Field Internships & Experiential Training Programs
Gain Hands-On Conservation Experience in the Western Ghats
At the Khandige Environment Research Foundation (KERF), we offer immersive, field-based internship and training programs designed for students, early-career researchers, and nature enthusiasts. Located within the biodiverse Sirumalai Reserve Forest ecosystem, our living laboratory provides a unique environment to learn real-world ecological research methodologies, habitat restoration techniques, and biodiversity documentation beyond standard academic curricula.
Why Join a Paid Training & Internship Program?
Our internships operate on a self-funded / fee-based training model. The program fee covers:
- Expert Field Mentorship: Direct guidance from experienced ecologists, botanists, and wildlife researchers.
- Field Accommodations & Amenities: On-campus stay at the KERF research station in the Sirumalai forests.
- Research & Field Equipment Access: Use of field gear, moth/light screens, camera traps, mapping software, and botanical documentation tools.
- Customized Skill Modules: Intensive practical training in field safety, species identification, sampling techniques, and data management.
- Certificate of Completion: Formal recognition and project assessment upon successful completion of the training module.
Core Training & Research Focus Areas
Interns can select or combine focus areas based on their academic requirements or career goals:
- Biodiversity Inventorying & Taxonomic Documentation
- Floral surveys, herbarium preparation, and forest taxonomy.
- Avifaunal mapping, moth/insect diversity monitoring, and nocturnal fauna tracking (e.g., Slender Loris, Flying Squirrels).
- Habitat Restoration & Applied Ecology
- Invasive species management and monitoring plot dynamics.
- Native tree nursery management, seed germination, and eco-restoration protocols.
- Citizen Science & Conservation Data
- Practical application of digital tools like iNaturalist and eBird for long-term ecological monitoring.
- Data curation, spatial recording, and scientific report writing.
Register here
kerf.conservation@gmail.com / 9940564585 / 9940563585
Contact above for more info