herbarium

A separate place away from the Museum.It presents the historically important collection of flowering plant. It consist of tremendous amount of ayurvedic and medicinal characteristic plants and flowers.The other part is consultation herbarium for Palni Hills flora,which is a handy device for quick naming of any given plant from the area. Library is also in the same room. Besides books, other equipments like Microscope(dissection and compound) and accessories are also provided.Algae,Mushrooms and other fungi,Lichens,Liverworts Mosses Gymnosperms,flowering plants are the basic building blocks of this Herbarium.

Environmental Division

The environmental division conducts environmental awareness programmes The main motivaton of this programme is for eco-restoration , to genereate awareness,and for health and sanitary for the villagers.

Grass root programmes for environmental awareness generation and Eco-restoration

This programmme was built arund the infrastructure and expertise locally available. They presents the concepts of watershed , a indispensable role of the primary vegetation in the maintanence of the balance of the ecosystems.The group consist of prefinal year school students from rural areas,villagefolk,mostly farmers.

The structure of the three day programme

Day1: Indoor exposure

It nothing reauires prior knowledge of science.They preaches the valuability of wildlife animals,forests and how to protect them.The keypoint is think globally and act locally.The publication of world conservation strategy and our common future provide the proper background for this global perspective.

Day2:Outdoor exposure

Equipping with relevant information the trainees are ready to go into field by a vehicle The trip focusses on the local village against pollution of drinking water, receding forest border from fuel wood removal,spread of weeds The experiences are further gained from ecolab reading room and videos etc.

Day3: Evaluation , action programmes

Three hours of work on seedling nursery are made. A review session evaluates the programme and chalk out the action plan. The information described goes home effectively and the trainees leave full of enthusiasm.

The leadership programme

A five-day programme consisting many unselfish and deeply committed environmental persons. The contributors are essentially from Palni Hills conservation Council (PHCC). They get information through reading and from media.They do train other trainees. Englishis the medium since neighbouring state also taking part.