Just some hours back the world has commemorated World Environment Day in the face of a toxic invasion of an unbridled modernity which gapes at nature like a hungry beast.

In this scenario, we feel compelled to have mention of an individual who has taken on the beast by the horn.  

This is the tale of a lady who constitutes herself alone as an army for the conservation of nature in the face of a startling deterioration of nature. When very little is left to counter an ever-increasing degradation of nature as a whole.

This ‘shero’ of the woods is Snehashree who alone straddles through all the odds to look after a composite aspect of nature that houses floras and faunas so immensely intimate with each other.

Born in a tribal family in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha this ‘shero’ grew up in the lap of forests that manifests a unique symbiosis of wildlife and forest.

From her childhood she had the realization that without forest one cannot conceive nature the word conservation loses its meaning. And nature cannot be a reality without wildlife and floral species.

As a child she made it a mission to plant trees wherever possible even though her initial efforts were like a drop of water in the ocean. But she never looked back and after years she discovered that there was a caravan behind her in the shape of plants, birds and other species.  

 Being a teacher by profession she always remained concerned about the worries of species on the ground and mainly the ones who wander in the skies as their shelters have virtually disappeared long since, the trees and the forest. 

Snehashree understood that the invading concretization which claims forest cover has become the invincible threat today thus rendering millions of birds and even reptiles as alien features in their own homes. 

Along with the plantation, she started making nests from mud and hay so that the willing birds can be attracted and occupy the new homes. She had her first smile when two birds came to nest hung at her home and today she has no count as to how many nests she made and became ecstatic when almost all nests were occupied by birds, mostly of the sparrow families and some house sparrows that face a very concerning extinction today.

“We cannot just stop at one lamp post without others in the lineup. So, without regretting the damage done we have to gear up with fresh initiatives and with patience of course,” Snehashree believes.   

While the signature passion she nurtured from her childhood was the need of trees and that remained deep inside her psyche. She planted trees and that remains still her missionary zeal.

A never-ending endeavor that perhaps may not suffice for a lifetime of anyone. “ We are living in a world where forest cover has dwindled drastically and now remains a sore that may take or even require half a century to even partially heal” lamented Snehashree. 

As a little girl born in a nondescript village of Miludihi near the Simlipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district. Snehashree grew up breathing the elixir from the surrounding foliage which remained ingrained within her and became her inspiration even today when she is 41. So, making nests for the birds was what she started as her goal with offering shelter to birds wherever she could.

Students played catalyst role

A teacher by profession for this ‘Shero’ of the woods, things became all the more handy by instilling the same awareness among her students who emerged as quick followers of their teacher’s ideal. So, making nests for birds became a numerical wonder and for the homeless birds new homes.

Wherever she was posted she carried along her plantation kits and tools for making nests and she proved herself as a messiah of the depleting nature and inspiration for all she worked with. Birds almost speak to her virtually.  

Even during her visits to other areas other than her place of work she carries some nests, hangs them in houses of villagers who agree to her request.

“When I pass through those villages and get to hear them chirping from the nests that give an ecstatic feeling within me” she said and added that, “I am so happy that some of my students in different schools are also doing that”.

She spends money from her salary to even buy saplings and give them to people who agree to plant them. Plantation of trees has become a dynamic part of her life cycle and would remain so till she can.

“When I look at some forests in barren fields where I had planted saplings years back, I do not have words to describe the euphoria it generates within me” said a beaming Snehashree.

Tryst with snakes

In her early days, she had seen some people beating the snakes and some of them to death.

“That was a very sad spectacle. I could not recover for days and I realized that snakes never harm human beings until and unless disturbed or provoked,” Snehashree said.

“Then I trained myself how to rescue snakes entering the human habitations and then leave them back in the wild. Which helped me to shed off the false inhibitions that snakes are dangerous,” admitted the Shero of the woods

So far, Snehashree has been able to rescue more than 2500 snakes, a majority of them very venomous and leave them back in the forests.

This beacon of conservation has always remained far from publicity and what keeps encouraging her is the outcome of her efforts and the immense appreciation from the school head masters she worked under.  

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