SCHOOL TO FORESTS: LOVE FOR SPECIES

Meet Ruchi Dave, a trailblazing forest officer inspiring environmental change through education, conservation, and community empowerment; Dilip Singh Kshatriya shares the inspiring story

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FIFTEEN years ago, in the humble town of Gujarat, a Talaja, group of schoolgirls from Navkar Mantra Girls High School embarked on a unique journey of environmental education. On their way to school, they would collect caterpillars from local agricultural fields and bring them to the classroom to raise and observe.

Once the caterpillars hatched into butterflies, the girls would release them into the wild, all the while learning valuable lessons in plant conservation and wild-life protection. This was more than a simple school project-it was the seed of a profound passion for nature, planted by their dedicated teacher, Ruchi Dave.

Today, Ruchi is a beacon of environmental conservation, serving as the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) with the Gujarat Forest Department. The journey of Ruchi Dave, a teacher turned forest officer, is a testament to how one individual's commitment can inspire a community and ignite significant change.

After dedicating 12 years to teaching, Ruchi made a bold decision in 2016 to leave the classroom behind and join the Gujarat Forest Department.