Abstract

A holistic and place-based environmental education program that can be scaled across the state is the need of the hour (Batra et al., 2022) in the state of Tamil Nadu, India as stakeholders devise various responses to climate change (Sundararaju, 2022). Pitchandikulam Forest is a 70-acre restored indigenous forest. Attached to this is an eponymous environmental organisation that works on research and development of the forest. For almost five decades, the organisation has been encouraging indigenous forest restoration, water body restoration, water retention landscapes, environmental art, environmental education, community engagement and more (Auroville, n.d.). A unit of the Auroville Foundation (Auroville, n.d.), Pitchandikulam Forest provides the crucial experience required to gain a deeper understanding of the environment in schools. Its Eco-Schools Program will transform school campuses into ecologically rich environments that set the stage for holistic environment education learning to occur (Kavita Sharma & Mamta, 2015). Teachers will be trained by educators to kindle the curiosity of students and provide hands-on, experiential learning.