People of Madras
Ep. 08
Yuvan Aves
Published on October 22, 2022
Yuvan says that nature is a great “equalising force” that connects all of humankind. He has run several campaigns against the industrialisation of wetlands, reserve forests and other wildlife habitats in Chennai. The efforts to stop the severe exploitation of the Pulicat wetlands, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Ennore wetlands and the Adyar River have made a notable impact on the people of, and not of, the city. In 2017, his first book, “A Naturalist’s Journal”, was published, a collection of essays containing nostalgic recollections and reflections of his life in school and the years following.
Yuvan Aves is also the founder-trustee of the Palluyir Trust, a non-profit organisation that focuses on educating people about the environment. It strives to teach the current youth about ecological justice by introducing them to the world that’s around them and all its intrinsic knowledge. “The name ‘palluyir' means biodiversity or 'multiple lives' in Tamil. The inspiration behind this name was the Kural 322 of the Thirukkural text, which first introduced the word," he explains.
The Palluyir team are very passionate about establishing a nature-based curriculum, through which children of all social backgrounds are given an equal opportunity to freely explore their respective surroundings, and comprehend, in their own ways, the information they’ve gathered. This is evident through the work the Palluyir Trust has done with fisher communities and schools. “This year, we have been working with the children from the Urur and Olcott fishing communities, presenting them with outdoor activities, set to inspire their passion for the environment as well as strive to create a fun and safe working space for them”, says Yuvan.
Yuvan shares some of his favourite places to visit in Madras: Elliot's beach, Kotturpuram Urban Forest, Pallikaranai marsh, Anna Library and Semmozhi Poonga. The above are all places that are some of the city's most extensive wildlife habitats, and a visit is definitely recommended!
