Centre for Conservation, Governance and Policy
ATREE has recently established a Centre for Conservation, Governance and Policy to focus
our research investigations and implementation projects in the area of conservation through
co-management of natural resources and local participationAs a first step to evolving
co-management approaches we will attempt to understand the social and economic aspects of
local community livelihoods that have historically been dependent on natural resources.
Our efforts will include proposing and implementing viable options for rural economies,
aimed to benefit the livelihood of local communities, while helping to sustain biodiversity.
The Centre is the first of its kind in India and is devoted to protecting the biological and
cultural heritage of the Western Ghats.
The Centre aims to develop decentralized, participatory approaches to co-management of natural
resources; to contribute to effective policy and good governance based on an understanding of
the interactions between humans and their biological and physical surroundings; to foster
interdisciplinary research and action in conservation planning and management of natural
resources, and to strengthen civil society involvement in conservation.
Using our research-based findings, we seek to enhance environmental policy decisions through a
diverse array of discussion forums. The potential outcomes of multi-agency dialogue could
include innovative approaches to local and regional environmental policies and new conservation
strategies, which are administered by the state and federal government authorities. Finally,
the Centre provides a forum to review existing environmental policies and to propose possible
policy options in the light of our latest research findings. Specifically, the Centre will
foster interdisciplinary research and action including:
- Assisting communities in the conservation of natural resources, particularly water resources
and biological diversity;
- Developing decentralized, participatory models of co-management of natural resources;
- Providing strategic environmental policy perspectives that improve governance and civic-state
relations and serve the interests of the rural poor;
- Helping to institutionalize actions aimed to strengthen civil society's commitment and involvement
in conservation;
- Creating forums for ongoing policy dialogues with communities and other public groups who are
involved in environmental policy.
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