Principal Investigator:
Arun Kanagavel
Grant Term:
01/12-02/13
The
Project proposes to set up Community
and Conservation Reserves in the
Anamalai Corridor (Theni and Plani
Hills) to integrate local communities
into biodiversity conservation. The
management at existing reserves will
be assessed, reserve management plans
will be prepared for nominated
reserves through the participation of
multiple key stakeholders and a
suitable reserve management committee
will be identified.
Multi-stakeholder surveys were
conducted at existing community and
conservation reserves across
Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu to
understand existing management and
interaction between stakeholders.
Following this we pursued to
understand issues around Agamalai,
Kurangani, Kukkal and Kumbakarai, four
potential community and conservation
reserve sites in the Theni-Palni
Hills. Forest Dept. officials,
panchayat, plantation owners,
indigenous and non-indigenous
communities have been introduced to
the project, its goals and objectives
and social surveys have been
undertaken with them to understand
local livelihood, biodiversity and
socio-political issues in detail.
Following this, workshops/meetings
were conducted with the stakeholders
at three sites for further nomination
as Conservation Reserves. In relation
to this, Panchayat and Local Community
Support Letters, and a draft proposal
of the Theni Conservation Reserve were
formulated. These documents were then
submitted to the Tamil Nadu State
Govt. and Forest Dept. to recommend
the proposed sites as a Conservation
Reserve.
Technical Report Download
PDF
Establishing
Community Conservation Reserves in
the Anamalai Corridor