Interview of Fr. Ted Bowling SJ on historical development of “Green Cover” [Series-1]

Interview of Fr. Ted Bowling SJ on historical development of “Green Cover” at De Nobili College, Pune, by Sch. Jaya Singh on 22^nd of February, 2019.

1.      Could you express your experiences of initiating and taking care of plants in the campus? [from the time you arrived]

My experience of planting tree saplings on the campus of DNC and taking good care of them from June 1952, the year I arrived here to begin my theology studies, and from 1957 onwards when I was assigned to the staff of DNC for teaching Basic Science and Scientific Questions connected with philosophy.

By nature I like to do heavy manual work. My theology and Tertianship batch mates told the Tertianship Master in Kodaikanal in 1956-1957 that “I was a giant for manual works”. That’s why in my first year of theology I very often volunteered to dig tree pits 1m.x1m.x1m, deep and fill up the pits with alternate layers of organic matter (grass, leaves, banana skins, etc.,) and mud, to give a chance to a sapling to establish deep roots. In my second year of theology I was appointed the sub-beadle and among other duties I had to assign fellow theologians to do 1½hrs. of manual work two times per week to plant trees in the empty DNC spaces, and also to water them for 2,3, or 4 years till they could survive the summer heat of April and May.

2.      What do you think, are some of the factors giving rise to “Green Zones”?

The chief factor is accountability for a specific area. Don’t simply ask students or staff members to take care of the DNC trees. Tell the groups clearly for what parts they are responsible. Assigning “Green Zones” to specific areas is a splendid idea. Then some groups who are lax in their care giving can be pulled up, or those groups whose area looks clean and green can be congratulated.

3.      Can you throw some lights on your experiences of “nature walks” in the evening?

When I arrived here in 1952, there was no such thing as a ‘nature walk’ except along the road on DNC property from Nagar Road to the DNC House entrance, where two rows of Rain trees and Gulmohar trees had been planted by the Jesuit Brothers who built the ground floor of the theologate in the two years of 1942-1944. It was early June when I first arrived here, and the bright red flowers of the Gulmohar trees was a beautiful and welcoming sight that I cannot forget. The rest of DNC’s lands were very barren. However, as time went on more and various kinds of trees came up on the DNC campus as well as within nearby Housing Societies. In Kalyani Nagar, Viman Nagar and Chandan Nagar, there are now many more trees and some public places for a nature walk. My favourite was DNC South to the Mula Mutha River and along one of its banks up to the Kalyani mansion, and back to DNC. Right now on our property the best nature walk is along the Stations of the Cross and the borderline with the Fransalian’s property.