Wildlife plans should not leave out communities

Ravi Chellam

INDIA’s record in conserving its wildlife, especially the more charismatic species, is remarkable. Lions, rhinos, elephants and tigers are good examples. These achievements need to be viewed in the context of the challenges we face as a nation.

India has the world’s largest human and cattle population which exist in high densities. Indians still depend on land, water bodies and bio-resources for their livelihoods.

Despite this intense competition for space and other resources, many of our communities coexist with numerous species of wildlife including potentially dangerous ones. These are evolved and nuanced relationships which span a range of human-wildlife interactions.

Unfortunately, this is insufficiently recognized, supported or celebrated by government policies and by much of civil society. The situation is further complicated by the government’s push for rapid economic development which often results in the fragmentation, degradation and destruction of natural ecosystems.

 

Restore ecosystems

Our imagining of development and approach to development planning have to change immediately. Multiple environmental crises are accelerating and synergizing their impacts on our planet and our lives: frequent extreme weather events and widespread disease outbreaks are examples. We can no longer justify the destruction of natural ecosystems in the name of development.

The human and economic costs of our models of development are enormous. It is time to focus on human well-being as the priority goal of development. Given the scale of human-caused destruction of natural ecosystems, it is imperative that we start restoring natural ecosystems on a war footing. There are numerous restoration efforts across the country and several good examples of long-term restoration projects. Ecological restoration has to become a development priority. Such efforts will build our resilience to climate change, provide habitats for our wildlife, connect fragmented habitats and strengthen the foundations of  conservation.

 

Forest rights and wildlife policies

Currently, the Forest Rights Act (FRA) is viewed as a threat to conservation by much of the forest and wildlife bureaucracy. This attitude has to change to support for the enabling provisions of the FRA which have the potential to shape our official conservation models into more just and inclusive ones. For example,  provisions in the FRA for granting Community Forest Rights and establishing Critical Wildlife Habitats provide several opportunities for wildlife managers to adopt more inclusive, just and cost-effective management approaches.

The current obsession, especially in tiger reserves, with relocating and resettling communities from within Protected Areas has to end. The rights of the people living within Protected Areas cannot be trampled upon. Local communities have to be seen as partners in conservation. 

 

Independent monitoring

It has become very difficult, especially for independent researchers and those from non-government institutions, to conduct field research particularly within Protected Areas. This becomes even more challenging if it involves the capture of animals (particularly those listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act) and/or the collection of samples. The challenges relate to obtaining research permits. The process for reviewing such requests varies across states. In general, there is insufficient understanding of the reasons for which a particular research project has been proposed and the questions it aims to address. Almost all projects are forced to justify how the research will contribute to management. Terms, conditions and restrictions are placed on the researcher and invariably there are enormous delays in taking decisions. This process has to change drastically.

The value of knowledge generation, including to answer curiosity driven questions and long-term research projects, has to be recognized. Researchers and managers must work as partners. The process for reviewing research proposals and decision-making has to be standardized across India and it should be fair, accountable and time-bound.

Currently, almost all monitoring of wildlife management efforts and wildlife populations is conducted by government agencies. It is crucial to involve competent non-government and academic institutions in monitoring Protected Areas and populations of endangered species.

Across India local communities hold rich knowledge related to their environment and wildlife. Currently, this knowledge is poorly documented and seldom used in management. This knowledge needs to be ethically documented and used to inform research projects, management plans and conservation strategies.

 

Tackling invasive species

Invasive species are among the greatest threats to natural ecosystems across India. We have been slow to recognize the nature and scale of this threat. Reliably recording and monitoring the presence of invasive species across India over time is required to create a robust baseline. This needs to be done immediately. Knowledge-based and sustained efforts need to be initiated to start controlling and even eradicating invasive species at least from priority landscapes. 

 

Ensuring connectivity

Our knowledge and understanding of the value of connectivity for wildlife populations has increased significantly over the past decades. Unfortunately, our wildlife conservation strategies and actions are primarily restricted within the boundaries of Protected Areas which are small in size. Animals have been moving outside Protected Areas and across human-dominated landscapes, ensuring connectivity between populations separated by fairly large distances. Such movements are becoming difficult for wild animals as wildlife managers are increasingly using barriers and the outside landscape is also changing rapidly.

Wildlife managers have been erecting barriers to restrict the movement especially of elephants from Protected Areas into human-dominated landscapes. Infrastructure like highways, canals, overhead transmission lines, dams, windmills and large solar parks have all become barriers that have disrupted connectivity and isolated populations of various species.

Construction of all infrastructure has to take into account the movement ecology of  various species using the habitat and provide ways for the animals to continue moving across the landscape. Infrastructure must not become a barrier. The plans for such solutions should be part of the detailed project report from the very beginning. Wildlife managers have to be innovative in coming up with site-specific solutions and not resort to the construction of barriers.

 

Ravi Chellam is CEO, Metastring Foundation, and coordinator, Biodiversity Collaborative