THE WILDLIFE WHISPERER
(PART 4 – Conservation)
In my jungle forays I started
witnessing that jungles and jungle safaris were managed differently. The rules
of entry and exit, the training of naturalists, the involvement / buy-in of
local communities, and the comfort of tourists had tremendous variations. Some
forests were thriving with species and tourists, while others were thriving
with species but had few tourists. My first idea, two years ago, was of
floating a naturalist exchange programme, from different forests, for
cross-learning purposes. I felt privileged that I get to visit multiple parks,
but so many of the excellent naturalist did not have similar kind of
opportunity, when they would benefit so much more from these visits. Couple of
conversations later I realised that the Ministry of Environment and Forest
(MoEF) did have a similar programme, challenge as always was in its execution.
Two further ideas that I deliberated
upon was the provision of basic benefits to the bottom of the pyramid in forest
department, and solar fencing of the forest to minimise human animal conflict. The
ideas emerging out of observations and conversations during my multiple trips
to different forests.
The forest guards, watchers and
the daily wagers, all of whom are at the frontlines in the forest are in the
line of danger on a regular basis, but unprotected in life and after death, so
medical and term insurance is crucial for them. Similarly, with encroachment of
humans on wildlife spaces, especially buffer areas, there are increased
instances of tigers, leopards, bears, elephants wandering off into human
settlements and killing cattle, which is a financial loss to humans and a habit
loss for animals. Additionally, there is always a danger of wild animals harming
human beings, so a solar fencing I thought would be a non-dangerous deterrent. I
realised that the solar fencing idea got piloted in one forest, and the
insurance part fell under the ambit of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change.
Through my visits I came across
wonderful local groups doing niche work in and around different forests. From
distributing winter clothes, to conserving local arts and crafts and developing
a market for it, to distributing branded jackets, caps, solar lamps and water
filters, to making events carbon neutral.
Every effort was commendable in its own way. A special salute to all
these dedicated, committed volunteers for their selfless zeal. These efforts however
felt like patchwork, on a fabric that was tearing away. I felt that we needed to plan and implement
interventions at a much larger scale, and interventions that are sustainable. With
this thought in mind I felt that businesses needed to step in.
Why businesses, you may ask? The
simple and straight answer is that for me businesses have always been at the
core of change, because having engaged with them at the Global Compact Network
India for the last 9 years, I realise that they have the knack to think out of
the box, the appetite to take risks, and the resources to put behind their
ideas. However, they needed to be an integral part of biodiversity conservation
from need assessment, to planning, to implementation and monitoring.
My first attempt of working with
business was to explore a solution for the menace of lantana weed that was
destroying / eating up the forest from within. And I discussed this with one of
the Global Compact business members, who immediately said that they would check
with their scientists for an effective antidote. The traditional pace of
weeding out the lantana was time and resource intensive and pesticides did more
harm than good. A couple of months down the line though, while we explored
alternatives and discussed herbicides, we realised that even the herbicide could
have side effects. So, this effort was parked for later.
This exercise however brought me
in close connect with scientists / academicians / forest officials from
different states. All working on a similar agenda, through their own expertise.
And I wondered if different experts could work together for a common cause. The
interest and agreement were all there, but rolling out a collective action strategy
required a platform, and we at the Global Compact Network India (GCNI) were
best placed to be the facilitative platform.
With this thought GCNI, in
partnership with VNV Advisory, curated three consultations across Delhi,
Bengaluru and Mumbai to explore the formation of a Business Biodiversity
Alliance for India (BBAI). More on that in the next blog.
For now, sharing few pics of the amazing
diversity that we in India are privileged to have, of deserts and mangroves, meadows and thick forests, rocky hills and sloping hilly grasslands, and rivers and lakes. Seeing is
believing, and believing will ensure that we understand the need and urgency of an Alliance for its conservation.