Livelihood & Forest Conservation

After mapping 99 sites of tourist interest, 14 long treks and 12 short treks have been short-listed. Nearly 23 villages have been identified for devel- opment of basic infrastructure in the form of home stays. Each construction is being done in a traditional manner. The project proposes to conserve the forest ecosystem and biodiversity.

Located in Garhwal in the hill state of Uttaranchal, along the Central/Western Himalayas of India, the project site is part of the upper watershed of two of India’s major rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna. The rivers flow out of these hills to eventually benefit several million people living in the Indo-Gangetic plains.

The region has many of India’s most sacred places, including the Hindu temples at Badrinath and Kedarnath, and the Sikh gurdwara at Hemkund (and nearby is the famous Valley of Flowers).

The dramatic variation in altitude (300 meters to 7,500 meters) within Garhwal hills divides the climate of this region into sub-tropical, temperate, sub-alpine and alpine zones. The year is divisible into three distinct seasons: Cool and dry winter (December to February), warm and dry summer (April to mid-June), and warm and rainy (mid-June to mid-September). The annual rainfall ranges between 92 cm. and 237 cm. in different parts of the region; two-thirds of this occurring during the monsoon. Winter rains are occasional with snowfall occurring quite frequently above 2,000 meters elevation.

This project covers the valleys of Akash Kamini, Mansuna, Makkhu, Khod Bakashir, Nagnath Pokhri, Mohan Khal, and Basukadar (in Rudraprayag district) and Mandal (in Chamoli district). Over 16,000 families reside in 150 Gram Sabhas. The target area is primarily composed of human settlements, agricultural land, forests, and pastures and perennially snow-capped peaks. Primary oak forests dominate these areas, with the agricultural and agro forestry land bordering the forests on the lower side and the high altitude pastures on the upper side. These catchments share common socio-economic conditions.

Land use of the area indicates that about 75 per cent of the area is under forests, 1.2 per cent under alpine pastures, 19.6 per cent under crop cultivation, and 3.4 per cent under wasteland. There is considerable difference in temperature, humidity and other meteorological factors in the valleys and hills of the catchment areas. This results in a wide variety of natural vegetation, crops, biomass productivity and resource-land use patterns.

Subsistence agriculture, supplemented by livestock, continues to be the main occupation of the people. There is a limited amount of land available for cultivation, typically characterized by tiny holdings distributed over rugged terrain with minimal irrigation facilities.

The biodiversity of the project area is particularly significant. There are a number of threatened and endangered species along with a wide range of alpha (species) and beta (habitat) diversity. The area represents an anthropogenic ecosystem in which humans and animals are inseparable from the natural flora and fauna.

LEFT : Ringaal being used to make baskets for sale. RIGHT : Women preparing nursery beds.

Control of the resources by village communities (through Village Panchayat Forest and Mahila Mangal Dals) in most parts of the area is strong. This presents a high probability of people’s participation

in community resourcemanage-ment for biodiversity conservation and economic development. In addition, the potential for cooperation between local village institutions and the Forest Department of the Government of Uttaranchal is highly promising.

The significance of the region goes beyond its being amongst the earth’s most biologically diverse regions. The Western Himalayan Eco-region (WHE) is vital to India as a provider of ecosystem services. The productivity and sustenance of the Gangetic Plain is largely dependent for regulated supply of soil fertility and water on the ecosystem subsidy of the WHE. This robust and productive zone supports a population of nearly 400 million people.

In addition, the alpine meadows of the WHE may prove to be critical for the woody species of lower altitudes that would be forced to migrate upwards in the event of global warming. Therefore, conservation efforts in these regions are necessary for reasons of biodiversity conservation and for the ecosystem services provided by the region.

The biodiversity of the project area is in relatively good condition in terms of both plant and animal species and ecosystem health. The effects of disturbances, in the form of biomass extraction and deforestation, are in the early stages. But now they have progressed sufficiently so that people recognize that threats exist.

The project proposes to conserve the forest ecosystem and biodiversity through NTFP (non-timber forest produce) based enterprises and through involvement of local communities and of the Forest Department. The problems that the project proposes to address are: Insufficient management capabilities of both the Forest Department and the communities; uncontrolled grazing; forest fire, intentional and unintentional; poaching; and inappropriate lopping of branches for fodder and fuel; and concentrated collection of fodder in areas that are relatively closer to the village.


Progress this year

The project now has a functional GIS/GPS facility, including hardware, GPS instruments and a plotter. Imageries have been procured for the Mandakini and Pinder watershed areas and also created GPS markings for 67 sites. The GIS facility will be used as a measurement tool for gauging programme impact and for extrapolation of present research findings for the state.

Two studies have been initiated in this quarter: on how the law impacts on conservation and community participation in conservation; second, on the setting up of community-based biodiversity management systems.

The training initiative has been structured to integrate research, training and communication, with the community, to address issues that are perceived to be at the root of continuing environmental degradation in these regions.

The project opened lines of communication with the Forest Training Academy, Haldwani (FTA), and an MOU was drawn up that defined the role of each of the three players, i.e., the research personnel, the implementation personnel (ATI) and the FTA, who will ‘train the trainers’ and support integration of the initiative with the mainline Forest Department work. The ATI, in this case, will convert the research data and findings into training modules. The MOU to get the initiative underway is presently under consideration of the government.

The project has already created implementation teams at the ground level. The teams comprise school students, teachers, forest department personnel (at the level of guards/foresters), community leaders (Van Panchayat Sarpanch / Pradhan) and other members of the community. Detailed data collection formats have been finalized – which will allow the community to assess and value their resource base and then plan for conservation or regeneration.

Promotion of eco-tourism is a part of the project’s economic component. Two of the proposed four sites have been commissioned. After mapping 99 sites of tourist interest, 14 long treks and 12 short treks have been short-listed. Around 23 villages have been identified for development of basic infrastructure in the form of home stays. All construction is being done in a traditional manner. A resource person has imparted training to all service providers on basic aspects of hospitality and hygiene.

The project plans to commission a comprehensive tourism website shortly. A marketing strategy will be implemented soon. Land has been acquired for the Interpretation Centres that will be set up along the route of the pilgrims.

The project aims at creating livelihoods based on the use of ringal as raw material. This activity is on its way to becoming self-sustaining and independent. The 37 Ringal Bunkar Sangthans formed have been provided with extensive design and product development inputs, independent marketing grids have been created and marketing initiated. The groups have also been linked to the Ushamath Mahila Mahasangh to cater to minor capital and working capital needs of the groups. In addition to

Nature-based Tourism

this, a common facilities centre has been set up in Tilwara with all basic facilities for production and finishing of ringal products.

In addition to approximately 11,000 ringal Arundenaria falcatta saplings, close to 75,000 saplings of bamboo, Dendrocalamus strictus, have been planted during this season. Preparations have been made to collect seed from a site where flowering has been noticed in Arundenaria falcatta.

This activity is being carried out in 38 villages with 278 beneficiaries. A product design and development centre has been established. Pricing issues have been addressed.

A market study to understand movement of the lichens to larger markets outside has been completed. Field implementation on organizing communities is pending completion of study on availability and regeneration levels. This study is being carried out in 81 villages.

Nine milk grids are now operational with total collections of approximately 2,000 liters per day.