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| Bordharan: interns working with our team in discussion with guides for research on the benefits of tourism |
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| Field Assistant Balkrishna along with fire-watchers, cleaning a forest waterhole |
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| Field Assistant Balkrishna joins a forest guard and volunteers in a forest patrol |
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| Ghoti - volunteers cleaning the area around a hand pump |
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| Field Assistant Dilip briefing villagers during a nature awareness programme arranged by the Forest Department |
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| Khursapar: Dr Choudhury and her nurse examine a patient at our free health camp for women |
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| Nagalwadi: lantana crafts made by villagers on display at the entry gate |
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| Pendhari: villagers listen to our staff reading out the Government Resolution on Eco-Development Committees |
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| Dr Choudhury with patients at our free medical camp for women |
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| Pipariya: Field Assistant Dilip talks to children about nature conservation at our field centre |
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| Pipariya: village children watch a film on wildlife on International Bee Day |
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| Sawara - volunteers fill water pots for birds |
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| Shiladevi: conservation rally on the eve of Biological Diversity Day |
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| Shiladevi: volunteers prepare a tank to cultivate Azolla feed supplement for livestock |
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| Suwardhara: Field Assistant Balkrishna informs villagers about Government schemes from the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry departments |
THE FULL REPORT
Team: Abhijit Dutta – Assistant Director (Conservation)
Bandu Uikey –
Conservation
Officer
Dilip Lanjewar, Balkrishna Bagmare – Community
Officers
Highlights
·
Three community foot patrols
·
One waterhole cleaned and de-silted
·
One hand-pump cleaned
·
One tank prepared for cultivation of Azolla fodder
supplement for livestock
·
Four meetings on formation of Village
Eco-Development Committees; Govt. Resolution was read out and explained at
these meetings
·
One meeting on resettlement/relocation at Kirangisarra
·
One meeting on livestock management and
alternative cattle feed
·
Six awareness meetings on forest fires
·
Three programmes to display on information on
Government schemes
·
One meeting with safari jeep owners, drivers
and guides at Khudsapar
·
Six programmes to celebrate important days
in “eco-calendar”
·
Mobilised women for three programs on RFO’s
request
·
Lantana craft displayed at Nagalwadi safari
gate canteen for sale
·
Five youths sent for hospitality training
·
Special women’s free medical camp covering
seven villages
·
Four research projects being carried out by
interns from various national institutes
Conservation Action and Awareness
On May 28, a waterhole was cleaned and de-silted in compartment no. 622
in Ambazari beat with forest fire-watchers. The waterholes are critical to
wildlife especially in the summer months. Regular cleaning is required to
ensure that the water is safe for wildlife.
Three community patrolling
programs were organised in Bhivsen, Khapa and Ambazari. Such patrolling, with
community participation, helps in checking illegal activities in forest areas adjoining villages.
On May 15, Dilip motivated villagers to volunteer for a programme to
clean the area around a hand pump in Ghoti. Such cleanliness drives ensure that
the cattle or villagers don’t suffer from any illness due to water stagnation.
It also helps prevent possible spreading of any disease from
livestock to the wildlife.
On May 4, an Azolla tank was set up in Siladevi village. Azolla is a
fern symbiotic with blue-green algae that is beneficial, nutritious and easy to
digest for livestock. Azolla feed increases the milk productivity of cattle. It will contribute to reducing dependence on
forest fodder and hence reduce the grazing pressure on forests.
On May 6, Bandu was invited by the Range Forest Officer (RFO),
Nagalwadi Range to promote awareness among the villagers of Maharkund about the
process of forming a Village Eco-Development Committee (VEDC) and the benefits
arising from such committees.
Bandu read out the Government Resolution (GR) and explained how VEDC
formation in villages has helped in village development and in reduction of man-animal
conflict through funds utilised from the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Jan-Van Yojna.
The villagers expressed interest in forming a VEDC.
Similar awareness programs were held at Pendhari, Siladevi and
Kadbikheda.A survey for VEDC formation was done in Mohgaon and Tekadi.
Six awareness meetings on forest fires were held to raise awareness
about the negative impacts of forest fires on forests and villages nearby.
Villagers were encouraged to mobilize and participate in fire-fighting.
A meeting on resettlement of villages was conducted by Dilip at Kirangisarra
on May 19. Dilip explained the resettlement process and compensation package to
the villagers. He encouraged the villagers to unite for this and explained how
resettlement will help them avail better infrastructure, schooling and medical
facilities, among other benefits.
A community meeting was held on May 4 at Khudsapar regarding the new
Gypsy jeep purchase policy which will give a Rs 400,000 loan from the Tiger
Conservation Foundation to potential buyers. Dilip encouraged more people to
avail this offer and reap benefits from wildlife tourism at Khudsapar Gate
where tourists are permitted to enter only through Gypsy jeeps owned by local
people which are approved and registered by the Forest Department.
On May 19, Balkrishna organised a program at Suwardhara to display
information on various Government schemes offered by the Agriculture and Animal
Husbandry Departments. He informed villagers about the benefits of these schemes
and how to avail of them by filling up forms and submitting required documents. He
displayed brochures, information booklets and registration forms related to the
schemes.
On May 7, 8 and 9, at the request of the RFO, Dilip mobilised women from
five villages to participate in the Forest Department’s programmes to promote awareness
about nature.
Several programmes were organised in May to celebrate important days in
the “eco-calendar”. The programmes were organised to spread awareness about
conservation among villagers. Dilip and Balkrishna organised events on Migratory
Bird Day and Endangered Species Day among other important days.
Environment Education
There were no programmes in May
as schools were shut for the annual summer vacation.
Bandu assisted Nature Conservation Society, Amravati in
conducting nature camps for village children in Melghat.
Employment Cell
During the month of May, five
young villagers were sent to a month-long training programme in hospitality at Sillari.
They will be provided with placements by the training institute on successful
completion of this training.
Market linkage was provided for
the lantana craft artisans of Pench by displaying their products for sale at
the Canteen/ Souvenir shop at the Nagalwadi safari gate of Pench Tiger Reserve,
Maharashtra.
Youths sent for one month hospitality training program at PACE Sillari:
Mobile Health Service (MHS)
During May, a special camp for women was conducted in East
Pench. Dr. Jayashree Choudhury accompanied the MHS.
Research
Satpuda Foundation is conducting a
study - ‘Assessing benefits of wildlife tourism for communities and
conservation in Tiger Reserves of Vidarbha’, the final report of which will be
produced in June. Interns working with us are conducting structured/
unstructured interviews, group discussions and questionnaire surveys with
tourist guides, drivers, Gypsy jeep owners, people from the hospitality sector and
villagers. They are also analysing socio-economic surveys and data from Forest Department
records to assess how tourism is impacting the local economy and helping in
conservation.
Satpuda Foundation has been asked
by Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra to do a project - ‘Comparison of ecotourism
patterns in Pench M P and Pench Maharashtra by surveying three wildlife safari
entry gates - Sillari, Khudsapar and Turiya’.
Summer Internship research
projects:
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