A course to bring alive the hidden naturalist in you

“There is a naturalist in each one of us,” says Priya Venkatesh, the Founder-Director of The Naturalist School, a Bengaluru-based social enterprise offering long and short-term courses for anyone curious about the natural world. The vision of the organisation’s Naturalist Centre of Excellence, which is all set to launch India’s first Certified Naturalist Course on May 25, taps into this inherent curiosity about nature and aims to create a cohort of naturalists who will become “storytellers, weaving narratives that resonate in the hearts of listeners, igniting a spark of wonder and a sense of responsibility towards the Earth.” The 750-hour-long course, recognised by the Ministry of Skill Development, is accredited by the National Council of Vocational Education and Training and was developed in partnership with the Tourism and Hospitality Skills Council. A centre for naturalists In 1983, the Mexican architect and environmentalist Héctor Ceballos-Lascuráin coined the word “ecotourism” which he defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education.” Since then, the ecotourism industry has grown massively with the global ecotourism market size projected to grow from $260.76 billion in 2024 to $759.93 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 14.31% during the forecast period, according to the market research organisation, Fortune Business Insights. “I started out wanting to get some professional recognition for nature guides and naturalists,” says Priya, who worked with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to design the curriculum.