This project examines ecosystem services and disservices in the agricultural landscapes of the BRT Tiger Reserve by combining ecological field research with community knowledge. The study focuses on understanding how farming practices and biodiversity influence ecosystem services at the forest–farm interface.

Field experiments include the installation of owl perches in farms to assess their role in natural rodent control. Soil eDNA analysis is used to compare soil biodiversity in agricultural fields and adjacent forest edges. In parallel, household surveys, focus group discussions, and participatory exercises are conducted with local communities to document their perceptions of ecosystem services and disservices linked to agriculture, wildlife, and land-use practices.

The findings are used to build a context-specific database on ecosystem services in BRT Hills and to develop a participatory framework for evaluating and strengthening ecosystem services in smallholder farming systems. The project also works with local communities to identify and document bioresource-based agroecological practices that can support both livelihoods and ecological functions in the landscape.