The FEJI-ATREE Media Fellowships 2015

Call for Applications

The Forum of Environmental Journalists in India (FEJI), in collaboration with the Ashoka Trust for
Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), is pleased to invite applications for the second edition
of the FEJI- ATREE Media Fellowships in Environmental Conservation, 2015. FEJI will select four
applicants from English and/or regional language media, of which two will be from print media, one
from TV/radio, and one from the new media. The fellowship will help journalists of calibre to travel,
explore, study and write on select themes and their complexities in conservation today.
Holding only 2.4% of the worlds land area, Indias varied physical features and diverse ecosystems host
nearly 8% of the worlds total number of species. However, increasing habitat fragmentation, industrial
development, urbanisation, diminishing genetic diversity and over-exploitation of resources are just
some of the threats facing Indias natural resources.
Climate change is adding an additional dimension of uncertainty over Indian environment. Increasing
consumption patterns in urban areas have now given rise to a new set of governance and environmental
issues. Cities have engulfed adjoining small towns and villages resulting in most urban areas facing
infrastructural and governance issues, water and sanitation being prominent. The environment has paid a
hefty price in all of them.
Fellowship Themes: Applicants can choose one or a combination of the following themes for pursuing
their fellowship, broad outlines to which are detailed below:
1.

Forest canopies : the last biotic frontier

2.

Restoring the destroyed

3.

Migratory birds and their fate in developing India

4.

Water and wastewater in Indian cities

Bursary Amount: Rs. 1 lakh per Fellow, payable in three instalments based on the progress with the
fellowship. This includes Rs 20,000 payable only on reimbursement of travel expenses on the
submission of bills.
Eligibility: Professional journalists, including freelancers, in TV, Print and New Media in English and
any Indian regional language, with at least five years of demonstrated experience in journalism on
environmental issues. Regional language Fellow will need to know some English for communication.
Duration of Fellowship: Three months, during which Fellows must complete their submissions.
Fellowship Criteria: Fellows must co-ordinate with ATREE for field visits/research and produce at least
FIVE stories (1000 words each) on each Fellows selected theme. Close interaction with FEJI too will be
needed. Two short news items (500 words each) will constitute one story, and if a fellow opts to produce
only news stories then TEN stories will be required for the fellowship. Word length will be calculated on

a per-story basis, not as a total count. The number of stories to be produced by TV can be discussed with
FEJI after selection of Fellows.
Application Requirements:

Curriculum Vitae

Online link or scanned copies of three published stories on environment or environment and
development. Scanned copies must have the publication title, date of publishing and byline.

Regional language stories to be accompanied with a competent translation into English.

A letter of support from an Editor that the Fellows work will be published. Freelancers too will
need this letter.

One-page cover letter, outlining briefly why you have chosen your themes and what you intend to do
with it.

The deadline for Application is 28 May 2015.

Selected applicants will be notified within 15 days.
Send applications via email to: fejifellowships@gmail.com.
To ensure that your application has reached us, ensure that you get an acknowledgement within 48 hours
of sending the same; if not resend the application.

Thematic background:
1. Forest canopies: the last biotic frontier. Contact person: Dr Soubadra Devy
Considered as the next biotic frontier, forest canopies are among the most species-rich and highlythreatened terrestrial habitats. Unlike the sheltered understorey in the forest, the forest canopies are a
highly variable environment. They are exposed to greater daily temperature and humidity fluctuations,
experience high levels of solar radiation, strong winds and pelting rain that could make the habitat
extremely inhospitable for most organisms. Despite these extremes, canopies contain a major portion of
the diversity of the organisms and constitute the bulk of photosynthetically active foliage and biomass in
forest ecosystems. Unlocking the secrets in the forest canopies has been a fascinating topic of research
and adventure in the past and continues to be one of the priorities of biological research today. Canopy
research in India is still in its infancy. Despite encompassing four of the 25 biodiversity hotspots of the
world, the canopies of our forests remain relatively unexplored.
2.1. Restoring the destroyed. Contact persons: Drs Priyadarsanan and Ravi Ramalingam
Many countries are involved in restoring ecosystems damaged due to development activities and India is
no exception. There is a growing awareness of the need to develop different restoration strategies based
on diverse priorities, goals, strategies and techniques. And, such advances in the field of ecological
restoration have prompted a few countries to implement robust public policies for assuring its
effectiveness in achieving the goals of these compensatory processes. Although, a diversity of
restoration projects ranging from species recovery, habitat restoration and multi-purpose eco-restoration
are undertaken by governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals in India, there is
seldom a clear consensus of what is to be restored and for whom. India being a huge country with a
variety of biogeographic regions and cultures, popularising theses concepts and strategies is the need of
the hour.
2.2. Little things that run the world. Contact persons: Drs Priyadarsanan, Seena Karimbumkara
Insects contribute the major share (80%) of biodiversity. Being the most diverse group among life forms
on earth, insects play a very important role in ecosystem function. Loss or reduction of any taxa of the

insects can cause a cascading effect on the ecosystem. Any persistent disturbance at the habitat can
directly affect the insect populations. But we are taught to hate, kill and eradicate insects due to an innate
fear of a handful of pests that give man tough competition in the evolutionary race and challenge his
unquestionable authority and pride. This fear prompts man to focus his entire attention on an
unwinnable, never-ending war, ignoring the important role insects play in human well being and the
sustenance of the biosphere.
3. Migratory birds and their fate in developing India. Contact person: Dr T. Ganesh
India attracts a large number of migratory birds ranging from extremely small warblers to large birds of
prey during the winter. These birds require appropriate habitats during the winter but given the large
scale changes happening to the landscapes in the sub-continent many of these birds are probably not
finding enough habitats or the habitat is completely transformed. This could lead to population reduction
as seen in many breeding areas in North America and also in Europe. This is an issue that needs to be
highlighted in media as many of these species are also popular with citizen science initiatives and
therefore good stories can gather enough support for their conservation.
4. Water and wastewater in Indian cities. Contact person: Dr Veena Srinivasan
Suggested Topics:

Challenges Indian cities face in obtaining water and disposing wastewater?

Urban lakes and their role in urban water supply
Sustainability of using groundwater as a supplemental water source
Sewage treatment - centralized and decentralized and policies
Commercial and industrial water use challenges
Pricing, metering versus rationing - implications of different approaches to urban water supply
Water supply in small towns
Equity issues in slum water supply

Field visits will need to be arranged by the media fellows to sites on the chosen themes from ATREEs
areas of work in India.

http://www.feji.org.in