Forest Ecology and Management
A strategic action plan for the conservation of biological diversity in the Western Ghats.
Investigators: R.Ganesan, M.Soubadra Devy and T.Ganesh
Location: Outside KMTR
Duration: 3 years
Description
Kalakad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu,
is known for its rare plants and animal species. It is a totally protected forest,
where no collection of forest products is allowed. KMTR can be divided into the
wet forest at higher elevations and dry forests in the foot hills. It is from the
dry forests that fuelwood and fodder are extracted by over 145 villages. These
villages have varying levels of dependence on the forests, based on socio-economic
structure, farming practices, and water availability. ATREE developed a
conservation-intervention program to decrease this dependency of the people on the
forests and build awareness about the biodiversity that is there in their back yard.
Progress
The intervention program works on the local requirements of the communities in the area.
A cluster of 3 villages closer to the forest with varying population levels and social
status were selected. The common feature of these villages is availability of good
irrigation due to a dam built in the early 1950s. Most of the lands are under wetland
cultivation. Due to this grazing grounds and fuel wood sources available within the
villages has reduced. On an average 5 men and 15 women collect over 1452 kg per day of
fuel wood from the forest. Over 60 heads of cattle venture into the forests on a
regular basis but during fodder scarcity in the village it could become 3 times that.
The major intervention was to increase the biomass generation within the villages. Over
5000 saplings of 56 multipurpose tree species that meet the demand for fuel wood and
fodder were raised in the field station nursery and supplied free of cost to the households,
temples, hospitals, schools, libraries, offices and farm lands in the village. Tree
guards made from locally available palm fronds were provided for protection. Saplings
were taken care of by a number of different people ranging from children to grandmothers.
Farmers made live fences along field bunds using fodder and green manure plants that
would supplement their manure and fodder requirements. The results of these interventions
should show up in another couple of years.
Children are the future custodians of the biodiversity in the village. They were shown the
value of biodiversity in their back yard using pictorial audio visual aids in the local
language. Enthusiastic children were grouped into a Green Brigade (Pasumai padai) who
were actively involved in monitoring the saplings planted in common places and the birds
found in the village ponds.
Output
The villagers have shown great enthusiasm in growing plants in their back yard. The vegetable
garden initiated as part of this project in over 150 households to make them realize the
potential of growing their own vegetables has yielded interesting results. Savings up to a
maximum of Rs.182 per family per month have been realised. These are preliminary indications
that show the possibility of saving on household costs from vegetable harvest.
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