Five New TNS Team Members Join IUCN Commissions for 2026–2029

We’re proud to share that five new members of The Naturalist School (TNS) team have been accepted as members of IUCN Commissions for the 2026–2029 quadrennial period that reflects the depth of expertise across our team.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) runs six global Commissions of volunteer experts who advise on conservation policy and practice. And out of that, half of them are represented among our team’s memberships.

What are the 3 IUCN Commissions which TNS team is part of? 

• The Commission on Education and Communication (CEC): IUCN’s oldest Commission which brings together practitioners in strategic communication, conservation psychology, social and behaviour change, and education for sustainability. Using them as tools to drive positive change for people and the planet.
  
  In simple words, these are the people who help others learn about and love nature. Like teachers and storytellers for the whole planet. They think about the best way to explain to people why trees, animals, and rivers matter, so more people want to protect them. 
• The Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) provides expert guidance on ecosystem-based approaches to conservation and sustainable resource management.
  
  These are like the doctors for habitats (forests, wetlands, grasslands). Instead of taking care of one sick person, they take care of a whole “neighborhood” of plants and animals, making sure it stays healthy and balanced 
• The Species Survival Commission (SSC) is IUCN’s largest network of species specialists, advising on the conservation status and protection of species worldwide.
  
  These are the people who look after specific animals and plants, one species at a time like a beetle, turtle, or a rare flower. They keep track of which ones are in danger and figure out how to help them survive and not disappear forever.

So put simply: CEC teaches people, CEM takes care of whole habitats, and SSC looks after individual species. All three work together like a team taking care of nature from different angles.

Why this matters for TNS

At TNS, our work has always rested on a simple belief: conservation outcomes depend on how effectively we help people understand, connect with, and care for the natural world. 

This conviction runs through our certification programmes like the Certified Naturalist Course (CNAT), the Certified Nature Guide course (CNG), and Citizen Naturalist Course (CitiNat). These courses exist to build a pipeline of skilled professional naturalists, nature educators and citizens who are enthusiasts across India.

Having six team members recognised across three IUCN Commissions is a meaningful validation of that approach. 

It also connects TNS more deeply to a global community of conservationists, opening doors to knowledge exchange, partnerships & colloborations, and the chance to bring international best practices back into how we train and certify naturalists in India while also representing India’s grassroots naturalist and nature guide movement onto the global stage.

With our existing member, Ram Dayal Vaishnav, we have a total of six members from TNS as members in different commissions:

Name	Commission(s)
Ram Dayal Vaishnav	Commission on Education and Communication (CEC), Species Survival Commission (SSC)
Ashwin A	Commission on Education and Communication (CEC), Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM)
Vishaal Loganathan	Commission on Education and Communication (CEC), Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM)
Lavanya Bhat	Commission on Education and Communication (CEC)
Priya Venkatesh	Commission on Education and Communication (CEC)
Suhas Saya	Commission on Education and Communication (CEC)

Looking ahead

As TNS, we are grateful to the CEC Chair, Dr. Margaret Otieno, and the wider committee for this opportunity. We are looking forward to contributing to and learning from this community over the next four years.

If you’re doing similar work at the intersection of nature education, communication, and behaviour change, we would love to hear from you and compare notes.

Here’s to the next few years of learning, connecting, and hopefully, helping a few more people fall in love with the natural world.