Field Notes

Welcome to Our Blog!
Scroll through to discover what we've been up to, and dive into our 'Pehli Class' segment for simple, in-depth takes on local issues like sustainable agriculture, climate change, and #SpeciesSunday to learn about native species of the Indian Himalayan Region.

Director's Letter (2025)

Dear Friends, Supporters, and Community Members, As I reflect on the past year, I feel immense gratitude and pride in what we have...

Preeti Saryan

Apr 89 min read

common horsetail (kinang or jinang in Kinnauri) is a perennial plant that commonly occurs in damp and open woodlands, pastures, arable lands, roadsides, disturbed areas, and near the edge of streams across the temperate regions of the northern Hemisphere

Kinang (Common horsetail)

The deep roots of horsetail act as nutrient pumps in wetlands, transporting phosphorus, potassium, and calcium to the soil’s surface.

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Mar 302 min read

Translucent Honeysuckle (Sbam in Kinnauri) is a large shrub or a small tree that is commonly found in dry sunny regions in Asia.

Sbam (Translucent Honeysuckle)

Flowers of honeysuckle show variation in color, with young flowers being white and older flowers turning yellow.

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Mar 232 min read

Salix denticulata (commonly known as Elegant Willow and ‘Shon’ in Kinnauri) is a deciduous shrub endemic to the Himalayan region.

Shon (Elegant Willow)

Salix denticulata ( Elegant Willow ) Vernacular name: Shon (in Kinnauri) Click here to watch a short video about this species Click...

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Mar 162 min read

The Himalayan Silver Birch (Betula utilis), locally known as “Shak” and “Paad Bothang” in Kinnauri, and “Bhojpatra” in Hindi, is native to the Western Himalayas.

Shak (Himalayan Silver Birch)

Betula forests are considered to be a keystone species in subalpine ecosystems, and often regarded as a climax species as well.

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Mar 93 min read

Himalayan Cherry Prinsepia (Prinsepia utilis), popularly known as Brekling in Kinnaur, is a shrub native to the Himalayan region

Brekling (Himalayan Cherry Prinsepia)

Brekling wood is naturally resistant to termites, making it a preferred material for crafting household items, and as bio-fence & even soap.

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Mar 22 min read

Native to the Himalayas (India, Nepal, Bhutan, China) and Southeast Asia, the Himalayan Yew is an evergreen tree species that thrives in cold temperate montane regions.

Yamdal (Himalayan Yew)

Overharvesting the tree's bark for Paclitaxel (Taxol®) has significantly contributed towards its endangered status on the IUCN Red List.

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Feb 233 min read

Himalayan Pencil Cedar is a dioecious evergreen tree native to the western Himalayas

Shur (Himalayan Pencil Cedar)

In 2020, scientists made a groundbreaking observation of young saplings of the Himalayan Pencil Cedar growing at an elevation of 4,122 meter

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Feb 162 min read

uniperus indica, commonly known as Black Juniper and “Thelu” in the Kinnauri dialect, is an evergreen shrub native to the Himalayas.

Thelu (Black Juniper)

The Juniperus genus is unique within the Cupressaceae family because it has both monoecious and dioecious sexual systems.

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Feb 92 min read

Juniperus communis, commonly known as the Common Juniper or Langthelu in Kinnauri, is a small evergreen shrub belonging to the cypress family (Cupressaceae).

Langthelu (Common Juniper)

Despite its resilience, the Common Juniper is facing increasing threats, particularly in parts of Europe, where habitat destruction and degr

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Feb 22 min read

Khrog (Abies pindrow), another member of the Pinaceae family, is a tree native to the western Himalayas.

Khrog (Pindrow Fir)

Khrog is a keystone species, meaning it plays a crucial role in maintaining the health and balance of its ecosystem by supporting a wide var

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Jan 262 min read

Pinus wallichiana is a coniferous evergreen tree native to the Himalayas.

Lim (Himalayan Blue Pine)

Pinus wallichiana is an early successional species. It grows rapidly and is known to stablise soils in disturbed environments.

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Jan 192 min read

Kyalbang (Deodar Cedar)

Cedrus deodara locally known as Kyalbang (in Kinnauri) and Deodar (in Hindi), is a coniferous tree endemic to the Western Himalayas.

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Jan 122 min read

The Various Pests of an Apple Tree

I discuss major pests of apple trees, the challenges posed by synthetic chemical fungicides, and the potential of natural alternatives.

Sustainable Agriculture

Animakshi Bhushan

Jan 815 min read

Quercus baloot (commonly known as Holly oak or Brey - in Kinnauri)

Brey (Holly Oak)

Quercus baloot (Holly oak) Vernacular name: Brey (in Kinnauri) Click here to watch a short video about this species Click here to...

#SpeciesSunday

Saryan Foundation

Jan 52 min read

Registering your Non-Profit Organisation: Lessons from Our Journey

We receive a lot of queries from people regarding the process of registering a non-profit organisation in India under Section 8 of the...

Saryan Foundation

Dec 30, 20247 min read

Conversations and Connections: A Day at the Environmental Film Festival in Reckongpeo

Last weekend, I traveled to Kinnaur to participate in the Environmental Film Festival organised by our media partner, Zed.tells , in...

Animakshi Bhushan

Nov 30, 20246 min read

The Green Hour: Inspiring Young Minds in Kinnaur

We are thrilled to share that The Green Hour , our community outreach initiative dedicated to nurturing a love for local biodiversity...

Saryan Foundation

Nov 19, 20242 min read

Herbarium Plant Pressing Protocol

A Step-by-Step Guide for Young Botanists A herbarium is a collection of preserved plant specimens and associated data used for scientific...

Saryan Foundation

Nov 18, 20245 min read

Agriculture and Climate Change

This is Part 1 of a series on Indian agriculture relevant to North India, especially Himachal Pradesh. Please follow up for more posts!...

Sustainable Agriculture

Animakshi Bhushan

Sep 19, 202416 min read