``Have you ever wondered what happens when you replace indigenous plant species with those luxuriate exotic ones? It leads to the migration of birds. Exotic species, due to change in habitat, produce very less quantity and quality on nectar, which ultimately affects food chain of birds in turn affecting the natural process of pollination. These then cramp natural habitats compelling birds to migrate for food and eventually affecting green species. Thus a total imbalance is created on all fronts," say Anuj Khare, Director, Nature Walk.

Started five years back Nature Walk's team comprises of experts from different walks of life like Dr. Dhairysheel Shirole, Dr. Parag Mahajan, Y.B. Chigteri, Kiran Purandare and Deepti Khare. "In our team of nature lovers, we have botanists, doctors and industrialists all nature enthusiasts, who facilitate the smooth and effective working of the organization," reveals Khare.

``Environmental education is the first step to conservation," feels Khare. "Extensive scientific research is being carried out regarding environmental issues, but all these studies are hardly understood by the common due to their jargons and scientific language. Thus we are trying to act as mediators between the two and make people aware of things like what exactly is wildlife, how it is getting destructed due to human activities, how pollution is adversely affecting our environment," says the concerned environmentalist.

Nature walk thus regularly arranges one day trips and national camps at places like Tadoba, Kudremukh National Park, Mookambika WildLife Sanctuary in Karnataka, Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Jim Corbett National Park and others. ``We also believe that the audio-visual medium is one of the best way of making student identify with the subject, so, with our collection of over 3000 slides, we arrange a number of slide shows and documentaries and also hold lectures in schools" states Anuj, who incidentally is also a tabla maestro.

On asked about eco-tourism, he clarifies, "Gradually, eco-tourism is becoming an misnomer as it is nothing but the leisure tourism that is run under the name of eco tourism. Norms and conditions of eco tourism are completely over looked and tourist eventually end up polluting the environment with all those plastic wastes dumped irresponsibly. Instead of exploring, they wind up exploiting the nature."

Going back to his organization Khare avers that it's the response of the Puneites to their work that keeps them going. "Earlier, only senior citizens or those who could spare ample time used to join, but today, it's a total different scenario. We have volunteers ranging from five to 70 years of age! Even people from the corporate field, software engineers, with demanding schedule approach us and participate actively in all the events that we conduct," he says. Nature Walk is an open organization that anyone can join free of charge and get involved in their activities.