Forest College And Research Institute-Mettupalayam

You can find the Forest College and Research Institute right on Kothagiri Road in Mettupalayam. Since we are in the Coimbatore 641302 area, there are a lot of trees and green stuff all around us. It’s a quiet spot compared to the main city. We spend most of our days dealing with plants and studying the local environment. It’s a big campus, and walking from one end to the other takes a good bit of time. The air feels a little different here because of all the vegetation. People often stop by because they are interested in the woods or how the different species grow in this soil. Our buildings are older and have that lived-in feel. You might see researchers coming in with mud on their boots after a morning out in the field. It’s not a place for suits and ties. We mostly wear stuff that’s easy to move in. The rainy season makes everything grow like crazy, so we stay busy trying to keep the paths clear. It is a bit of a trek to get out here from the main town, but that’s why we like it. It feels like a real part of the forest rather than a city institution. Students stay in the hostels and you see them late at night studying under the porch lights. We just keep doing our research and teaching whoever shows up. It’s a steady rhythm that doesn't change much.