Promoting "Nature-based Solutions" through Biodiversity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement (original) (raw)
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Forest restoration based on the concepts of integrated, adaptive and co-management with active community participation was attempted in a village in the temperate region of Indian Himalayan region. Mixed plantation of multipurpose broad-leaved trees, bamboo and medicinal herbs selected by the inhabitants based on pooled traditional and scienti c knowledge was established, with an understanding that funding will be limited to inputs unaffordable by people and will be terminated after economic bene t/cost ratio is > 1. Stakeholders would voluntarily maintain and upscale/outscale it thereafter and analysis of socio-ecological outcomes would continue for at least next 20 years. Accordingly, the funding was terminated after 7 years when economic bene t/cost ratio crossed the mark of one. Voluntary planting of Alnus nepalensis in gaps arising from gregarious owering induced mass mortality of bamboo two years after cessation of funding maintained progression of recovery. After 20 years, the restored area had 17% of aboveground and 75% of belowground carbon stocks, and 39% of owering species as compared to intact forests. Further, restored forest after 20 years was monetarily the most e cient land use even though there were no payments for its regulating ecosystem services. People maintained but did not upscale/outscale the forest restoration trial as also cultivation of medicinal herbs having high biodiversity conservation on farm land triggered by it. In the study village abandonment of cropping in 39% of private farm area and leasing 24% of it to a pharmaceutical company were the land use changes between 8 th and 20 th year of restoration. Nulli cation of carbon sequestration by forest restoration by emission from agricultural abandonment resulted in no net sequestration at landscape (village) scale. Land use/cover changes resulted in change in owering plant species diversity at ecosystem but not at village landscape scale. There is a need of tailoring forest restoration as an activity enhancing traditional knowledge, culture and income of people, ensuring its synergy with other land uses/non-land activities and determining nancial support for contribution of farm-forest cultural landscape mosaics to biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation around biodiversity hotspots in developing countries
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Forests and land degradation in the Sekaroh region of East Lombok areas has reached a very severe level. Since the 1990s the government of Indonesia has made various efforts to rehabilitate forests and critical land in this area on a massive scale, but data showed that the success rate was far from expectations. The paper presented in this international conference was the two years participatory study that is very relevant to the massive destruction of forests and land that occurred in the Province of West Nusa Tenggara. The method used in this study was Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) method which involves various stakeholders in the forest and land rehabilitation efforts.The results of the 2 year participatory study were able to encourage a ways to overcome the problems of forests and land degradation in the Village of Sekaroh and Pemongkong through a development paradigm based on both natural resources and human resources by emphasizing community learning and empowerment as development capital. The social capital paradigm developed through real learning is social capital that is based on 'togetherness', namely by trying to see the positive roles of social institutions to be played in the learning process in the management of forests and land degradation in Sekaroh and Pemongkong villages. The action learning process that has been carried out has succeeded in encouraging collaboration among institutions such as religious institution, customary institution, local government and the Working Group on Forest and Land Degradation.
Chittagong Hill Tracts is one of the biodiversity rich sites in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, over the last decade forest and biodiversity in this area have degraded largely because of human settlements and extensive land clearing for jhum cultivation. Aiming to restore the degraded forest ecosystem through active and efficient participation of the tribal community, the IUCN Bangladesh has taken up a pilot project in a tribal village. Sufficient settlement of indigenous people, high biodiversity value and favorable socio-political environment were the prime criteria in selecting the village. Dyring 2001-03, the local community was mobilized for restoration of the degraded hill forest as well as for proper conservation of biodiversity of the area. The approach was based on eight pillars of our approach: awareness raising, strengthening local institutions, formation of village development committee, formulation of village development and conservation plan, supporting alternative liveliho...
TROPICAL CONSERVANCY (BIODIVERSITY) , 2010
Orissa State in East India has a wealth of natural forests that range from coastal mangroves in the Bay of Bengal to dry and moist types of tropical deciduous forests in the Eastern Ghats. Approximately 37% of the State is classified as forest, including a well-planned network of protected areas (PAs) that comprises 2 national parks and 18 sanctuaries. Much of the remaining forest is under huge pressure from forest fires, livestock grazing, slash-and-burn agriculture, wildlife poaching, and illegal or unregulated collection of fuel wood, timber and other forest products. Major initiatives are underway in Orissa to conserve its natural forest biodiversity. The Orissa Forestry Sector Development Project (OFSDP), beginning in 2006, started to focus on providing inclusive support to local communities living within and around PAs by promoting and enhancing alternative livelihoods through community participation to reduce dependence on forest resources. The participatory processes that were piloted and upscaled in Satkosia Tiger Reserve have helped park managers and policy makers, for the first time in Orissa, to understand and value ‘Village Eco- development’ as an essential tool in PA management. The experience and lessons learnt have been formulated into guidelines and field manuals for use throughout the State’s network of PAs, paving the way for meaningful participatory eco-development. This paper describes the participatory process and mechanisms evolved and upscaled to engage with local communities in eco-development partnerships; defines the principles and mechanisms that underpin such partnerships; and demonstrates how management interventions can be effectively and equitably prioritised towards those members of a community most dependent on forest resources in order to maximise biodiversity conservation. Lessons learned include the importance of developing a shared vision at the outset, joint government-community collaboration in building capacities, independent expert facilitation and long-term nurturing of participatory processes, provision of well-defined livelihood enhancement opportunities and experiential learning among all stakeholders.
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 950 (2022), 2022
Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) experienced deforestation due to agriculture and plantation activities conducted by people residing around the national park. A role model concept was taken to address this problem, and to restore the forest by involving local communities in Giri Mulyo Village. The objective is to assess a model for ecological restoration and socioeconomic support. Indicators include livelihood replacement, and tree species consisting of endemic and multi-purpose (MPTS) biodiversity measured using biodiversity indices. Analysis of the species composition in the restored area shows Margalef species richness in the low category (0.88) but the Shannon diversity index (H'=1.72) and Evenness (E=0.61) suggest moderate diversity. The Simpson’s dominance index of 0.77 (away from 0) indicates that the site in Giri Mulyo Village is not dominated by a few tree species. These indices demonstrate biodiversity improvement compared to monoculture practices. This approach is a novel way to simultaneously resolve conflict and encroachment issues. Ideal scenario requires that MPTS commodities planted at a composition of at least 50% of the total tree density to support livelihoods. An alternative income source is still needed to compensate for the decreased agricultural income due to the restoration until MPTS can be harvested.
Attappady is a rural area in Kerala, South India, that has suffered from severe land degradation and which is inhabited by a poor and predominantly tribal population. The combination of severe land degradation, poverty and a tribal population make Attappady hydrologically and socially unique. Ecological degradation and deforestation followed the gradual building up of land pressure resulting from immigration by more wealthy outsiders. The hills of Attappady were once the forest land of Kerala. Recently it was on the verge of complete degradation. This paper explains how an ecorestoration project involving soil and water conservation interventions, the introduction of agro-forestry, nutritional diversification, income generation activities and training was implemented in a participatory manner. The project had positive impacts on both the environment and the livelihoods of the people living in the watershed, but it also suffered from drawbacks. This paper reports on the successes as well as the lessons learned from this unique ecorestoration project.