Eco-Development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

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1 Eco-Development Initiatives in Gir Landscape Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 01

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3 Eco-Development Initiatives in Gir Landscape Written by R. L. Meena, IFS Chief Conservator of Forests Wildlife Circle, Junagadh Dr. Sandeep Kumar, IFS Deputy Conservator of Forests Wildlife Division, Sasan Avani M. Rushi Sociologist, BCRLIP, Gir Learning Centre Under guidance of Dr. C. N. Pandey, IFS Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Gujarat State

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5 Eco-Development Initiatives in Gir Landscape Biodiversity Conservation and Rural Livelihood Improvement Project Gir Learning Centre, Wildlife Division, Sasan-Gir

6 Eco-Development Initiatives in Gir Landscape Coordination: R. L. Meena, IFS, CCF, Wildlife Circle, Junagadh Dr. Sandeep Kumar, IFS, DCF, Wildlife Division, Sasan-Gir Guidence: Dr. C. N. Pandey, IFS, PCCF (Wildlife), Gujarat and CWLW, Gujarat State Documentation Team: Dr. M. Shamshad Alam, Regional Planner, BCRLIP-GIR Avani Rushi, Sociologist, BCRLIP-GIR Aejaz Fulwadia, Trainning Officer, BCRLIP-GIR Abhinav Mehta, GIS Specialist, BCRLIP-GIR Karsan Vala, Trainning Assistant, BCRLIP-GIR Sarman Barad, Field Assistant, BCRLIP-GIR Arsi Ram, Field Assistant, BCRLIP-GIR Seema Solanki, Research Scholar, University of Kent, UK Published by: Biodiversity Conservation and Rural Livelihood Improvement Project Gir Learning Centre, Wildlife Division, Sasan-Gir, India. Copyright: Wildlife Division, Gujarat Forest Department Year: 2013 Photographs: Dr. Sandeep Kumar, IFS, Dr. Shamshad Alam and Wildlife Division, Sasan Technical manual: Eco-development Initiatives/01/BCRLIP-GIR BCRLIP: Biodiversity Conservation and Rural Livelihood Improvement Project (BCRLIP) is a Ministry of Environment and Forests initiated project funded by The World Bank. essential-links/biodiversity-conservation-rural-livelihood-improvement-project Suggested citation: Meena R.L., Kumar, S., Rushi A.M., Alam, M.S., Fulwadia, A. & Mehta A. (2013) Eco-Development Initiatives in Gir Landscape. BCRLIP, Gir Learning Centre, Wildlife Division, Sasan-Gir, Gujarat Forest Department, Gujarat, India.

7 MESSAGE The Indian civilization is, traditionally based on the harmonious balance between human civilization and nature conservation. However, in the race of the development, the civilization has grown at the cost of nature. It is highly essential to fill our land with trees to augment the forest cover for re-establishing the balance. Gujarat has always taken lead in carving new path. The state has initiated several innovative schemes for social forestation and wildlife conservation. The Eco-Development Programme represents the successful model of people s participation in conservation. Harmonious relations between human and nature is embodied in the example of the communities living in and around the Gir and their dependence on natural resources for livelihood. It is highly essential to reduce the pressure on natural resources by promotion of environmentally viable alternatives. The present book Eco-Development Initiatives in Gir Landscape is an important documentation of The Gir Eco-Development Project. I congratulate the Gujarat Forest Department for the publication of such an important book documenting Eco-Development Initiatives in Gir Landscape. I am sure it will help in framing result oriented schemes for people s participation in biodiversity conservation. I extend compliments and best wishes to all who have contributed in this publication. Anandiben Patel Chief Minister, Gujarat State

8 MESSAGE The Economy of Gujarat is growing at a fast rate and it is now considered as a growth engine of India. I feel satisfied that the State has achieved equal success in wildlife conservation with the prime strategy of peoples participation. Eco development has provided a viable strategy for involving local people in the task of conservation by creating synergies between ecological concerns and economic development. The strategy aims at creating livelihood options and promoting eco-friendly alternatives so that the economic development of people is organically integrated with long term ecological conservation. The strategy also addresses the impacts of wild animals on local people. I appreciate that now Gir is considered as the Learning centre and trainees from different states come here for learning more and more about forest conservation and people participation. This document helps other protected area managers to get support from local people in nature and wildlife conservation. I congratulate and extend my best wishes to the all the authors and who have been associated with the compilation of this book. Ganpatsinh Vasava Minister, Forest and Environment, Tribal Development, Legislative and Parliamentary affairs, Government of Gujarat

9 MESSAGE Today there are tremendous pressures on our natural resources all around the world. In a developing country like India with increasing human population, conserving biodiversity is the most challenging and complex task. Gir National Park and Sanctuary, holds the pride of Gujarat- the Asiatic lion. Gir is a good example of human wildlife relationship and good eco development programme has been under implementation here. This Programme aims at mitigating pressures on Protected Areas and addressing special issues of local people through participatory management. The Eco development Programme at Gir has achieved commendable success which has resulted into Gir Sanctuary and National park being identified as a Learning centre. This Book compiled on Eco Development Initiatives in Gir Landscape is a useful document based on field experiences and lessons learnt during the implementation of Eco Development Projects. I congratulate Gujarat Forest Department, authors and scientists who have been associated with the production of this very educative book. I am sure, this book will be very useful in training, learning and awareness programmes. Govind Patel Minister of State, Agriculture and Water Supply, Forest and Environment, Government of Gujarat

10 MESSAGE India, with a geographical area of 3.28 million sq. km. is the seventh largest and the second most populous country in the world. India is a mega diverse country, one of twelve countries that collectively account for 60-70% of the world s bio-diversity. The last three decades of the previous century had seen the emergence of new thoughts and practices in the realm of forest and wildlife management in the country. Driven primarily by the realization of the need that the aspirations of forest dependent communities had to go hand in hand with the demands of nature conservation, participatory management was adopted as a strategy for natural resource conservation. The eco development programme at Gir has helped in conserving bio-diversity. The Eco-Development Initiatives in Gir Landscape is a very useful document about biodiversity conservation through people s participation in Protected Area management. I compliment the authors and the entire team involved in the extensive work. H. K. Dash, IAS Additional Chief Secretary, Forest and Environment Department, Government of Gujarat

11 PREFACE Developmental planning in protected areas (PA) is conducted by government departments, by educated and urbanised who live in a different culture. In this way, incorporating participatory concern in PA management becomes a crucial question. Currently when India is struggling hard to save many of her natural resources, the silent and steady conservation and development story of Gir protected areas earn global acclaim for its success in terms of conservation of Asiatic lion, with the support of local community. The culture of Saurashtra in general and Gir in particular has evolved over a very long period of time. Human civilizations have their roots in natural environment. People of Saurashtra have revered this natural entity as a God given gift since ages and have tried to keep up its goodness. Gir management have may success models in the field of Conservation of wildlife Habitat Improvement, Rescue and rehabilitation of Wild animal, Eco tourism, Nature Education, Eco development etc. But Eco development programme is the good lesson which shows that two way effect like, improving park-people relationship and local development. Eco development is a strategy to conserve biodiversity by addressing both the impact of the local people on the PA and the impact of PA on local people. The World Bank has identified Gir Landscape as a learning centre for biodiversity conservation including rescue and rehabilitation as one of the important learning aspect from this unique landscape. Biodiversity conservation and rural livelihood improvement project was started by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India with financial support by The World Bank in Gir Learning Centre for establishment and development of biodiversity conservation learning aspects. This Book on Ecodevelopment Initiatives in Gir Landscape contents the concept and background of eco development activities, processes for successful people participation in conservation, different good examples of achievement which show people park positive relationship for conservation. Dr. C. N. Pandey, IFS Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Gujarat State.

12 Dr. Sandeep Kumar, IFS R. L. Meena, IFS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Acknowledging contribution is an important exercise compiling and developing management involves help and assistance from numerous individuals and agencies. Preparation of any document specially for learning and training, required not only long and meticulous efforts to collect analyze and comprehend all relevant information but also evolving the appropriate scientific strategies and applications. This document could be prepared only because of sincere encouragement and effort from senior officers of the Forest Department, institutions, scientists and local communities. I take this opportunity to express my hearty thanks and gratitude to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force of Gujarat, Shri Rajeeva, IFS; Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Dr. C. N. Pandey, IFS without whose encouragement, guidance and confidence it could not have been possible to complete this document. I would like to thank Dr. K. Ramesh, IFS, DCF Gir West Division; Dr. Anshuman Sharma, IFS, DCF, Gir East Division who has helped in collecting information, data and for valuable suggestions. I would like to express my hearty thanks to MoEF and specially World Bank for giving us opportunity to work for biodiversity conservation. I would like to thank Shri Anupam Joshi (Environment specialist, World Bank); Dr. P. K. Mathur, WII; Shri P. C. Tyagi, WII for their valuable suggestion. I would like to acknowledge special contribution of Ms. Avani. M. Rushi Sociologist (BCRLIP, GIR) for helping and effort made compiling and editing of this document. Without her valuable contribution it would have been very difficult in compilation and finalization of this document. I would like to thanks Dr. Shahmshad Alam Regional planner (BCRLIP-GIR) and Wildlife Biologist for his continuous support and dedication. He spend substantial amount of time and effort during the preparation of this document. I thank Abhinav Mehta, GIS specialist (BCRLIP-GIR) for data compilation and for preparation of maps. I thank Aejaz Fulwadia Training Officer (BCRLIP-GIR) and Ms. Seema Solanki (Researcher, University of Kent, UK) for their support, help and co-operation. Special thanks to Karsan Vala, Training Assistant (BCRLIP-GIR), Sarman Barad and Arsi Ram Field Assistants (BCRLIP-GIR) for their help and support in preparation of this document. I thank Shri S. P. Chandera (Head Clerk, Wildlife Division, Sasan-Gir) and Mr. B. M. Sevra (RFO, Gir Sanctuary) for his support during the preparation of this document. I also thanks to office staff of Forest Divisions; Sasan-Gir, Wildlife Circle Junagadh and Junagadh Forest Circle for their support and help. Dr. Sandeep Kumar, IFS Deputy Conservator of Forests Wildlife Division, Sasan-Gir R. L. Meena, IFS Chief Conservator of Forests Wildlife Circle, Junagadh viii Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

13 Contents Preface...vii Acknowledgement... viii Chapter-1 Introduction Definition: Eco-development Background Information Eco-development in Gujarat State Aim Objectives Implementing sites and stakeholders... 6 Chapter-2 Gir Landscape: Significance, Management and Eco-development Introduction to the area Gir management history Importance of Gir management Anthropogenic issues and problems related to Gir PA management...16 Chapter-3 Eco-development: Background and Concept The back ground of the eco-development project Protected areas in developing countries Conceptual frameworks National parks and neighbouring communities Local people and protected areas Participatory management concerns in PA Pluralism in protected area management People Vs Gir PA: Major issues India Eco-development Project at Gir...27 Chapter-4 Past Inputs and Process of Eco-development in Gir PA Resettlement of Maldharies Achievements...35 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape ix

14 4.3 Forest Settlement Villages Peripheral Villages Land use Grazing practices Problems identified Socio-Economic Aspects and Eco-Development Project Village level monitoring committee Eco-development Work in Gir PA Strategy Adopted Activities related to forest resources Activities related to the use of non-forest resources Fodder development Human-wildlife conflict Other activities Process of Eco-development Selection of villages Participatory process Institutional framework Awareness, Education and Interpretation Coverage of the villages under IEDP Institutional arrangements Improved PA Management Village Eco-development Environment Education and Awareness (EE&A) Impact monitoring and Research Forest Protection through Village Level Committees Control on man-made fires Control on poaching and poisoning Other control measures...61 x Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

15 Eco-development Plan Flexibility Monitoring and Evaluation of Eco-development Work...62 Chapter-5 Sustainability Ecological sustainability Institutional Sustainability Social sustainability Financial sustainability...66 Chapter-6 Successes, failures, issues and constraints General successes Benefits to the Community Benefits to the PA Gir conservation and environment education centres Main Learning...74 Chapter-7 Case Studies Establishment of New Primary School building at Sanosari Eco-Kunj at Dhanej Construction of Check-dams at Jalandhar...88 Micro plan Format...90 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape xi

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17 Chapter-1 Introduction

18 1.1 Definition: Eco-development Eco-development refers to development at regional and local levels, consistent with the potential of the area involve with attention given to the adequate and rational use of natural resources, technological styles and organizational forms that respect to the natural ecosystems and local social and cultural patterns. 1.2 Background Information The Protected Areas (PAs) selected for biodiversity conservation face, increase in biotic pressures from local communities. At the same time, the people living in and around the PAs also suffer on account of denial of access to the bio-resources in the area, also, wild animals from the PAs cause damage to crop and livestock. There is no denying that community links with natural areas are very intensically since ages they are socially, economically and culturally dependant on the bio-resources. However, it must be remembered that the biodiversity conservation tradition had also been intrinsic to the local people. However, there has been negative impact of political changes, industrialisation and commercialisation on the social and natural milieu of the community. Demographic change seems to have added to the adversity by worsening the human to land ratio. The resultant and drastic land-use changes have fuelled denudation and degradation, compromising conservation of forest and other natural areas. These changes have also steadily undermined the productivity of the rural ecosystems in these regions, causing impoverishment to the inhabiting communities. Biodiversity and its habitat too have suffered attrition from these mounting threats. Indeed, a setting up of PAs at an increasing pace and hardening of the legal framework for conservation in the last three decades have given a strategic response that was aimed to counter these mounting threats. The objectives and rationale of wildlife conservation had been a part of the development and social justice debate for the past three decades. However, by the mid 1980s, wildlife conservation in India had become conflict ridden. Conflicts and clashes between PA managers and local communities were on the rise. Also, in many PAs, the ability of managers to regulate use and extraction of bio-resources to the levels prescribed by law was weak. This was primarily because: 2 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

19 There had been a steady increase in human population and a resultant increase in their need for land and natural resources. There had been a concurrent and often a resultant decrease in wilderness areas. Though there had also been much development and a consequent growth in economic opportunities and infrastructure, this was not equitable across categories of population, regions and the urban-rural divide. Similarly, the costs and benefits of conservation were not equitably apportioned, the poor losing the most and gaining the least. However, one effect of development was to raise the economic aspirations of people almost uniformly, thereby creating a greater demand for income and resources. The establishment of a democratic process of governance, after India became independent in 1947, made people increasingly aware of their political and economic rights and gave them a voice that could not be easily ignored. Historically, wildlife and forest management was regulatory and perceived to be indifferent to the needs and aspirations of the local people. Under the colonial regime, control and ownership of forests had been taken away from the communities by the state. A resentment and reaction against this by the local people was obvious. Traditional cultural imperatives for conservation were losing ground, while scientific reasons for conservation were neither widely understood nor universally accepted. 1980s was also the period when a large number of new protected areas were set up, raising the number from a little over 200 at the start of the decade to nearly 500 by the beginning of Therefore, the creation of all these new PAs, and the consequent inevitable deprivation of resources for the local communities, further heightened the sense of unrest against this form of conservation. Innovative ameliorative measures by resource managers at a few places began to yield results, which went beyond mere protection and tackled the issue of people s dependencies over these areas. A government of India s document (1983) titled Eliciting public support for wildlife conservation sowed the seed of philosophy and practice, which finally came to be called eco-development. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 3

20 By this time the process of formulating the 8th five-year plan was initiated in the Indian Planning Commission. In the early 1990s, it became clear that the current system of wildlife protection was not working. Not only were protected areas getting degraded at a very rapid rate, but there was also widespread resentment against them. In fact, many political parties and people s representatives were locally voicing their discontent with the PA network. Added to that, there were many powerful lobbies, especially of miners, tourist operators, timber merchants, land developers, hoteliers, industrialists and contractors constructing dams and other infrastructure projects, that were working hard, to dilute the PA network in India and were getting access to the land and other resources within them. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and the Planning Commission were, therefore, confronted on the one hand with pressures to lighten the regulatory process associated with wildlife and forest conservation and, on the other hand, with evidence that, even with the current levels of regulation, forests and protected areas were rapidly deteriorating. It was out of such a predicament that eco-development as a strategy gained currency. The 1983 National Wildlife Action Plan formally recognised and mandated ecodevelopment as a PA-people supportive programme. However, it was only in the 8th five-year Plan (1992 to 1997) that an eco-development scheme found its place for field application and ever since it features as a component in the Central plan wildlife schemes. Eco-development (ED) as a strategy recognises the traditional dependence of people on the forest resources for domestic use as well as supplementing livelihoods, and seeks to rationalise the demands of the community by facilitating alternatives for resources and livelihoods. It advocates a multi-pronged approach, which bases itself on rational zoning of protected areas and their surrounds so that while security of the full range of biodiversity and ecosystem services is promoted, the way is paved for ameliorating productivity and utilisation of resources by the people with a responsible stake in sustainability. The approach involves evolving and implementing a package of measures, which enhance the productivity of the rural ecosystems, including the agricultural areas and the use zones within the PA. At the same time it includes provisioning means and facilitating activities, which promote use of alternate energy, resources and livelihoods and help in reducing forest dependence. In essence, the ED strategy aims at strengthening nature conservation in participation with and through empowerment and the socio-economic well being of the local people. 4 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

21 The World Bank supported two eco-development projects (FREEP and IEDP) in India in the 1990s, which covered nine PA sites at nine different states. The implementation of these projects has validated the worth of eco-development as a powerful tool to enhance the efficacy of PA management with the participation of the people with benefits accruing to them in a manner promoting their stake in conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. Besides these, one tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh received WB inputs for PA management and GOI-MoEF inputs for eco-development with similar aims and results. These 10 PA sites put together encompass varied bio-geographic situations with a wide spectrum of ecosystems and concomitant biodiversity across the length and breadth of the country. The demographic, socio-economic and forest dependence profiles broadly also encompass the Indian spectrum. The planning and implementation performance has varied and so have the level of and the sustainability of success among them. Thus the experiences gained from there are of immense value for the future. 1.3 Eco-development in Gujarat State Aim In response to pressures on protected areas, the Government is now beginning to address the special issues regarding participatory management of protected areas through a strategy of eco-development. The strategy aims to conserve biodiversity by addressing both the impact of local people on the protected areas and the impact of the protected areas on local people. Eco-development thus has two main thrusts: improvement of PA management and involvement of local people Objectives The project would conserve biodiversity by implementing the eco-development Strategy in and around seven protected areas (PAs) and would also include support for preparing future biodiversity projects. The main objectives would be: 1. Improved protected area management Improve PA planning process and building capacity Protect and manage eco-system and habitat Upgrading amenities for the PA staff Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 5

22 2. Village eco-development Participatory micro-planning and implementation support Reciprocal commitments to forest alternative livelihoods and resource uses JFM and voluntary relocation options 3. Effective and extensive support for pa management through Environmental education Impact monitoring and research 4. Overall project management 5. Preparation of future bio-diversity project Implementing sites and stakeholders The seven project areas was selected include protected areas (PAs) as well as villages in the peripheral areas of the PAs, but within a 2 km radius of the PA s boundary. 6 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

23 Chapter-2 Gir Landscape: Significance, Management and Eco-development

24 2.1 Introduction to the area Kathiawar is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the Rann of Kachchh, on the north-west by the Gulf of Kachchh, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on the south-east and east by the Gulf of Khambhat. The Kathi community of this region, after whom Kathiawar is named, have little to do with the early history of this peninsula. Although the Kathis are supposed to have migrated to the area in the 16th century and they have played an important part in the documented history of the region. The earliest references to this province are from the time of Alexander, and thereafter from the Mauryan Empire, are in the form of Saurashtra or Sorath. The term Kathiawar was not actually used until much recent times, when the Marathas, under the Gaekwars of Baroda started their depredations in this area. Here, due to the presence of the Kathi community and their wide-spread greedy activities, the term Kathiawar was first coined, which the Britishers later accepted and has been used widely. Before independence, most of Kathiawar was divided into numerous princely states, ruled by local potents who acknowledged British sovereignty in return of local autonomy. The rest of the peninsula, chiefly in the east along the Gulf of Khambhat, were districts ruled directly by the British. The entire peninsula was part of British India s Bombay Presidency. Upon independence, Kathiawar became a part of India. The former princely states of Kathiawar were grouped into the new province of Saurashtra, which became a state in In 1956, Saurashtra was merged into Bombay State, and in 1960, Bombay state was divided along linguistic lines into the new states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Diu, an island town formerly part of Portuguese India and now part of the Indian union territory of Daman and Diu lies off the south coast of Kathiawar. Diu remained in Portuguese hands until 1961, and then became integrated into India as part of the union territory of Daman and Diu in The major cities of Kathiawar are Rajkot in the center of the peninsula, Jamnagar on the Gulf of Kachchh, Bhavnagar on the Gulf of Khambhat, Surendranagar and the historic city Wadhwan in the central portion of Gujarat, Porbandar on the west coast, historic city of Junagadh on the South. Alang is one of the world s largest ship breaking yards in Bhavnagar and Reliance Oil Refinery at Jamnagar also boasts the same global status. The city of Somnath and its famous temple of one of the 12 Jyotirlings in India are also located on the 8 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

25 south coast. The other equally famous and important town is Dwarka, where Lord Krishna is worshipped. Palitana is sacred to the Jains and is one of a kind in India, with hundreds of temples atop a hill. Sasan located in the Gir Forest is a staging post for Lion Safaris, being the only habitat of the Asiatic lion in Asia. The natural vegetation in most of the Gujarat is xeric scrub, part of the North-western thorn scrub forests eco-region. A range of low hills, known as the Gir Hills, occupies the southcentral portion of the peninsula. The highest of these is Girnar mountain at Junagadh. The hills are home to an enclave of tropical dry broadleaf forest, part of the Kathiawar Gir dry deciduous forests. Other than Gir PAs, Blackbuck National Park (Velavadar) on the Gulf of Khambhat, Barda Sanctuary in Porbandar and Marine National Park, on the Gulf of Kachchh near Jamnagar are also important conservation areas of this peninsula. Figure 2.1 Land use/ Land cover map of Gir Landscape Gir is one of the oldest sanctuaries in India, which is synonymous with the majestic Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica). Gir forest has become a very stable ecosystem with tremendous Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 9

26 regenerating, self supporting and self sustaining capacity due to its richness of biodiversity on one hand and appropriate management interventions from time to time and whole hearted support of culturally rich local communities on the other hand. The protected area earned global acclaim for its success. This management plan has been proposed for Gir National Park and Sanctuary, Pania Sanctuary, Mitiyala Sanctuary, peripheral notified forests and coastal forests. All together these protected areas and managed forests are hereby called as Gir Protected Areas (Gir PAs). Gir forest located in the Kathiawar or Saurashtra peninsula of Gujarat state of India is the largest biologically intact continuous tract of forest and only abode of the Asiatic lion in the world. It is situated between Latitude 20 o 40 N to 21 o 50 N and Longitude 70 o 50 N and 70 o 50 E to 71 o 15 E. It stretches over a length of about 70 km from west to east and 40 km from north to south. The Gir PAs is 40 km from coast. 10 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

27 The total area of Gir National Park and Sanctuary extends to km² of which the National Park comprises of km² surrounded by km² of Gir Sanctuary. Another area known as Pania Sanctuary of km² and Mitiyala Sanctuary of km² constitutes an integral part of Gir forest have also been included as part of the Gir PAs. Additionally, there are a buffer area of reserved forest ( km²), protected forest ( km²) and unclassed forest (77.63 km²) comprising of valuable grassland and forests, which makes the total Gir PAs to km². The major portion of Gir forest covering an area of km² falls in Junagadh district, while the rest of km² in Amreli district. Apart from the PAs, km² of forests and coastal plantations constitute the multiple use zones mainly on periphery of Gir forests. The entire forest area covered under this management plan is distributed between Gir West and Gir East Forest divisions. Gir forest is situated around 60 km south-east of district headquarter of Junagadh, the district head-quarter of Junagadh and around 50 km south-west of Amreli, the district head-quarter of Amreli. Gir, the last abode of Asiatic Lions, falls in Bio-geographic Zone-4 (Semi-arid) and Biotic Province 4-B Gujarat Rajwara. Gir is the largest compact tract of dry deciduous forest in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat State and is synonymous with the Asiatic lion. The Gir ecosystem can take legitimate pride in saving the rare and threatened species from the threshold of extinction at the beginning of last century by providing it a relatively secured habitat. The most important aspect of Gir is that it has become a very stable ecosystem with tremendous regenerating, self supporting and self sustaining capacity due to its rich and diverse fauna and flora. The area supports a rich biodiversity comprising of 606 different plant species. The unique ecosystem of Gir supports a diverse assemblage of wild fauna harbouring about 39 species of mammals, 37 species of reptiles and over 300 species of birds and more than 2000 species of insects. It is a breeding ground for many migratory birds. The culture of Saurashtra in general and Gir in particular has evolved as fondly referred by people of Gir. Human civilizations have their roots in natural environment. Natural ecosystems with rich biological diversity and bountiful natural resources have supported rich human cultures. In the arid and semi-arid regions of Saurashtra, due to its geo-climatic Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 11

28 environs, Gir forests exist as an oasis. People of Saurashtra have revered this natural entity as a God given gift since ages and have tried to keep up its pious honour. In the past, there was enough for every one as the element of satisfaction, and contentment was inspired by nature, instead of greed. People lived harmoniously with the nature at natural pace of living. For many, there was ample time to pursue cultural activities, and spiritual inspiration and experience of Gir helped the society to develop higher cultural traits like tolerance, contentment, simplicity, universal concern, social harmony etc. Religion struck strong roots in Gir and Girnar. Wild animals like lions, eagles, falcons, deers, crocodiles, peafowls and others inspired towards the traits of chivalry, agility, grace and beauty. People expressed themselves extravagantly in the forms of poems, prayers, dances and handicrafts. Barads have described Gir and denizens of Gir in Duhas and Chhand, (special forms of poems), which have become precious treasure for future generations. Shri Sambhu Prasad Desai, a noted historian and civil servant, has presented his tributes in the form of collection of folklores and folk songs, thus contributing his mite in introducing and conserving this culture. As it has happened with several rich cultures, its richness attracted many savage invasions. People of the northern and western India including of Gir fought those invaders bravely like Sinh (lion) and brave people proudly adopted the suffix Sinh with their names. However, if Gir is viewed as physical resource having only commercial value, both life-support system and dependent culture would collapse with disastrous Gir is one of the oldest sanctuaries in the India, which is synonymous with the majestic Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica). Gir forest has become a very stable ecosystem with tremendous regenerating, self supporting and self sustaining capacity due to its richness of biodiversity on one hand while on other hand appropriate management interventions from time to time and whole hearted support of culturally rich local communities. The protected area earned global acclaim for its success. This ecosystem forms a part of south central highlands in Saurashtra region and is a catchment of important rivers like Shetrunji, Hiran, Saraswati, Singhoda, Machhundri, Raval and Datardi. The forest of Gir help recharge the water table due to infiltration and percolation in conjunction with soil and moisture conservation. The continuous forest covers over a large tract also exert significant moderating effect on the climate in the region. The Gir forest also helps in reducing the salinity problem on the southern coast of Saurashtra. Thus, Gir 12 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

29 is a boon to farmers inhabiting the peripheral environs by ensuring sustained agricultural and horticultural production to them. Also, it is a potential place to be a centre for creating environmental awareness and imparting nature education. Presence of the Asiatic lion, aesthetic beauty of the area and famous Somnath temple near Gir have made this place a popular destination for visitors. Gir PA Values Largest compact tract of dry deciduous forests in semi-arid western India Last home of free ranging Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) in the world Rich biodiversity area supporting a large number of species comprising more than 600 plant species, 37 species of wild mammals, 38 species of reptiles, about 310 species of birds and more than 2,000 species of insects, including several endangered species High concentration of top carnivores -- over 1000 lions and leopards, and about 800 marsh crocodiles Catchment area of seven important regional rivers, which sustain economic prosperity of this drought prone region Important area for biological research and tourism, with considerable scientific, educational, inspirational, aesthetic and recreation values Mother of cultural and religious evolution in Saurashtra 2.2 Gir management history The people of Saurashtra have revered this natural entity as a God given gift and lived in harmony with nature. They have experienced-based knowledge of the benefits accruing from Gir to them. The local culture based on the self-acquired knowledge and the spiritual faith, therefore, is conservation oriented. Gir itself has had a very sparse, resident, pastoral human population, who were nomadic and recently turned to semi nomadic and more recently to sedentary habits. Asiatic lion conservation was initiated in the early 20th century when the then ruler of the princely state Junagadh imposed hunting regulations. Systematic forest management was initiated with the first Forest Working Plan in the year During the post Indian independence period the conservation efforts have been continued and strengthened by adopting the Protected Area strategy, which notified Gir as a Sanctuary in Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 13

30 Asiatic Lion Gir PAs chronicles the annals of a magnificent conservation history of many decades, to the national and international community of naturalists, writers, hunters and conservationists. Due to the rich floral and faunal diversity, the habitat supports a typical semi-arid fauna, and hold only surviving population of endangered Asiatic lion. This rare and endangered species has been saved from the threshold of extinction to a relatively secure status due to excellent managerial efforts and support of local people. In 1878 to 1914, the forests were managed by revenue department. During 1915 to 1934, a working plan was developed by Ratnagar in From 1935 onwards, simple coppice system was introduced and was followed till Gir forests from were worked as per Acharya s plan from , but 14 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

31 emphasis of management shifted towards the conservation of wildlife from Revision of the Acharya plan was taken in hand in 1969 to change traditional approach of working of forests to wildlife management and the revision work was completed by Joshi in The entire working plan of the Gir forests was based on the concept of biodiversity conservation, and improvement of habitat in favour of wildlife. A comprehensive management plan for the Gir Sanctuary and National Park, alternately and appropriately named as Biodiversity conservation plan, for the Gir was prepared by Dr. H. S. Singh, the then Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Circle, Junagadh and Shri R. D. Kamboj, the then Deputy Conservator of Forests, Gir West Forest Division. The plan was prepared for 10 years and was approved by the competent authority in January, In year 2006 supplimentry management plan was prepared by B. J. Pathak that focused on protection and ecodevelopment activities in Gir PA. The present management plan written by R. L. Meena and Sandeep Kumar (2012) focusses on Landscape Conservation Approach through community participation. In the early 1990s, the Gir PA was selected and invited to participate in the planning for the Ecodevelopment project by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India (GOI). It is now one of the seven PA sites covered under the India Ecodevelopment Project of the Government of India funded by the Global Environmental Facility and International Development Agency through the World Bank. 2.3 Importance of Gir management Gir Protected Area (Gir PAs) is one of the most important forest ecosystems in the western India for the long-term conservation of the flagship species - Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica). It also harbours many threaten and endangered wild flora and fauna. The protected area encompasses diverse vegetation, and has natural linkages with several other PAs in the region viz., Girnar Sanctuary, Mitiyala Sanctuary, Pania Sanctuary, Shetrunji river basin, Forests of Bhavnagar and Amreli divisions and also coastal forest areas. Though the connectivity between Gir PAs and these forest units may be weak, there is ample scope for ensuring gene flow from the Gir PAs the main conservation unit by resorting to appropriate site-specific restorative management. Thus, Gir PA is considerably significant as a conservation nucleus. Besides, it affords ample scope for fostering eco-regional Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 15

32 development to complement the conservation initiatives. These considerations facilitate the formation of goals for scientific management and conservation of Gir PAs. The broad management goals of Gir PAs are following: Maintain overall species diversity and prevent their extinction. Serve as the core conservation unit for the long-term conservation of the flagship species Asiatic lion and other endangered and threatened wildlife population of the area. Reduce dependency of local villagers on surrounding forests and forest resources through participation and site-specific initiatives. Sustainable and economically viable ecotourism involving the host communities, apart from initiatives for eliciting public support and awareness for conservation. Enhanced inter-sector and inter-agency coordination for eco-regional development in the landscape which would complement conservation initiatives in the core unit to facilitate gene-flow through natural vegetal corridors. One of the important management objectives of Gir PA is to involve people in a participatory manner to strengthen conservation and to reduce negative impacts on the biodiversity through providing appropriate eco-development inputs in the villages around the Gir PAs through site-specific micro-plan. 2.4 Anthropogenic issues and problems related to Gir PA management Destruction of habitat due to grazing by domestic livestock of Maldharis, the inforest settlers. Traffic movement on roads passing through PA. Railway line inside the PA. Expansion of temple complexes and increase in number of people visiting religious places. Changing land use pattern outside the protected area, especially in agriculture sector. Withdrawal of water below critical limit from the reservoirs inside the PA. PA staff and people conflict. 16 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

33 Increase in tourism related problem, development of infrastructure nearby the PA. Ever growing human and livestock population in nesses, forest settlement and peripheral villages. Setting up of new industries in coastal zone. Mining/quarrying in coastal zone and peripheral areas. Fragmentation of vegetal connectivity linking the Gir PAs to other protected areas owing to biotic pressure. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 17

34 18 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

35 Chapter-3 Eco-development: Background and Concept

36 3.1 The back ground of the eco-development project Biodiversity conservation is an essential part of natural resources management, because it not only maintains ecological and ecosystemic balance, it also provides social benefits. Conservation of biodiversity observed since hoary past, as it comes under customary practices. In modern day, the best way of biodiversity conservation is done through protected area management. The definition of protected area by IUCN (1994) as follows: An Area of land and / or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means. The Wildlife (protection) Act, 1972 which laid the foundation of creating protected areas on stable footing also envisage that no person can have any right within the boundaries of the National Park and Sanctuaries, is suggesting thereby rehabilitation of large number of families and villages, which have been proposed and included within the boundaries of the protected areas. This along with the restrictions imposed on peripheral villages along the boundary of PA, to use the PA resources, has created large-scale discontentment in the affected population. Over the years it has been realized that the effective management of PA is not possible without addressing the legitimate needs of the stake holder population. This situation has given rise to the idea of Eco-development. Thus Eco-development basically is required to deal with following situations. Conservation of bio-diversity under present global socio-economic scenario Adverse impacts of human and livestock population on protected areas and Adverse impacts of protected area management and wild animals on the human population and their property. All the works proposed to be done under eco-development must largely ameliorate or nullify the above adverse impacts essentially with the help and to the satisfaction of stakeholder population. 20 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

37 3.2 Protected areas in developing countries Dating from ancient times, specific locales have been protected, either as sacred groves preserved for religious reasons, or as recreational and aesthetic parks for royalty and the nobles.the modern impetus for the protection of the specific locales is based on the natural beauty and uniqueness. Thus, protected areas have long been recognized as playing a crucial role in conserving biodiversity. From this point, the movement for establishing protected areas have been led by conservation interests, and subsequently government policy makers in the developed countries. But these efforts in many of the developing countries are at serious risk because of the hardships they impose on members of local community, (Wells & Brandon, 1992). The establishment of protected areas in developing countries has placed the heavy burden on local communities, which has proven to be a gross disincentive to effective conservation (Wells, 1992). Any attempts geared toward wildlife conservation have to run up against the harsh reality of rapidly increasing human population living below the poverty line (in most of the cases). In situations where wildlife conservation is at odds with the livelihood of local communities, the former is always at the loosing end owing to the fact that when it comes to setting priorities, members of local communities complain that their interests and values are often pushed aside, and exclusive preference is being given to wildlife protection (Nepal & Weber, 1995). Traditional approaches to park management have generally been unsympathetic to the constraints facing local people, relying more on guarding, patrolling and penalizing people to exclude them as far as possible. However, in the developing countries, looking at the socio-economic and cultural traditions, the newer approaches to protected area management that are attempting to address the needs of nearby communities by emphasizing local participation and by combining conservation with development, are more pertinent. In view of the above, relevance of attitudinal assessment of stakeholders and people in and around PA is much more significant in developing countries. 3.3 Conceptual frameworks The establishment and management of protected area is one of the most important ways of ensuring that the world s natural resources are conserved, so that they can better meet the material and cultural needs of mankind now and in the future: The conservation of Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 21

38 living resources is essential for sustainable development. Protected areas also contribute to the conservation of living resources and to sustainable development by maintaining the environment stability of the surrounding region and thereby reducing the intensity of floods and droughts, protecting the soil from erosion and limiting the extremes of local climates; maintaining the productive capacity of eco-systems, thus ensuring the continuing availability of water and plant and animal products. Since last five decades protected areas network has expanded rapidly, particularly in developing countries. Throughout the world, there is a strong determination to preserve the natural heritage. This determination is expressed in the form of financial contributions to conservation organisations and political pressure on governments to establish additional protected areas or to enforce ban on trade in endangered species. Although some pre-colonial governments also established protected areas but independent national governments also continued to maintain and extend the protected area network. 3.4 National parks and neighbouring communities Growing awareness of the complexity of the links between poverty, development, and the environment has led to a search for ways to link conservation with development, to make development more people oriented and conservation centered. The present day integrated conservation development approach attempts to ensure the conservation of biological diversity by reconciling the management of protected areas with the social and economic needs of local people. The conservation development approach encompasses understanding and evaluation in conservation thinking with a greater emphasis on the broader societal role of protected areas and their potential contribution to sustainable development. The conservation-development approach has three steps: Protected area management activities, Establishment of buffer zones and Local social and economic development activities. Understanding the complex and variable relationships between the protected areas and dependent local communities- particularly the protected areas and all adverse impacts posed by local people requires site-specific analysis. 22 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

39 3.5 Local people and protected areas A large number of local people surrounding the protected areas derive sustainable benefits from protected areas. The success of management depends very much on the degree of support and respect awarded to the protected area by neighboring communities. When the protected areas are seen as something, which does not belong to them, local people can make protection impossible. When the protected area is seen as a positive benefit, the local people will themselves become allied with the manager in protecting the area from threatening developments. There are many ways in which local people can benefit from protected areas, like some resources from certain protected areas and buffer zones, preservation of traditional rights and cultural practices and special preference given to local residents in employment or social services. Nevertheless, there are limits that must be placed on exploitative uses if resource areas are to fulfil their primary protective functions. Managers must know where to draw the line. 3.6 Participatory management concerns in PA Developmental planning in protected areas is conducted by government departments, by educated and urbanised who live in a different culture. In this way, incorporating participatory concern in PA management become a crucial question. Even if planners recognise that they have different perspectives than those of local people, they tend to consult with rural elite living close to roads rather than discovering the real needs of poor, uneducated and powerless people of remote areas (Chambers, 1983). Although planners claim that two way information flow exists, in reality, the information flow is top down. Planners also claim that rural populations are not able to diagnose their problems or needs and they are completely incapable of devising strategies for their own development. When locals participate in planning, they are the traditional elites having political knowledge and power to influence outcomes in their direction resulting in the capturing of major benefits by local elites. Ideally, protected areas should be managed with substantial active input from local participation and should generate sufficient economic benefits to guarantee local support for conservation. But in reality, planners have the objective of improving people - park relationship and reducing resulting conflicts. A more in-depth self-analysis through planners Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 23

40 and others is required to state what we really mean by participation and how we can effectively practice it for the genuine benefit of park and people. In this regard various Eco-development committees have been established around Gir PA with the two-fold objective of improving people park relationship and local development. However what people think about them and their efficacy at present is a question to be surveyed critically. 3.7 Pluralism in protected area management The above analysis justifies that forest management is no more dominated by a single technical authority, rather moving in the direction where values and objectives appear to be Plural, conditional, incomparable, and incommensurate (Daniels and Walker, 1997). In the urgent context, the concept of pluralism (Clement, 1997) has become especially relevant to understand the dynamics of protected areas management and rural development. Pluralism, in the present context, is based on the assumption that there is no single technical solution to any protected area management problems. There are multiple values and objectives which are not solely the result of ignorance and are of specific interests. This concept has emerged as a result of international recognition of the role of all the major stake- holders in protected area management which are getting reinforced by NGOs in particular and other groups in general. Identification of the principal stakeholders in the protected areas allows creating a mental map of the range of interests involved in management situation. Following two cases elaborate the pluralistic concerns in U.S. and India. 3.8 People Vs Gir PA: Major issues Stakeholders in and around Gir PA exert tremendous biotic pressure for grass, fuelwood and small timber in particular. Since these are prime necessities of people and livestock. And in the absence of acceptable alternatives. People, especially the poor have no alternative except the Gir PA. The 917 households of the Maldharis and settlers are wholly dependent on Gir forests for their requirements, whereas the 97 adjoining villagers are partially dependent on PA. Attempts have been made to meet this demand by raising fuelwood plantations along the coastal border. Due to strict measures adopted by the sanctuary, illegal removal 24 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

41 of fuelwood has been drastically curtailed but the pressure remains. Revenue villagers now depend heavily on the surrounding wasteland, unclassed forest, protected and reserve forest to meet their requirements. Maldhari of Gir Similarly, the ecosystem provides grass and leaf fodder for the survival of more than 1.25 lakhs cattle per year. The sanctuary area, because of protection measures, produces large quantity of grass during monsoon. Degradation of the peripheral areas compels the people to send their cattle inside within PA thus leading to frequent conflicts. In addition nearly 30 lakh kgs of grass is harvested and stored for scarcity prone areas of Saurashtra and Kachchh. Not only grass and wood, but NTFP collected from the PA is an important source of livelihood for poor. The Gir PA has a network of roads and railway being used by tourists, pilgrims, daily commuters, industries (for goods transportation) and by the management staff. Total Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 25

42 road length in Gir is approximately 600 kilometers and railway covers 15 kilometer tracks. Continuous vehicular movement causes disturbance to the wildlife but provides pleasure to the passengers. A number of accidental deaths of wild animals are also reported every year due to fast moving heavy vehicles. More than 2 lakhs vehicles pass through the Gir every year causing sound and air pollution on one hand and affecting the management on the other hand. Soil and moisture conservation works have improved the moisture regime in the surrounding areas. As a result, many land owners have dug open wells for irrigation of their crops. These wells have become dangerous for the wildlife that ventures outside Gir PA for food etc. In the past, religious places were the entity for the spiritual and cultural heritage, having the natural surroundings. But the changing trend for the establishment of trust and management has slowly diverting the theme of these places from spiritual to pleasure and other gains that have been deteriorating the ecosystem. Destruction of natural surroundings of PA, increasing disturbance and escalating population of wild animals, force them to move outside the PA. And thus, they cause damage to crops and livestock. Also, the cases of human injuries and deaths have increased, especially because of leopard. Hence, the man-animal conflict cases are increasing, threatening the wildlife in turn. Besides, the resources in Gir and environmental issues are governed by a web of interests, conflicts and trade-offs between different sets of local people, government departments and local planners (Shrivastava, 1997), which are mentioned as under: Divergent interests competing over the same resource. Religious favour overpowering conservation. Restriction on use of roads passing through Gir PA. The Problem of Gauchar NTFP collection. Agriculture Vs forestry interest. Damage by wild life 26 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

43 Tourists expectations. Local press and wildlife. Looking at the above issues and conflicts, the attitudinal assessment of people about park and park s resources has become a very pertinent research need. 3.9 India Eco-development Project at Gir Eco development Activity The concept of eco-development for the India Eco-development Project (IEDP) and the project itself were developed through a broad based consultative process between and the project document was finally prepared and agreed to in September The process involved the participation of the Government of India, the state governments, the World Bank, PA field directors, reputed institutions and Non Government Organisations and individual experts. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 27

44 Beneficiaries of Eco-development activity 28 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

45 The IEDP is being implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, GOI and various State Forest Departments, including the Gujarat Forest Department (GFD) for the Gir PA. The project beneficiaries are the globally important protected areas and people in and around of these areas. The Project is categorised as a programme of targeted interventions for globally significant biodiversity. Check dam As per the project document, the aim of the eco-development strategy is to conserve biodiversity by addressing both the impact of the local people on the protected areas and the impact of protected areas on local people and it has two main thrusts, viz. (a) improvement of the PA management and (b) involvement of the local people. The project would conserve biodiversity by implementing the eco-development strategy in and around seven protected areas (including the Gir PA) and would also include support for future biodiversity projects. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 29

46 The main objectives of IEDP at Gir were: To improve capacity of PA management to conserve biodiversity and increase opportunities for local participation in PA management activities and decisions To reduce negative impacts of local people on biodiversity, reduce negative impacts of PAs on local people, and increase collaboration of local people in the conservation efforts To develop more effective and extensive support for eco-development To ensure effective management of this project, and to prepare future biodiversity projects. 30 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

47 Chapter-4 Past Inputs and Process of Eco-development in Gir PA

48 4.1 Resettlement of Maldharies The most important human component of the Gir ecosystem has been the population of resident Maldharis the livestock owners and professional pastorals. They belong to a devoutly religious pastoral community who have been an integral part of Gir forest for over 125 years. They used to live in about 129 small unhygienic settlements called nesses scattered all over the Gir forest. Each ness consisted of 6 to 7 houses with an extended family of about 6 persons in each house. They are physically robust, courageous and amiable persons and their women folk have a charm of their own. They are used to a nomadic way of life and live on purely vegetarian diet. Sale of dairy products has always been the mainstay of their economy. They earn their livelihood by selling ghee (clarified butter) and milk in the nearby towns and also supplement their income by selling dung manure. Their domestic livestock mainly includes buffaloes and cows, though they also possess camels which are mainly used for transportation of goods. Their animals are kept together during 32 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

49 night in circular thorn fenced area and are let loose into the surrounding forests for grazing throughout the day. In the distant past, there was plenty of water and food available in Gir. With its natural prey available in abundance, the lion was not mainly interested in domestic livestock and it was, therefore, not much difficult for Maldharis to protect their livestock against the depredation by lion with certain amount of vigilance. In-spite of several inconveniences, like as malaria infected areas, absence of good communication facilities and modern amenities, the Maldharis were a contended to lot even though, they were invariably in debt to the local money lenders to whom they sold their milk and dairy products principally in exchange for food grains and cattle feed. With the passage of time, particularly after independence, the conditions in Gir started deteriorating to the detriment of Maldharis. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 33

50 The Maldharis and their livestock also exerted a negative impact on Gir habitat due to consumptive use of both forest products and fodder. The practices such as cutting and lopping of trees for house construction and fodder for livestock, adversely affected the vegetation; and the practices of mixing up top soil and buffalo dung from one km radius around the nesses for sale to outsiders as manure deprived the forest soil of nutrient recycling vital for rejuvenation of the ecosystem. Also some of the aggrieved Maldharis started resorting to poisoning of lions by way of retaliation by sprinkling the carcass with insecticides. Thus, the close kinship and atmosphere of peaceful coexistence which had prevailed between Maldharis and the Gir lions was imperilled and ultimately it became necessary to remove Maldharis from the Gir forest to ensure the very survival and well being of the Gir lions. This, in fact, became the main plank of the prestigious Gir Lion Project launched by the State Government in Gir Lion Project which was formally approved by the State Government vide the Agriculture, Forest and Cooperation Department Resolution No: WLP/1971/P dated , provided for shifting of all permanent Maldhari families from the sanctuary and, their phased resettlement outside Gir PAs by allotting them cultivable and grazing land for their cattle. There were altogether 717 Maldhari families and 12,976 domestic livestock residing in 129 nesses in the Gir PAs. Salient features of the resettlement scheme were as following. The scheme for resettlement of Gir Maldharis provided for granting of 3.2 ha of cultivable land to each Maldhari family and in addition, a plot of 610 m² as house site free of charge. As Maldharis were not conversant with the agricultural practices, their cultivation land was thoroughly ploughed and made fit for sowing agricultural crops at government cost before its allotment to each Maldhari family. For construction of houses at new sites, each family was granted Rs. 2500/- as subsidy and another Rs 2500/- as loan. The household effects of each Maldhari family together with material of their dismantled huts were transported free of cost to the site of the new settlement. In addition to the above, community facilities such as drinking water, primary school, approach road, community centre etc. were also provided by the Government. 34 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

51 4.2 Achievements Between , as against the target of shifting 845 families at an estimated outlay of Rs lakh, only 190 families involving an expenditure of lakh, could be shifted. Initially there was lot of enthusiasm amongst those Maldharis who had been shifted and resettled. And it was proposed to shift the remaining 655 families in the next two to three years, subject to availability of funds. As the atmosphere for shifting of Maldharis was most opportune and they themselves were willing rather anxious to do so, having been adequately motivated by the Forest Department and by their predecessors. However, the programme suffered due to resource crunch and despite this the process of settlement continued upto , 592 families were shifted and out of 129 nesses, 55 nesses were completely abandoned and the rest were partially abandoned. There are no Maldhari nesses in the national park now. Though the resettlement scheme for Maldharis accomplished great success, yet about 326 families inhabiting 45 nesses, remains to be shifted and rehabilitated (Fig. 4.1). The Maldharis are now apprehensive about settlement programme as some relocated families could not do well in agriculture and dairying. Out of economic necessity they work as labourers in other farmer s field in villages and earn their livelihood. 4.3 Forest Settlement Villages Due to inaccessibility of Gir forests and keeping in view the silvicultural operations like artificial regeneration through planting, coupe felling, and minor forest produce collection and fire protection, the Nawab of Junagadh had settled some permanent labourers in the forests. They were granted forest land on lease for cultivation and other purpose in open areas. In addition, they were also given timber for construction of their houses in these forest settlements within the PA. Presently, there are 14 forest settlements, covering an area of 5, ha in Gir forest (Fig. 4.1). There are 556 households with a total human population of 4494 and of about livestock An area of ha has been given as settlement land to the cultivators. Area under cultivation in Sasan settlement is deforested vide notification No: FLD/1067/ P, dated issued by the Agriculture and Cooperation Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 35

52 Department, Government of Gujarat. One of these FSVs, the Shirvan forest settlement village within the PA and approximately 13 km from Sasan is a settlement of Sidhis, who are of the African origin and are classified as Schedule Tribes. They are short, dark skinned, thick lipped, broad flat nosed, had curly haired people with projecting jaws. Their main occupation is agriculture. All these forest settlement villages form part of the sanctuary. The forest lands have been given to the cultivators on lease basis, for agricultural purposes only, initially for 15 years which is renewable after expiry of lease period each time. The cultivators cannot, therefore, sell, mortgage and or gift this land. They are entitled to take agricultural crops only on such areas. If they defy any conditions of the lease, the land can be taken back by the Forest Department. The Department carries out all the development works in these settlements under forest settlement scheme and eco-development projects. The socio-economic condition of most of the forest settlers of Gir is entirely different from their counterparts in tribal areas of Gujarat State. Many are economically better off than even their non-settlement counterparts in the adjoining villages. However, in the name of forest settlers, they want parity with Maldharis as far as grazing in the sanctuary is concerned. This has to be discouraged. Similarly, they are discontented with their present status as forest settlers, because they are not eligible to get other facilities such as bank loans for purchase of tractors, installation of tube wells and even crop loans as they cannot mortgage land property granted to them on lease by the Forest Department. Also, due to resource crunch, development works suffer in villages which is the main reason for their discontentment. That is why they are raising demand for converting their village into revenue villages, which of course is ridden with several problems as far as management of the sanctuary and the reserved forest area is concerned. 4.4 Peripheral Villages There are 97 villages within a periphery of 5 km from the Gir Sanctuary. The boundary of sanctuary falls in seven talukas of Amreli and Junagadh districts. These talukas are Dhari, Khambha, Una, Talala, Malia, Mendarda and Visavadar. The main occupation of people of these villages is agriculture and animal husbandry. The agricultural land surrounding Gir is 36 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

53 fertile and hence there is a constant pressure on the forest for encroachment. Increasingly, the much valued Kesar variety of mango is grown in agricultural fields. The agriculturists keep livestock in moderate number. The landless people also keep livestock. These communities do not have any right to graze their livestock in the sanctuary or collect forest produce from the sanctuary Land use Main land use is agriculture with good irrigation facility. Main cropping pattern includes groundnut and Jowar (Sorghum) in monsoon, cotton and wheat in winter and groundnut and fodder in summer. Sugarcane as annual crop is also very common. However, horticulture is fast replacing agriculture, because the Kesar mangoes command ready market and are exported to other countries. Irrigation facility is inadequate in northern and eastern parts of Gir Grazing practices Stall feeding is practiced for milch animals only, whereas most of the cattle depend on gaucher, wasteland and protected forests for grazing. There is a constant pressure on the Gir sanctuary from these cattle during monsoon for grazing. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 37

54 4.4.3 Problems identified Following problems are identified from revenue villages within periphery of 5 km from the Gir Sanctuary. These villages have very high cattle population which along with other migratory cattle during monsoon exert tremendous pressure on the sanctuary. Heavy grazing also stops onward succession in forest, setting in retrogression, which also brings in unpalatable grasses, herbs and shrubs. The wild animals tend to cause damage to agricultural crops of the surrounding villages, which leads to killing of wild animals by poisoning or by subjecting them to electric currents by spreading live wires around the fields. 38 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

55 The soils of the areas surrounding Gir are very fertile, and, therefore seen as a very lucrative proposition leading to encroachment of the forest areas. Few local communities resort to occasional poaching which has been reduced due to extensive protection network. 4.5 Socio-Economic Aspects and Eco-Development Project Around four decades have passed since the Gir Lion Sanctuary Project was launched in 1972, and the conservation efforts at Gir PAs have succeeded in reviving the biodiversity of this ecosystem. The relocation of Maldhari Nesses from National Park and some parts of Sanctuary resulted in increase in the flagship species, the Asiatic Lion and its wild prey population. This accomplishment is an indicator of the well being of the wilderness. Gir management has recorded a very satisfactory and steadily upward trend in the population dynamics of lion and its prey. However, during initial first few decades, the conservation efforts were mainly focussed on the Core Zone only. But due to recent increase in the wildlife population it is now important to focus on peripheral forest areas, eco-sensitive zone and human settlements around them. Forests have a major role in sustaining the livelihoods of the rural population, apart from conserving soil and water. It is evident that the multiple use in surrounds of a protected area must be ecologically sustainable so as to respond to the growing needs of rural communities, thereby allowing the people to participate in the conservation efforts. This alone would ensure the sustenance and survival of the protected area. Conservation oriented eco-development in villages around the peripheral notified forests zone and in eco-sensitive zone was initiated to reduce the dependency of the local inhabitants on the Gir PAs and to elicit public support, and to ensure the linkage through viable corridors with the Core Zone. Because of strong human and wild animal interface at the Maldhari Nesses, FSVs and peripheral villages, inevitable man-wild animal conflict has become a major management concern. The conflict from wild animals to human is in terms of human injury, human death, predation of carnivores on their livestock and crop damage by herbivores. The conflict from men to wild animals and PA is in terms of encroachment and destruction of wild animal habitats, degradation of wildlife habitat due to over grazing and over exploitation of fuel Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 39

56 wood, small timber and non wood forest produces, retaliatory killing of wild animals and pressure on habitat and disturbance to the ecosystem by excessive tourism or non-permitted tourism. Through implementation of appropriate and sound ecodevelopment activities, the negative impact of people on wildlife and biodiversity of Gir and vice-versa are proposed to be minimised. Ecodevelopment activities such as fodder development, soil and moisture conservation, popularization of non-conventional source of energy, improved animal husbandry, employment generation, human-wildlife conflict resolution and crisis management are proposed to be undertaken on micro plan basis. 4.6 Village level monitoring committee Vanyaprani Mitra 40 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

57 It is proposed to form a wildlife monitoring unit in each Range, under the supervision of concerned Range Forest Officer and Assistant Conservators of Forest (ACFs) in the West and East Forest Divisions. In 60 villages and 14 settlement villages, which come under the Ecodevelopment zone, individual village information on presence of big cats may be gathered by volunteers or Vanyaparani Mitra on daily basis in the prescribed format. These formats can then be forwarded to the concerned RFO and ACFs. The volunteers will also work as direct link between Range offices to give latest information on felids presence, kills and also to carry out rescue operation by directly informing the individual Range office and to the Rescue Centres of East and West Forest Division. The village level committee will also monitor the overall development process of village under the Ecodevelopment Project. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 41

58 Other than this, a large number of well-established personnel retired from police, army and other bureaucratic set up have established their farmhouses around Gir PAs. They are well versed with the area around Gir PAs. They will not only be helpful as resource persons in providing the information on the movement of lions and leopards in their respective areas but can render their valuable suggestions and support to mitigate the problem based on their past experience. 4.7 Eco-development Work in Gir PA Eco-development is a strategy for protecting the ecologically valuable areas from unsustainable or otherwise unacceptable pressure resulting from the needs and activities of the people living in and around such areas. It attempts to do this by at least following three means. By identifying, establishing and developing sustainable alternatives to the biomass resources and incomes that are presently being obtained from the protected area. By increasingly involving the people living in and around Gir into conservation planning and implementation in management of the area. By raising the awareness among local communities for the values and conservation needs of the protected area and patterns of economic growth and development which are locally appropriate and environmentally sustainable. The eco-development planning, therefore, needs to be site specific, micro leveled and participatory. In the context of Gir forest, at present, there are about 54 Maldharis nesses in the sanctuary having about 361 families. On the fringe of the sanctuary there are 14 forest settlement villages within the sanctuary with total human population of about 4500 and that of domestic livestock about Within 6 km radius from border of the Gir sanctuary, there are about 97 villages located all around Gir sanctuary. The total human population of these villages is 1,36,000 and that of domestic livestock is 94,600. The basic needs of the communities residing within and on periphery of the sanctuary are for grass and fodder, grazing lands for livestock, fuel wood and small timber, water for irrigation, soil and boulders, free passage, etc. in the protected area. The regulations imposed upon local populations for these activities by the wildlife managers are considered as harassment 42 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

59 by the residents in and around the PA. Further, there are incidences of crop and domestic livestock depredation by wild animals. The cases of human injuries and occasional deaths by wild animals are also reported. This has resulted into strained relations between wildlife managers and the local population. Normally villages located in south of Gir PAs derive more eco-services than villages on northern side of the PA. Thus, villages located on the periphery of north would be selected on priority basis for ecodevelopment works. It is to be seen that proper linkages between ecodevelopment and ongoing departmental works like vidi improvement and restoration of peripheral forests are established. Targets of specific activities under the project are not mentioned in the plan because these would depend on requirements of the micro-plans of the villages. To address the above problems, ecodevelopment scheme is proposed to be prepared. It seeks to reduce the biotic pressure of the fringe population on the Gir forest by taking up eco-friendly programmes on give and take basis, primarily to meet their bonafide requirements which they draw from forests along with the ancillary activities to boost up their economic status. Therefore, the ecodevelopment project for Gir forest is proposed to be formulated with the following considerations. Programmes, which could reduce the dependence of local people on the Gir forest need to be developed. Ensure involvement of local people from within and surrounding villages of Gir forests in protection, conservation and development of habitat for wildlife of the protected areas and to promote values relevant to conservation of biodiversity in them. In order to achieve above, ecodevelopment activities need to be so tailored so they can meet the requirements of the local people through specific programmes like pasture development, checkdam/tank construction, installation of biogas plants, immunization of cattle etc. It is proposed to involve and seek participation of local bodies like panchayats and communities in the programme. The participation of the people right from the planning stage through Participatory Rural Appraisal technique would be ensured and micro-plans for each village would be prepared which would clearly spell the level of local participation in protected area management. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 43

60 4.8 Strategy Adopted The strategy adopted is to reduce the dependency of local communities on the natural resources, through a sustainable management of forests in the peripheral areas and eco-sensitive zone, and create alternative source of income through eco-development programme for the people of targeted villages. The eco-development activities are based on the following: Activities related to forest resources Protection, regeneration and increased productivity of the forest resources of the peripheral areas for fodder, fuel wood, timber and minor forest produces, apart from a greater security of access to these resources for the villagers through the development of participatory management arrangement with Village Level Committees Activities related to the use of non-forest resources Improvement and diversification of non-forest lands (village lands) for improving the productivity of agricultural lands, horticulture, apiculture, water retention, small scale industry for alternate income generation were used Fodder development To reduce grazing pressure on Gir forest by establishing fodder plantations outside the protected area on village common lands, other degraded areas, the protected forests, which are at present in utter state of degradation proposed to be taken up for silvi-pasture development on a priority basis. Though, the villagers may initially resist against taking these areas which are presently being used by them as grazing grounds for their livestock. However, through peoples involvement it should be possible to regenerate these areas. Wherever, possible, irrigated fodder plots will be developed so as to distribute fodder to the villagers. If required, their additional demand for grass would be met by allowing them to collect head loads of grass from the forest area adjoining their villages as well as grass from the fire lines. This will promote stall feeding of livestock which is one of the desirable objectives of the scheme. 44 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

61 4.8.4 Human-wildlife conflict Areas identified where man-animal conflict is very high. Measures such as, digging of trench on periphery of forests, installation of barbed wire fencing for crop protection at such problem points are proposed. To minimise the conflict between wildlife and people, a scheme engaging local people for brief period as wildlife watch team would be implemented. The objective of the scheme would be to provide early warning, prevent possible conflict or damage and to carry out timely wild animal rescue operations. An ambulance van with first aid facilities would be provided. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 45

62 46 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

63 Human Wildlife Conflict Arrangement of such approach is to be made by local administration as per local situation and requirement. Nature clubs and NGOs working in the area would be consulted for this purpose and DCF concerned would decide such scheme by involving local communities. Through the coordination with the other departments, DCF will take certain steps for providing adequate street lights in human habitations outside the PA in its vicinity and supply of electricity for irrigation during the time etc. The plan proposed to consider and design a mechanism for ploughing back the tourism revenue for local area socio-economic development so as to enhance the participation of local communities in the conservation programmes. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 47

64 4.8.5 Other activities Programmes for livestock improvement, grazing regulation, and the use of energy efficient and alternative sources of energy to cover the interface between forests and other sectors are proposed. 4.9 Process of Eco-development The general approach to the eco-development planning process involved creation of village level micro institutions i.e. Eco-development Committees (EDC), followed by site-specific micro planning through Participatory Rural Appraisal with the local people. The manager of the protected area shall constitute a spearhead team headed by wildlife warden of the area. This team will consist of various officers and employees of different levels like Range Forest Officers, Range Foresters and Beat Guards. The team shall also include a member of nongovernmental organization and one lady representative Selection of villages Villages having crop raiding by wild animals, cattle grazing in the forest and maximum man-animal conflict will be selected Villages matenet maximum biotic pressure and where people are unknowingly destroying the protected area Villages which are very close and within the Sanctuary and to the reserved forests Participatory process Necessary provisions will be made in the village microplan for implementation and monitoring. The inhabitants of the target villages were the guiding spirit, who gave necessary motivation for the creation of the respective Village Level Committees. The target villages are in close proximity to the PA, and the inhabitants are familiar with the ongoing conservation efforts. Though many of the villagers earn their livelihood from the labour oriented works, there are quite a few interface problems warranting timely redressal. Adoption of a participatory approach through the Village Level Committee for providing reasonable alternatives would ensure the much-needed public support for the protected area. 48 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

65 The Village Level Committees of target villages would have the joint responsibility to ensure that the provisions of the microplan are successfully implemented. The cooperation for implementation has to be sought, as and when required, from various State Government Agencies, Government of India, and Public Representatives Institutional framework Village Level Committees will be formed in all the target villages of Gir PAs, in accordance with the Government resolution. These would be autonomous under the respective Gram Panchayat with independent financial and management functions. The composition of the individual Village Level Committees is furnished in the site-specific micro-plan. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 49

66 4.9.4 Awareness, Education and Interpretation The implementing agency would be responsible for imparting the necessary skills to frontline staff of the Gir PAs for site-specific micro-planning. Further, the agency would frequently convene village level meetings for promoting awareness amongst the local inhabitants, apart from carrying out meaningful interpretation of PA values Coverage of the villages under IEDP The IEDP - Gir PA covers the Gir PA including the Gir National Park and Sanctuary, Paniya Sanctuary and adjoining villages. Mitiyala was not notified as a PA when the project was launched, and, hence, the Mityala Sanctuary is not covered by it. There are 98 villages within a 2 km. radius of the Gir PA, including Paniya sanctuary; but excluding the Mitiyala sanctuary. Out of these 98 villages, 58 villages have been covered under the IEDP. Besides the villages located outside the Gir PA, 14 forest settlement villages and 45 Nesses [Maldhari hamlets] located inside Gir have been covered under the project Institutional arrangements The Government of Gujarat s Department of Forests and Environment has vide its resolution (WLP G) dated June 4, 1997 provided for the constitution of the village Ecodevelopment Committee [EDCs] and defined its functions, duties and responsibilities.. The members elect the president of the committee whereas a nominated forest official [Forester or Forest Guard] acts as the secretary. The Gujarat Forest Department, through its organisational set up and EDCs, implement the project activities. For the Gir PA the Chief Wildlife Warden of the Gujarat state, the Conservator of Forests and the Field Director of the Gir PA and three Deputy Conservator of Forests heading two territorial wildlife divisions and an overlapping wildlife division represent the GFD. For the project purpose, the territorial wildlife divisions are assigned mainly the tasks of the improved PA management and village eco-development. The overlapping wildlife division is mainly assigned the tasks of environment education and awareness, eco- tourism, wildlife health and rescue, and monitoring and research. 50 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

67 4.12 Improved PA Management The activities under this component are planned and carried out as per the approved management plan of the Gir PA. The major categories of the improved PA management activities under the project are as under: PA consolidation including the survey and demarcation, boundary pillars, signboards, encroachment eviction, strengthening check posts, etc. Ecosystem management, including providing water to wild animals, forest fire prevention, management and maintenance of patrolling roads, cross drainage or cause way for better all season communication, etc. Habitat improvement and restoration, including eradication of the invasive alien species, soil and water conservation works, grassland improvement works, etc Infrastructure development, including wireless communication, watchtowers, vehicles, wild animals hospital, strengthening wild animal rescue facilities, improving laboratory, purchase of equipments for field works such as GPS, office equipment such as photocopier, computers, etc. Monitoring and planning including revising management plan, ecological monitoring of the habitat and biodiversity by an ecologist and field staff, socio-economic monitoring by a sociologist, base line mapping, purchase of remote sensing data, etc. Staff amenities including staff residential facility, office improvement and staff equipment. Project contractual staff to handle additional project tasks Operations and maintenance activities Village Eco-development The first few steps for the implementation of the village ecodevelopment component of the project were (i) to carry out a survey of the dependency of local people on the PA (ii) to carry out the socio-economic surveys of the villages to be covered under the project, (iii) communicate the project concepts to the villagers and motivate them to participate in the project activities (iv) constitute Village Ecodevelopment Committees and (v) prepare micro plans for the Village Ecodevelopment activities. These tasks were initiated immediately Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 51

68 at the launch of the project implementation. Local NGOs were engaged to carry out socioeconomic surveys while the Indian Institute of Rural Management, Anand was engaged as consultant to communicate the project provisions, prepare Village Eco-development micro plans and assist in implementation. Three model micro plans were prepared, one each for revenue village, forest settlement village and Ness and submitted to the World Bank for approval. The approved model micro plans were used for further village micro planning. Due to a variety of reasons the micro plan preparation was slow and precious project time was being lost without implementation. In order to complete the plans within the stipulated time, a team of trained local individuals was engaged on a contract basis and assigned the task of micro plan preparation under the supervision and direction of the officers of the Gujarat Forest Department. The delay in micro plan preparation in the initial period resulted in the late initiation of the village eco-development activities. This delay was inevitable, as the project design did not allow separate advance period for micro plan preparation. However, the extended project period compensated for this shortcoming and provided adequate time to carry out the village Eco-development works as planned. Ecokunj in Dhanej Village 52 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

69 The village eco-development activities under the project are categorised as under: A. Household activities, including Agriculture equipment. Agriculture irrigation facility. Agriculture land improvement. Alternate fuel facility [LPG/Bio Gas]. Animal husbandry Non wood housing facility Horticulture Self employment B. Community activities, including Community income generation. Community building facility. Community water harvesting Protection wall / fencing Road repairing. School/Education. Drinking water facility. Other community works. The village EDC s executive committees meet regularly to plan, implement and monitor its activities. The general body of the EDC also meets frequently. A system of monitoring the reciprocal commitment has also been established. Besides the activities listed above, other activities aimed at capacity building of the EDCs and their members, such as training programmes, workshops and meetings, exposure visits, were also carried out under this component of the project Environment Education and Awareness (EE&A) As discussed earlier, the Gir PA has a strong environment education and awareness programme under the State Plan scheme. This scheme provides for activities such as Nature Education Camps for various target groups, orientation centres, forest awareness centres, interpretation services, tours, programmes for important environment and conservation related days and weeks, etc. The GFD carefully plans the target group to build local partnerships in conservation and to maintain a desirable balance between the local and Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 53

70 visitors groups. During the project implementation these activities were further strengthened. The Centre for Environment Education (CEE), Ahmedabad was engaged as the consultant to develop the conceptual framework for further strengthening the EE&A activities in Gir. The CEE was further engaged to implement the Gir Environment Education activities in and around the Gir PA. The CEE implemented the following activities: Nature Education camp for students 54 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

71 Activities for the communities around Gir PA Mobile exhibition -- preparing the exhibition and taking the exhibition to villages along with a slide show Celebratory programmes on Environment-related days including the World Forestry Day, the World Environment Day and the World Biodiversity Day Production of an audio cassette of folk songs narrating the importance of Gir PA and its biodiversity Production of booklet on Gir Ecology Production of an eco-development manual Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 55

72 Two workshops for the resident Maldharis on their socio economic conditions, impact of grazing on biodiversity and Gir conservation values Activities for the Gir PA management staff Workshop on ecotourism Production of manual on EE activities Production of a field guide on birds and mammals of the Gir PA Activities for tourists Training for guides Production of My profile form for tourists Production of Oath Sheet for the tourists Activities for Pilgrims Hoardings at temple sites Production of a booklet for pilgrims Production of picture post cards for pilgrims Production of a pamphlet on conservation values as depicted in the Holy Scriptures Activities for schools near Gir PA Training of teachers Voluntary examination of students on the subject of Environment Production of teachers manual Production of nature education manual Besides the activities jointly implemented by the GFD and the consultant organisation (CEE Ahmadabad), the GFD carried out other EE&A activities, like establishment of the Gir Conservation and Environment Education Centres (GCEECs) in eight schools, one each in the eight talukas [sub-district] adjoining Gir. The GCEECs are also networking with other schools in their respective talukas as well as with the state-level organisations such as the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research Foundation, the CEE, etc. The GFD also continues 56 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

73 to implement its regular programmes of nature education, orientation exhibition and interpretation service for tourists, supporting eco-clubs and National Green Corps in schools, etc. under the State Plan funded activities. Upgradation of the Devaliya orientation centre is planned under the IEDP Impact monitoring and Research As part of the GFD administration, the Wildlife Division headquarter at Sasan is assigned the responsibility of research and monitoring in the Gir PA. Therefore, under the project also, the task of coordinating the research, monitoring and studies is assigned to the Wildlife Division, Sasan. A committee chaired by the Chief Wildlife Warden, with CF, Wildlife Circle and the Field Director, Gir PA as well as three Deputy Conservator of Forests as members, organise and supervise the monitoring and research activities under the project. The following research and monitoring activities have been carried out under the project: No. Name of consultant /agency Name of project 1 Dr. S.P. Sinha Study on impact of tourism in Gir PA 2 Dr. S.P. Sinha Study on man-animal conflict in and around the Gir PA 3 M.S. University, Vadodara Dr. P.H. Parikh Study on lesser known fauna of Gir, particularly with reference to invertebrate 4 Saurashtra Uni. Rajkot Study on satellite population of Asiatic lion Dr. V.C.Soni 5 IIFM-Bhopal, Dr. Debnath. Assessment of people s attitude towards park resources In addition to above listed research study projects the GFD also carried out several departmental short term studies listed as under: Impact of livelihood practices of Maldharis on wildlife habitat in Gir Protected Area Impact of changing cropping pattern on man-animal conflict in and around Gir Protected Area with specific reference to Talala taluka Status of Sambar (Cervus unicolor) in Gir National Park & Sanctuary, Gujarat, India. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 57

74 Habitat, Distribution, Density, Herd Structure, Sex Ratio and Diet Cub mortality in Asiatic Lions (Panthera leo persica) in Gir National Park & Sanctuary, Gujarat, India: A cause for population stabilization? Ratel (Mellivora capensis indica) in Gir Protected Area. Habitat, Preference and Food Lion and Ungulate Census in Gir Protected Area. A way to determine habitat preference of Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) Changes in season of fire line preparation in Gir. Affects on wildfire spread and wildlife Biotic pressures on wildlife habitat of Gir Protected Area. A comparative study on regeneration status and herbaceous biomass Impact of drought on population and distribution of marsh crocodiles in and around Gir Protected Area Factors affecting wildlife tourism in Gir Protected Area Impact of grazing on rangelands / eco system - A literature survey Rescue and Health status of big carnivores in and around Gir Protected Area Observations on Darter (Anhinga rufa) nesting in Gir Protected Area Habitat amelioration of relocated Maldhari ness sites: Comparison of wildlife use and vegetation pattern of abandoned Maldhari nesses to that of present ness sites in Gir PA Black Storks (Ciconia nigra) in Gir Forest, Gujarat Reproductive behaviour of lioness nursing young cubs Rescue and treatment of lioness (Panthera leo persica) with suspected organophosphate poisoning in Gir National Park & Sanctuary Following works under eco-development were suggested Agricultural Development Works Land levelling and bunding Providing bullocks for ploughing Lift irrigation Stop/check dam Overhead tank 58 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

75 Pipeline Water pump Providing thrashers to the committee Providing improved seeds/ fertilizer Horticulture (supply of fruit bearing species) Sericulture Off-farm Income Generation Activities Apiculture Poultry development Hand craft Motor vehicle repair shop (soft loan: ED fund) General store/shop Supply of sewing machines Ecotourism Skill Development/ Training Guide training for unemployed youth Training for skill development Plan for Resource Substitution Bio-gas plants Fuel efficient chullahs Production of fuel wood from field bunds Improvement of cattle breed Artificial insemination Providing improved strain breeding bull Providing improved strain of livestock Veterinary care to cattle Development of Fodder Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 59

76 Rain-fed silvi-pasture on community lands Irrigated pasture on community lands Plan for Community Cooperation Crop protection Solar fencing Stone rubble wall Infrastructure Development Day-shelter Community hall and EDC office Health unit building Repair of school building Residence for school teacher Approach road for hamlets Single point electricity connection Drinking water Hand pumps Repair of existing wells and pumps Soil and Water conservation This includes deepening and desilting of existing tanks, apart from construction of check dams/gully plugging Check dams Waterholes 4.16 Forest Protection through Village Level Committees Control on man-made fires The Village Level Committees would be responsible for protecting the forest areas allocated to them from man-made fires. To ensure this, the committee would constitute watch and ward teams during the fire season. Each team will have a minimum of 5 persons drawn from different families on rotation basis. These teams would patrol their respective areas 60 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

77 and inform the nearest patrolling camp/ forest nakas/edc about fire incidents, soon after the detection. The EDC - Executive Committee would organize the deployment of fire fighting squads drawn from the villagers, who would be duty-bound to reach the affected area at the earliest for the needful action Control on poaching and poisoning The Village Level Committees with the help of respective forest staff and Vanya Prani Mitra would ensure control as indicated above. Incidences of cattle depredation by carnivores should be immediately taken up for providing due ex-gratia compensation as per rules. The EDC must ensure incineration of the livestock carcass to eliminate the possibility of poisoning. Village level networking for dealing with poachers and maintenance of crime registers would constitute an important function of the Village Level Committees, apart from local market checking and reward to informers. This reward would be in addition to the departmental reward. The Village Level Committees would blacklist perpetual offenders Other control measures Control on illicit felling, illicit grazing, encroachment, wood theft, girdling and lopping of trees, illicit removal of forest produce from the PA, trespassing in the PA, fishing in the PA and the like offences would be other important activities of Village Level Committees. The EDC would constitute sub-committees for guarding the allocated area from above incidences. The members of these sub-committees would be drawn from every single family in rotation basis. The sub-committee would inform the EDC about any offence pertaining to its area, and the committee would ensure adequate penalty to offenders. This would be in addition to the action of the Forest Department for the offence registered in the normal course. The penal amount thus collected by the EDC would be deposited in the common fund of the committee. The Village Level Committees would send the seized forest produce to the nearest forest chawki Eco-development Plan Flexibility An annual plan would be prepared each year from the microplan approved for the concerned village. This would also incorporate the review of ongoing activities and those already executed. Deviations and revisions, if necessary, would be incorporated in this document in consultation with the committee members/ villagers. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 61

78 The spearhead team would ensure timely implementation of the proposed interventions and assess the progress in the tri-monthly reviews. Likewise, the respective DCF would ensure field implementation and review the progress of proposed interventions in his/her respective jurisdiction. The Wildlife Warden would be competent to take necessary action and incorporate modifications in the microplans, based on the progress made, to ensure the active participation of the Committees. It needs to be reiterated and emphasized once again that the interventions envisaged in the management plan are singularly oriented to demonstrate a direct linkage to the protection of PA resources. Any inaction on the part of executive staff or the concerned committee should be viewed with concern. Disciplinary provisions exist for the regular staff for dereliction of allocated duties. Likewise, it would be binding on the part of the concerned committees to accord active participation in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the planned activities. Inaction on the part of the Executive Committee Members would lead to their disqualification from the committees Monitoring and Evaluation of Eco-development Work The field execution of the activities/interventions proposed in the micro-plan would be continuously monitored by the respective ACFs and Wildlife Warden. The head of spearhead team will review the progress after every three months. Quarterly review by the concerned DFO, monthly review by the wildlife warden, fortnightly review by the respective range officers, eco-development committees of respective villages, and monthly participatory review by the executive committee. 62 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

79 Chapter-5 Sustainability

80 5.1 Ecological sustainability The wealth of traditional and scientific knowledge today indicates that the Gir ecosystem is the foundation for the ecological, environmental and economic security of the southern region of Saurashtra. Since, the Gir ecosystem is influencing the security of the region, the local culture has evolved around the theme of nature and Gir. For the security of this region and its culture, the Gir ecosystem needs to be sustained with its natural characteristics. The fundamental ecosystems of Gir are forest and grassland ecosystems with a rich biodiversity. The Protected Area approach has yielded positive results for the ecological sustainability in the last 38 years, and this approach will be sustained. Besides the Gir PA, the ecosystems outside the Gir PA need ecological sustenance. Also, as it is learnt from experience, all the communities in the neighbourhood of the Gir PA should participate in the strategy, otherwise non participating communities and individuals will continue to exert pressure on the PA, which acts as a disincentive for participating people who comply with reciprocal commitment. Besides, for finding suitable alternatives too, a larger canvas is necessary as the smaller units provide limited options or no options. From the viewpoint of ecological sustainability too, a regional approach is required as the adjoining ecosystems are ecologically linked and influence each other. Action taken: The Government of Gujarat (GOG) has constituted a high level committee under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary, Forests and Environment Department, Government of Gujarat for the regional planning of the Gir PA. Senior officers including secretaries, commissioners and directors of other related departments are members of the committee. It is envisaged that the committee would facilitate the preparation of a regional plan for the Gir PA in two years. It is also envisaged that such a regional plan would help in the convergence of various schemes and plans of the other departments towards the ecodevelopment goals, in the region. In the first positive step in this direction, and as a partial success of this approach, the Mitiyala Reserve Forest located about 5 km from the boundary of the existing Gir PA has been notified as a Sanctuary (PA) by the GOG on February 7, The Gir PA system now includes the Gir National Park, the Gir Sanctuary, the Paniya Sanctuary and the Mitiyala Sanctuary. The proposal for eco-fragile areas/ eco-sensitive areas in the Gir region is under the consideration of the GOG. 64 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

81 5.2 Institutional Sustainability The Gujarat Forest Department is the main agency entrusted with the long-term conservation responsibility of the Gir PA. For addressing the social issues, people s institutions are required. Therefore, for effective ecodevelopment, both the government as well as people s institutions are required. These institutions, wherever existing, need further strengthening and orientation towards new challenges and approach. Where such institutions are not there or are unsuitable for ecodevelopment strategy, building of new and appropriate institutions such as Village Ecodevelopment Committees is required. Action taken: The Government of Gujarat has resolved (vide its resolution of Forests and Environment Department) to constitute Village Ecodevelopment Committees. The GOG has also clarified that such committees could exist beyond the current IEDP tenure, thereby giving long-term institutional sustainability to the ecodevelopment strategy for the Gir PA. The Village EDCs have been registered as trusts to give a better institutional framework for longterm sustainability. As the ecodevelopment strategy is an integrated strategy, professional personnel from various disciplines with different kinds of skills are required to sustain such institutions. The Gujarat Forest Department is fulfilling this requirement by engaging personnel on contract basis. Apart from the regular staff, personnel engaged on contract basis have attended to specialist jobs very efficiently. For the sustained ecodevelopment approach by the GFD, specialists engaged on contract basis such as ecologists, sociologists, education facilitators, research fellows, accountants, a team of ecodevelopment field assistants, a lady field assistant (taking care of gender issues), computer officers/assistants (information technology and data processing), etc. are useful and essential for the Government institution. In this case GFD in September 2001, it was already proposed that such personnel should continue. 5.3 Social sustainability One of the important elements of the ecodevelopment strategy is to address the social issues and needs. For this, the core agency, the Gujarat Forest Department, and local people should orient themselves towards common goals and try and reduce conflicting issues between conservation and development. Such requirements call for responsive attitude to both conservation and development issues. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 65

82 Action taken: The ecodevelopment strategy provides for participation of stakeholders and also capacity building programmes. For generating appropriate alternatives, the capacity building training programmes provide for training in convergence of development schemes of different departments so as to gain socio- economic benefits. The EDC platform provides for long-term community action for community benefits without adversely impacting the Gir ecosystem. Such collective community actions in the long term, if not politicised; is likely to bring more cohesiveness in the society adding to social development. Such indications have already been observed in some of the ecodevelopment villages. For a collective community response to the cause of conservation, a more than two decade all nature and conservation education programme and adequate ecotourism facilities have built up a social capital which was already existing due to the cultural ethos of the local people. The Government of Gujarat has accepted the nature and conservation education programme as a long term strategy and is providing it in five year State Plans. It is envisaged that this activity will be continued with gradual improvements and with additional education inputs. Local people know the benefits of conservation. However, to further strengthen the support of people for the Gir PA s conservation, the findings of recent research and studies which present the benefits of nature conservation in a more scientific and articulate manner - such as the Gujarat Agriculture University s study on the economic benefits of Gir - will be disseminated through education and awareness programmes. 5.4 Financial sustainability Adequate finance for investments and maintenance are required for long-term basis. It is envisaged that the non-plan and plan-budgets of the state government and plan budget of the Government of India will continue on a sustained basis. However, additional finance for ecodevelopment activities, which is available for the current phase of the IEDP - Gir should also be sustained. Besides, communities, which could not participate in the current phase, will have to be covered during the implementation of future phases of ecodevelopment, calling for additional finance requirement. 66 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

83 The following sources could be considered for raising additional finance: International funding agencies interested in biodiversity and natural resource conservation, or funding agencies interested in climate projects Raising funds through fees and cess for the services provided by the PA State funding towards the fulfilment of constitutional duty of conservation Action taken: In the 10th five-year plan, the state share has been allocated for conservation efforts in the Gir PA. Non-plan budget is likely to continue during next five years at more or less the same level. The Gujarat Forests Department has prepared a draft Gujarat Forestry Development Project wherein budget provision is proposed for the ecodevelopment of the Gir PA. However, this is only a draft plan and the same is required to be presented to various funding agencies. The draft plan indicates the acceptance and will for the continuation of the ecodevelopment strategy in the Gir PA. The National Consultant appointed by the PTO, MOEF, GOI for the financial sustainability study has completed its study for the Gir PA and prepared a report. Besides state funding and funding by international donor agencies, the consultants have suggested some innovative schemes for generating local level finance, such as cess to be levied on people getting benefited by the eco-services of Gir, imposing fees for certain benefits enjoyed, increasing grazing fee, etc. Such proposals are to be considered by the government at higher levels before finally deciding on the same. However, the present revenue generated from ecotourism could be returned back to the PA level authority to be used for ecodevelopment activities for the people, as is done by some other Indian states. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 67

84 68 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

85 Chapter-6 Successes, failures, issues and constraints

86 6.1 General successes For biodiversity conservation, the Gir PA had already adopted the approach of the Integrated Conservation and Development (ICD) of the local communities. Such an approach, however, was constrained by inadequate funds. Besides the fund constraints, the ICD activities were implemented as schemes of the government budget that interrupted activities. The IEDP facilitated implementation of the ICD activities in a concentrated and uninterrupted manner due to the project approach. The project processes such as (i) improving the PA management plan (ii) linking PA management activities with approved PA management plan (iii) providing credibility fund to establish or improve rapport with the local communities (iv) adequate discretionary fund providing required flexibility (v) institution building, i.e., EDCs for institutional approach to the development component of the ICD approach (vi) participatory micro planning for the village ecodevelopment (vii) introducing the element of reciprocal commitment/responsibility from the beneficiary of the development activities and its monitoring (viii) comprehensive environment and ecology education and awareness (ix) research and monitoring in project mode (x) PA management evaluation system, etc have been found very useful in the ICD approach. These processes have been initiated and streamlined at the Gir PA under the project. The Gir PA already had an approved management plan when the project was initiated. However, it was due for reviewing and supplementing. These tasks were accomplished during the project period. Priority improved PA management activities have resulted in (i) better consolidation of the PA (ii) better clarity about the PA boundary and legal status among the local communities (iii) wildlife habitat improvement (iv) better wildlife health, wildlife rescue capabilities and better capabilities to address the man-wild animal conflict issues (v) better eco service flow such as improved ground water recharge (vi) improved amenities to the staff (vii) improved infrastructure and field as well as office equipments (viii) better baseline data for future planning and management, etc. 6.2 Benefits to the Community Under the village ecodevelopment component, the project has addressed the entire resident human population of Gir, including the Maldharis and forest village settlers. From within the 2 km wide zone at the border of the Gir PA, a little over 50 per cent of the villages has been 70 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

87 covered under the project and 109 EDCs have been institutionalised. Many of them have been registered as trusts and the remaining few are pursuing the process of registration. The government resolution of constituting EDCs and its process of registration has facilitated the institutional sustainability of the EDCs. The institutional arrangement of the EDCs has also facilitated the community participation with the ICD approach to biodiversity conservation. The institution of the EDC also provided opportunity to villagers to revive cohesiveness of the community and compassionate concern for the poor and disadvantaged villagers among the community. The project provided EDCs ample opportunity to interact with other institutions, experts of specialized disciplines, villagers in other parts of the country, etc, to get acquainted with various development processes at different locations and to get trained by reputed institutions such as NIRD, Gujarat State Institute for Rural Development, etc for capacity building and different developmental processes. Such opportunities have helped them realise that development that does not damage ecosystems and biodiversity is not possible without self improvement [knowledge and capabilities], concerted [collective or cooperational] approach, community concerns and fulfillment of responsibilities. The village ecodevelopment investment under the project of about Rs million has provided household and community assets in about 4-5 priority areas such as agriculture and horticulture improvement including irrigation, drinking water, livestock improvement, house [shelter] improvement, non wood fuel, community income generation, self employment, etc. The investment norm of only Rs. 12,500 per household once in three to five years (once during the project) with the norm of 25 per cent contribution towards the village development fund by the beneficiary, which does not match with other rural development schemes available in the same region at the same time, may look non-encouraging to rural development approach. However, due to the Ecodevelopment approach and encouraging project processes, the EDCs have responded to the project with enthusiasm. Though the norm of 25 per cent contribution by the beneficiary towards the village development fund was difficult for the economically poor beneficiaries, it has helped in building additional resources for the village ecodevelopment through the Village Development Fund [VDF] of Rs million (averaging Rs million per EDC). The VDF is mainly utilised for community Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 71

88 development works. Thus, the system of contribution from the beneficiary of the project fund has yielded overall good result. At the Gir PA, guidelines for the utilisation of the VDF has been prepared in such a manner that it does not get consumed in a short period, thereby facilitating the financial sustainability of the VDF and EDC activities. 6.3 Benefits to the PA Though the livelihood, economic and commercial interests do not allow expected attitudinal changes among the villagers towards the ecosystem and biodiversity, the communities have started understanding and realising the importance of these environmental elements for collective ecological security. The project has also helped them realise that an option of collective wellbeing and development without damaging ecosystems and environment is possible through ecodevelopment. Yet another outcome of the project is the increased understanding between the GFD staff and village communities. During the project they have worked, travelled and participated in various activities together. Such interactions have provided them ample opportunities to understand each other s viewpoint in a much better way than a third party trying to interpret the behaviour and attitude of these two groups. Such direct communications and participatory implementation of activities have improved the working relation of the GFD staff and the local people. This process, however was, not as simple as it sounds. Those, from among the staff and local people, who could not appreciate the spirit of ecodevelopment in the initial stages did not to do well and did not avail the opportunity to improve relations. It is also observed that such processes are not free from village level politics. However, by and large, the working relations have improved as is observed from voluntary co-operation from villagers in the eviction of unauthorised encroachments in some of the villages, better information flow of conservation or protection-related matters, etc. A major outcome of the Environment Education and Awareness activities include the strengthening of the ecological and environmental values of Gir among the local people. The establishment of the Gir Conservation and Environment Education Centre (GCEECs) and facilitating the institutional and financial sustainability to them is yet another major outcome of the project. The Nature and Environment education activities carried out by the GFD through the state funds further strengthened the project. 72 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

89 6.4 Gir conservation and environment education centres In keeping with the Gir protected area s historic involvement with environment education that dates back to the 1970s, the concept of Gir Conservation and Environment Education Centre (GCEEC) has been instituted at the Gir PA. As part of this initiative, eight schools on the periphery of the PA were identified to serve as GCEE centres. MoUs were entered into with these schools and basic assistance was provided to each school. This included some basic furniture and storage space, resource material such as booklets, charts, audio and videocassettes, and interactive educational games. On its part, each school has devoted some space (either a classroom or some space within a class room) for the centre. Further each such school has set up an eco-club with the specific mandate of undertaking environment education activities. Each such centre plans a programme of activities at the beginning of each year in consultation with the DCF (wildlife). Range officers of respective areas coordinate on a regular basis with the centres and help in organising specific events such as Wildlife Week, Earth Day, World Environment Day and so on. Apart from organising programmes for its own children, each GCEE centre is also supposed to network with other schools in its vicinity to undertake EE activities or to serve as a resource centre. It is envisaged that each centre will liaise with at least 10 other schools in its area. The schools that have been designated as GCEE centres have been strategically selected in order to ensure uniform coverage throughout the periphery of the PA. As part of the IEDP it has been possible to provide some financial assistance to the schools for organising various activities in the final year of the project. However, the centres have been conceptualised in a manner that they will not require sustained injection of inputs from the PA management for their operation. This has been ensured by making basic assets available as part of the project funds. It is envisaged that these centres would continue to function even after the project is over. The research division of Gir has been strengthened considerably under the project, and has organised several research seminars, which provided ample opportunities for serious scientific interactions among the researchers, consultants and managers from different subject disciplines. This has led to the emergence of a general consensus on several conservation and managerial issues. At the time of preparation of supplementary management plan, research seminars and management plans review meetings as well as Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 73

90 many research and study activities were completed. Findings of these researches and studies and the recommendations of the management plan review meetings have been used for the management planning. The monitoring component has been improved significantly during the project period. 6.5 Main Learning Any change in strategy, particularly at a large landscape level involving heterogeneous society is expected to be a gradual process. Similarly, the IEDP has been recognised as the process project. Through the implementation of the IEDP-Gir from to and through its monitoring and feedback mechanism by independent agencies such as Intensive Project Performance Review (IPPR) by the national consultant JPS Associates, Process Documentation Research (PDR) by the Gujarat Institute of Development Research, ecological monitoring by the park ecologist and the WII, monitoring by the project implementation agency (the GFD), etc., the project experiences have been documented and many lessons have been learned. The following are the salient experiences to be considered for future strategy: 1. As the relationship of man and natural resources of the PA are very close, particularly at the Man-PA interface, the strategy will have to address social issues. Such a relationship is dynamic and therefore, the strategy will have to be flexible to respond to the changing relationships. 2. The important element of quid-pro-quo arrangement in the ecodevelopment programme, which helps the strategy to integrate conservation and development, making it an Integrated Conservation and Development Strategy (ICDS), distinguishes ecodevelopment from other development projects. Such arrangement allows responsible participation and involvement of local people. 3. By addressing the social issues, the PA authorities are able to reduce the conflict and improve the cooperation for conservation and legitimate development needs. 4. One of the important benefits of the ecodevelopment strategy is that it provides an institutional framework for collective community actions. The hitherto heterogeneous society shows signs of cohesiveness as well as improved participation of women in many 74 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

91 ecodevelopment villages. Such social development process or building of social capital is essential for long-term social support to the cause of conservation. 5. As the village ecodevelopment component is based on community participation, the role of community leadership is very important. The state of community leadership is a function of political awareness and homogeneity or heterogeneity of the community. The caste and economic class-ridden communities in Indian society create particular political situations, affecting the project activities. It is observed that the project was well received by villages having a homogeneous community with a good political leadership. It was also observed that the EDC members want project activities to remain free from petty politics and till today demand participation of the FD as a member of the EDC. The project has, therefore, a responsibility to keep project activities non- (party) political. 6. The strategy aims at providing alternatives so as to reduce pressures on the PA. Such alternatives should be compatible to the overall goals and objectives of the management and acceptable to the people to whom these alternatives are being offered. This is one of the most difficult aspects of the strategy; as it requires genuine innovations, change in attitudes, capacity building for accepting and using alternative means of livelihood and development. This component of the strategy requires more time as it expects social attitudinal changes and capacity building. In the absence of such gradual but sustained process the ecodevelopment strategy tends to revert back to usual rural development strategy. The participatory micro planning process in the Gir PA in the initial time could not communicate the spirit of the project properly and therefore, resulted in the selection of activities which are more like rural development activities and subsidy for the household for one-time benefits. Subsequently, as the process created better understanding, activities that reduce pressure on the Gir PA were selected. 7. The project components viz. improved PA management, environment education and studies/researches on important issues have yielded better results. The improved PA management directly aims at the main goal of the management, i.e. biodiversity conservation. Local people also appreciate it because through an awareness and education programme of more than two decades in the Gir PA, a general awareness prevails regarding direct and indirect eco-services and benefits of conservation flowing to human communities in and around the Gir PA. Ecological and environmental Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 75

92 education further strengthens the understanding and awareness of the people. Scientific studies and research yield valid information to be used for education and awareness programmes as well as for improving/amending management practices. 8. As is observed in Article 10, the Ecodevelopment project also is constrained by the time factor. It was experienced that due to the time factor communication of the project to participating parties, capacity building before participation, micro planning etc. were negatively impacted. 9. The project covenant of people s contribution either in terms of cash or labour, in the village ecodevelopment efforts is found to be essential for active involvement of people. However, the uniform rate of 25 per cent contribution for an economically heterogeneous community was a constraint for poor and landless people. When the micro plan activities are less labour intensive, the difficulty compounds, as the poor people are also required to contribute in cash. It is perceived that the communities are not very cohesive when it comes to deciding voluntarily on a differential rate of contribution, i.e. rich people shouldering the responsibility of contribution on behalf of poor people. Such uniform rate of contribution resulted in directing ecodevelopment efforts towards comparatively well to do households having capacity to pay 25 per cent contribution. In order to address the issue of social justice and economic equity, there is a need to have a differential rate system for the contribution to the VDF. If the sense of compassion and philanthropy of rich and powerful people in the village is appealed to properly, it is possible to introduce the acceptance of differential norms of contribution to the VDF. However, the militant or extreme activist approach of challenging the rich and powerful in the village on the issue of differential norm of contribution is likely to receive stiff resistance from them. 10. The lack of adequate concept clarification among field staff and participating communities, and lack of strict implementation of quid pro quo arrangement due to performance pressure, and the compliance of reciprocal commitment was not as expected. 11. Unless the larger part of community is covered under the project, the left out villages and individuals will not participate in reciprocal commitment and continue to exert pressure on the PA. They also act as a disincentive for participating people, and cause 76 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

93 drag on the strategy. Projects like IEDP generally have limitations in terms of coverage. As it is true for the time scale that projects of the ICDS nature should be long-term projects, the same is true for the geographical coverage. It would be disastrous to believe that people from only the 2 km radius of the PA boundary cause impact on the PA. It is therefore, necessary to identify a region on well-considered ecological, economic and social parameters. The IEDP would be more effective if it is upgraded to the regional scale in space and to the period of 15 to 20 years in time. 12. Such upgradation may not necessarily result in the upscaling of the fund requirement per village as the same scale of funding could be used for a longer project period. 13. It is observed that the FD is not the only one addressing the developmental needs of local people in revenue villages. It is observed that sometimes similar schemes are implemented in one area under different projects and schemes of different departments with various norms. Therefore, there is a need to have regional approach with participation of different departments. The project may have to build components and incentives for other departments. However, utmost care shall be exercised to prevent dilution of ultimate goal of biodiversity conservation. 14. Whatever may be the geographical scale of the project; there is a need to categorise villages as the communities are categorised in a village. Villages may be categorised on parameters of (a) Developmental status, (b) Natural benefits of eco-services flowing from the PA to village, (c) Dependency of the village on the PA and (d) homogeneous or heterogeneous nature of the village. As differential norms are recommended for the people of different classes in the village, there should be different norms of investments and interventions for different categories of villages. 15. Village ecodevelopment interventions in its present form or in an evolved form are a very heavy and responsible additional work for the PA. At the Gir PA adequate additional staff was not provided and the existing staff had to carry out such additional duties under stressful conditions. It is extremely essential to provide adequate staff for the ecodevelopment project, particularly for the village ecodevelopment component. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 77

94 16. Various components of ecodevelopment are skill specific and the staff and villagers are required to be trained for such skills in advance before launching the actual project tasks. 17. The ecodevelopment processes and implementation mode has been found to be very useful. The project mode approach to the issues of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, or ICD, is very useful, as it remains highly focused about its objectives. The system of the World Bank supervision mission and IPPR are also found to be very useful. Each supervision mission was like a review of six monthly work and at the same time it offered an opportunity for focusing and finding solutions for ground level problems. They were a means of experience sharing and provided timely guidance to the PA management. However, frequent visits by different consultants with different documentation needs proved to be an extra burden on the PA management and consumed precious time. It would be useful to synchronise the supervision mission, IPPR and other consultancies, all at one time. Between two visits of such synchronised supervision and consultancy tasks, the PA management may be allowed to carry out agreed actions without the extra burden of assisting consultants. It should be borne in mind while designing the project that the PA management has to implement such projects in addition to its normal duties as an agency/department of state and central governments. 18. The project prescriptions and processes with respect to conceptual approach, capacity building, communication of the project details, development of participatory micro planning, etc have been found to be useful for the project implementation. Looking at the nature of the project and its prime objective of biodiversity conservation, the processes and prescriptions of the project are appropriate. While working with communities and different role players having different perceptions, varied capacities and motives, the project has to be prescriptive lest it starts drifting to non-project objectives. 19. Biodiversity conservation is the constitutional goal of India that is fulfilled through the government policies, necessary legal framework and government institutional arrangements. Different categories of communities, both local and those located at distant places, have stakes of different kinds and the state/government institutions 78 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

95 can address them. Therefore, the state has an important role to play in biodiversity conservation programmes or projects and the present system of fund flow through the GOI, GOG and the GFD by their budget process is useful and essential. The Gir PA had faced some problems of fund flow intermittently. However, timely actions were taken by the respective governments to overcome such problems. The component of discretionary fund is also found to be useful and the process of preparing the annual sub plan of the discretionary fund and obtaining prior approval from the competent authority, i.e. the funding organisation or the empowered committee is also useful. However, this system may be further improved by keeping a small grant component at the discretion of the field director of the PA for timely handling of unforeseen urgent tasks. 20. At the Gir PA a system of quarterly progress report (QPR) is adopted and QPRs along with the meetings of EDC presidents and village level meetings help in monitoring the progress and quality. It is also observed that such meetings yield results only if a project functionary of certain seniority convene such meetings. This is not a simple task as it looks on paper but requires sustained efforts, calling for additional staff at adequately senior positions such as Assistant Conservator of Forests. 21. At the Gir PA, environment and ecological education as well as research and monitoring activities are well-established, implemented through a dedicated division. The research and monitoring was co-coordinated by a research committee headed by the Chief Wildlife Warden. Though it evolved as a response to constraint of non availability of a reputed organizations, which could not undertake research coordination during the project period due to lack of time, the FD research committee functioned very well keeping the focus on identified research priorities, timely implementation of the research projects, providing inputs of the PA managers, involvement of PA managers giving concurrent opportunities to understand issues under research, organising research seminars in project mode and ensuring participation PA managers and consultants in such seminars, etc. 22. Generally the landless unemployed individuals directly depend on PA resources for their livelihood. This may take the shape of illegal commercial activity such as wood and wildlife poaching. Due to the initial project stance of household benefits and 25 per cent contribution norm such unemployed individuals could not be provided adequate Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 79

96 support for non-pa based income generation. The objective of facilitating non-pa based sustained income generation activities by landless unemployed individuals call for capacity building (vocational training) and adequate fund for capital investment for them. 23. Maldharis are occupational resident communities who keep and graze their livestock in the Gir PA. Their increasing population and livestock impact the PA negatively. The management strategy is to offer a relocation package to them so that they voluntarily move outside the PA. The project could not offer funds for such a relocation package and the ecodevelopment fund for Maldharis had a constraint of not being able to provide land-based activities as it would have proved to be counterproductive to the IEDP objective, National Policy and Legal provisions. The Maldhari ecodevelopment activities were mainly non land-based; addressing issues such as drinking water, house repairing, animal husbandry, system of group purchase of provisions through VDF for reducing their exploitation from the profiteering of traders, etc. The future project will have to separately address the Gir Maldhari issue and provide adequate funds to meet the needs of a relocation package that would help them resettle outside the Gir PA with an adequately improved earning capacity and ability to take the benefits of development processes outside the PA. 24. Gender issues have been adequately addressed to without interfering in the cultural ethos of the local people. Women SHGs have been facilitated and several capacity building and income generation training workshops were organised. The process is slow but is progressing in a positive direction. The process requires further support in the second phase of the ecodevelopment project by mainstreaming it with rural development schemes. 80 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

97 Chapter-7 Case Studies

98 1. Establishment of New Primary School building at Sanosari Sanosari is one of the 97 revenue villages situated in the periphery of Gir PA in the Jasadhar range of Gir East division of the Wildlife Circle, Junagadh. These revenue villages do not have rights of grazing or collecting minor forest produces (MFPs) including NTFP from the PA. Yet, these villages exert pressure of their cattle grazing especially during monsoon. Managing problems like illicit poaching and encroachment are also presented by these revenue villages. Hence, it is understood and expected that developmental activities are not possible to carryout in this village in absence of the villager s co-operation. The total population of Sanosari is 1032, of which 47 % are adult and 53 % are children. Out of 176 households, 146 belonging to pancholi-ahir community show the homogeneity of the village. The other 3 % communities are Brahmin, bawaji and sadhu as well as a Muslim family. The chief occupation in this village is agriculture, farming, animal husbandry, labour, diamond cutting and small scale trading of provision/grocery merchandise. The main crops harvested are ground nut, wheat and cotton. The average yearly income of a household varies between Rs. 8,000/- to Rs 12,000/- depending on the weather. There is a primary school in this village with the facility of just 2 small rooms. An EDC has been formed as per the guidelines of IEDP by the forest department of Gujarat state for conservation of biodiversity in accordance with socioeconomic development of village had been prepared. This committee has played a significant role in preparation of the micro plan and it is expected that it will play a major role in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation. A micro plan was prepared and the intervention was to convert the wasteland to the new primary school premises, which, then, owned by the gram-panchayat. The old school building was then utilised as Anganwadi, a pre-primary play house of young kids and a centre for proudh-shikshan (elderly). In the newly constructed school, accommodation facilities for around 250 students, sanitation units, water tanks for drinking water facility along with the education fulfilment to the nearby villages like Dhokadva, Nava Ugla and Juna Ugla had came into existence. People of the village have contributed through VDF (i.e. from 25% contribution) and some villagers have contributed from their individual benefits by way of providing bela, cement, and other building materials and from the community funds in cash. Labour for the construction was obtained mainly form the village itself locally, whereas 82 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

99 building material was transported from Una. The unique feature of this school was to offer computer literacy to the students of 5th standard onwards, which was being provided from the EDC fund. The new scenario has completely changed; like instead of travelling to far places or surrounding villages children can now access the education facility easily, especially during monsoon as well as desolate condition. Another intervention, construction of the cause way, has solved the problem besides, the magnitude of education facility in comparison to the surrounding villages. It was then safely assume that these positive results of this IEDP has proven beneficial to village itself along with the other nearby villages from where students come to the school to learn. As the old ages goes, the roots of education are bitter, but the fruits are invariably sweets. These sweet fruits were visibly because of the success of this project, which has played a leading role to the other communities for the same. The major learning, findings and inferences drawn from these case studies are rendered rational thinking, changes in fundamental lessons that can only be learnt through the medium of formal classroom education, inculcated with scientific temper and illegitimate undertaking. On the contrary in a conductive way, this has inspired to do something better that is helpful for own self and society. The common occurrence in rural areas that children abandon studies at an early age owing to share the familial responsibilities that in turn arise due to limited resources of household income. In order to substantiate the family, the school going child would either be engaged in the traditional family practices of farming or would be exiled in the urban region to find suitable work. This situation was,then, intervened through this project by series of interviews with the villagers, which have confirmed the belief that they are adamant to educate their children irrespective of their hardship. It is now appreciable, along with the inputs of forest department to solve the specific as well as global issue of the sensitisation towards the fundamental education rights through this project. Hence, the conclusion is that with the potential human resources, conduct of singular programmes like, plantation, awareness about SMC, preservation and conservation of invaluable natural resources, educational level could be attained. This activity led to the facilitation of experts/ngos in these regard. In a nutshell, the school building can facilitate with this success story for the higher leap in to the world of consciousness, which the realm of unexplored, uncharted and unrecorded intelligence. School should be treated with the equal respects that of shrine, for it is far more educating and productive than a near temple. Education is nothing but a progressive quest of our own ignorance. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 83

100 2. Eco-Kunj at Dhanej Dhanej is one of the 97 revenue villages situated in the periphery of the Gir PA. These revenue villages have no rights of grazing or collecting minor forest produces (MFPs) including NTFP from the PA. Yet, these villages exert pressure of their cattle grazing especially during monsoon. Managing problems like illicit poaching and encroachment are also presented by these revenue villages. Hence, it is understood and expected that developmental activities are not possible to carryout in this villages in absence of the villager s co-operation. It is then, desirable to include these villages and their residents in the developmental activities for protection and conservation of biodiversity in the protected area. The micro plan was being prepared for this village under the IEDP by the forest department of Gujarat state, IRMA and the EDC of the village, with a view to develop the socioeconomic condition of village in accordance with the conservation of biodiversity. It was then possible to reduce pressure and dependence on the surrounding jungle and preserve the forest through the socioeconomic development and the growth. One person for each household of the village had been made member of the general body of EDC, which has played a significant role in preparation of the micro plan and its expected role in implementation, monitoring and evaluation of these activities as prescribed in the plan. Dhanej is located within a distance of 2 km boundary of the Gir PA. It was established in 1863 AD. This village situated in Taluka Talala of Junagadh District and comes under the precinct of the Haripur, Gir West Division of Wildlife circle, Junagadh. The total population of the village was 2510 with total 520 households, 767 adult males, 714 women, 599 boys and 430 girls. The total number of different communities residing in the village was 16. The majority population was of Kodi (465.99%), Brahmin (.71%), Charan(6.13%), tailor (2.36%), Harijan (8.02%), Karadiya (15.8%), Potter (0.781%), Luvana (0.24%), Muslim (3.07%), Patel (10.67%), Rabari (0.24%), Carpenter(0.24%), Vaghari (1.18%) and Barber (2.37%). The chief occupation in this village is agriculture, farming, animal husbandry, labour, diamond cutting and small scale trading of provision/grocery merchandise. The main crops harvested are ground nut, wheat and cotton. The total livestock population in Dhanej revenue village was 935 of which about 0.96% goat and the remaining were bovines. Gauchar and forest area 84 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

101 was at a distance of 1 to 2 Km, as being used by the villagers to graze the cattle. Milk yield to the private traders in the village. The primary forms of dependence were on firewood, MFP and NTFPs collection, grazing, cutting grass for fodder, timber wood and thorny brushwood removal of housing and fencing etc. Dhanej, being one of such revenue village, having no exception in being independent of the PA for meeting the requirements as mentioned above. The creation of an Eco-Kunj, established in the year , in a village means a common piece of land in the village (usually encroached or Westland) is converted in to fertile productive plot by levelling the uneven land and growing agricultural, horticultural and fodder produce in such a piece of otherwise useless land. The sale-produces/income was deposited in the EDC fund which was very good and effective means of generating revenue for the VDF. The fodder growing in such a plot could be utilised for the cattle, which helped in reducing the pressure of grazing of livestock on PA. Further fruiting trees like mango, chiku and coconut can could be grown in the Eco-Kunj along with the crops of caster, gram, beans, mustard, seed, wheat, maze, groundnuts etc. There was synergism of efforts that made it possible to free the land from the encroachers, by contacting, approaching, briefing about the grazing requirement of the cattle and livestock of the village Dhanej, to the person who had encroached land. The forest department officials, EDC members and gram panchayat pressurised the encroacher on a combine manner to free the encroached land by providing Rs. 2000/-m as compensation. This amount was raised from the villagers contribution other than the 25% cash contribution for the individual benefit of worth Rs /- to be given under IEDP. The encroacher himself was inclined to let the hold of the illicitly captured land for he was conscientious and a man of scruples and more importantly, he himself wanted to come forward to help in solving the encroachment issue, which was then, taken over by the panchayat. The establishment and creation of Eco-Kunj at Dhanej had benefited the village in general and villagers in particular as well as the forest region in adjoining area in many ways. There has been noted increase in the production of the grass from the fodder plot. The increased amount of the grass provide for the fodder requirement of the cattle and livestock of the village. This itself has played a vital role in reducing the number of cattle taken for grazing in the Gir PA, along with the reduction in damage to the fragile top soil of forest floor. With the Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 85

102 intervention, the cattle have stopped grazing in the jungle, the villagers had started practicing the stall-feeding, made provision of drinking water facility for cattle and live stock during hot season, marked increase in the agricultural production derived from the fodder plot, income generation from the sale proceeds of the agricultural crops grown etc. The creation of Ecokunj had generated scopes of employment, noticeable reduction in man-animal conflict, shown increase in horticultural crops and thereby saving the village development fund steadily. Eco-kunj land was given support to the landless farmers of the village for cultivation and also helped the poor families of village and their upliftment. Grass storage godown in Dhanej 86 Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape

103 Mango Plantation in Dhanej eco kunj It was learnt that the overall response of the village to the implementation of ecodevelopment project was very encouraging in Dhanej Revenue village. Mobilising collective actions for improvement of the community wasteland is not an easy process and more so in the Gir province where open access community land is under constant pressure and/ or threat of either encroachment or grazing of the domestic livestock. The task of eco-kunj had successfully accomplished with an intervention from an external agency like forest department that takes up the initiatives by asking the villagers to contribute towards the cause of development of community wasteland for revenue generating activities. Eco-development Initiatives in Gir Landscape 87