Chhattisgarh's YUVAN connects youth from classroom to forests, turning them into green guardians

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh's Balodabazar district is scripting a quiet green movement — one that begins with curiosity and aims to end in conservation. With the launch of the YUVAN (youth + van) volunteer programme, hundreds of young minds are stepping out of classrooms and into forests, not just as visitors, but as future custodians of nature.Designed to bridge the gap between youth and the natural world, YUVAN is gaining traction with 600 school students enrolling as junior members, while more than 90 college students and local youth already working as active volunteers, forming a growing grassroots network rooted in conservation of biodiversity and human-wildlife conflict mitigation to community outreach.Volunteers are being engaged in real, on-ground challenges ranging from biodiversity conservation and human-wildlife conflict mitigation to community outreach and environmental awareness drives. The programme aims to give young people a first-hand understanding of conservation, turning learning into lived experience.Forest department in Balodabazar is anchoring the initiative with hands-on training and exposure. From bird watching and wildlife photography to wetland conservation, eco-tourism and forest-based livelihoods, participants are being equipped with both ecological sensitivity and practical skills.Divisional forest officer Dhammshil Ganveer describes YUVAN as a long-term behavioural change initiative, built on three pillars — developing empathy for forests and wildlife, igniting curiosity and exploration, and enabling meaningful conservation action. “Our goal is to nurture green leaders who can influence communities and drive environmental responsibility from within,” he said.