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Spread over 616 sq Km, with a core area of 490 sq Km, the
Dudhwa National Park (DNP) forms a unique ecosystem in
the Himalayan foothills of the Terai Arc Landscape. Known
for its tall Sal trees, swamps and grasslands, DNP is home
to swamp deer, Hog deer (Axis porcimus), Spotted deer
(Axis axis), Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjac) and Sambar
(Cervus unicolor) found together only in Dudhwa and no
where else in India. Dudhwa is also home of two critically
endangered species Hispid Hare and Bengal Florican. The
Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros was successfully
reintroduced in this area in 1984.
The area is also inhabited by the Tharu tribal community,
traditionally dependent on forest resources for their
livelihoods. Till 1976 they lived in thirty seven forests
villages, two of which were in the core area and the
remaining in the buffer area. Today Surma village with
ninety nine families still lies in the core area, while all the
others lie in the buffer zone of the park.
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The agricultural fields of the villagers adjoin the buffer
area of the park. When there is a shortage of fodder inside
the protected area, especially in monsoon and winter
season, wild herbivores migrate to the cultivated fields and
cause heavy crop damage. Occasionally, carnivores follow
the herbivores igniting further man and animal conflict.
The Forest Department has installed electric fences on
the forest boundary adjoining the cropping fields with the
support of NEDA (Non Conventional Energy Development
Agency). The Forest Department also compensates the
community for crop raiding or cattle lifting.
CEE with funding from Keidernan Nature Conservation
Fund (KNCF) stepped in 2005 with a project Community
Driven Natural Resource Management for Biodiversity
Conservation in Dudhwa National Park. The project
aimed to develop capabilities for sustainable livelihoods
amongst the village community that would in turn ensure
conservation of biodiversity in the region.
Understanding Issues and Participatory Action Planning
The first phase of implementation started with collection
of detailed information of the park, status of the natural
resource base, conservation issues and threats, initiatives
being implemented by Forest Department, etc. Awareness
and discussion workshops were organized at department and
community level to build initial rapport and understanding
about Natural Resource Management, its related practices
and the role of the communities in it. The exercise helped
prepare a community based plan and agenda for action. In
order to initiate a dialogue with students, a Dudhwa Utsav
(festival) was organised during Wildlife Week.
A cluster of four villages closer to the protected area where
mobilization of the local community has been carried
out were selected. Village biodiversity conservation
committees were set up to facilitate active participation of
the communities. Ultimate goal of biodiversity committee
formation was to institutionalize the collaboration between
forest department and local communities.
A baseline survey was done to assess the extent of
dependency of people on forests. It also helped in a needs
assessment of the villagers living close to the national park.
Based on the baseline data analysis and need assessment a
framework for action component was drawn up.
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Conservation with Participation
In 2007, the second phase of the project was initiated with
the objective of conserving the biodiversity of Dudhwa by
managing the natural resources through communities’
participation and networking with key institutions.
Community-level activities included improvement of
community’s livelihood skills through capacity building,
training and providing alternatives for fuel wood and
market facilities for the tribal handicraft. The main
emphasis was on reducing the pressure from the protected
area. Meetings were organized in each selected village
with community members to disseminate and discuss the
findings of the earlier survey and discussions. An annual
fuel wood consumption assessment was also done and its
results shared.
Based on discussions with the communities, capacity
building programmes were devised. The first training
programme was done on sustainable energy options with
the objective to minimize the fuel wood pressure from the
DNP. This was done in partnership with Non-Conventional
Energy Development Agency (NEDA). With the State
Education Department another training programme was
initiated for teachers in schools around Dudhwa.
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Two artisan groups were identified from Dhyanpur and
Barbata village of Sonaripur Range of DNP. These groups
are engaged in preparation of traditional handicraft items
like baskets, hand fans, file folders and mobile covers. The
artisans, mostly women, prepare handicraft items from
local grass varieties Kansa (Saccharum spontaneum, Linn)
and Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus). The handicraft
items with little modifications in designs had a good market
demand. They are a potential sustainable livelihood option
for the community.
CEE decided to provide some market linkages for these
articles. A networking exercise was done to bring in
partners for product design, development and marketing.
The Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation
of India Ltd (TRIFED) supports tribal artisans groups in
the form of registered self help groups or committees by
providing marketing support. A plan for skill-based training,
development of products; promotion of the handicraft in
market was discussed. The network developed to support
project implementation included Sarvangeen Vikas Samti,
World Wildlife Fund for Nature, Non-conventional Energy
Development Agency, TRIFED, Forest Department, Primary
and Secondary Education Departments, Khadi and Village
Industries Commission, etc.
Developing Sustained Conservation Practices
The present activities are focused on developing an eco
village to demonstrate sustainable energy and livelihood
options, in collaboration with WWF. Balera and Maura
villages have been selected based on willingness of the
community members and the overall support provided
by the villagers during the earlier work. It is planned to
demonstrate a toilet-linked biogas unit in both the Balera
and Maura with community participation. The improved
chullah (stove) is also being demonstrated in both the
villages with a view to reduce the pressure of fuel wood
collection. Organic farming practices are being discussed
with selected villages.
For more information contact:
Neeraj K. Pal, Centre for Environment Education,
Northern Regional Office, 19/323,
Indira Nagar Lucknow- 226 016
Ph: 0522 2716628; Fax: 0522 2716570
E-mail: ceenorth@ceeindia.org
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