Recently Completed Project
Scoping and Screening of Best practices for Forest Ecosystem Services Management in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh
Funding Agency: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Duration: July, 2021 - September, 2021
Project Lead: Dr. Anvita Pandey
Field Site: Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh
Himalayas and their forest ecosystems are the backbone of Northern India. The services these forests offer are far wider and more extensive. Various natural and man-made factors are now having an impact on these services and their sustained flow. In such scenario, it becomes essential to better understand, manage and protect these services and identify and document best forest practices.
GIZ as a research funding and implementing organisation initiated a massive programme to strengthen the management of Forest Ecosystem Services (FES) with emphasis of water availability in Western Himalaya and as part of this initiative, Centre for Ecology Development and Research (CEDAR) was assigned to perform this scoping and screening study of best practices for forest Ecosystem services management in Western Himalayas.
Our findings reflect a list of crucial outcomes. We found the best forest management practices, and the process involved an extensive secondary literature review to understand the Forest Ecosystem Services (FES) with respect to water management. In order to understand the implementations done on the ground by various agencies, expert consultation meetings were held during the initial data collection process. Based on insights from the experts, the scoping exercise was undertaken and 18 studies were screened for FES (Annexure- III), and out of these, 3 were screened and documented for best practices with respect to water management. The sites of selected three best practices are Narendra Nagar, Salkuli Naula (from Uttarakhand) and Thanakasoga (from Himachal Pradesh).
Table 1 Site of selected best practice
| Site | Implementing Organisation | Target | Interventions | Impacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Narendra Nagar, (Uttarakhand) | State Forest Department, Uttarakhand | Spring, streams and rivers | Hydrogeological approach, Treatment of recharge areas (Mechanical and vegetative measures), Social inclusion, awareness | Improved drinking water quality, increase in spring discharge, reduction in sediment load of the river, reduction in women drudgery |
| Thanakasoga (Himachal Pradesh) Eve | People’s Science Institute, Dehradun | Springs | Hydrogeological approach, Treatment of recharge areas (Mechanical and vegetative measures), capacity building, introduction of Systematic Wheat Intensification (SWI), fodder plantations, protection of recharge area | Equitable water sharing, enhanced spring discharge, improved water quality, increase in agricultural productivity, improved green fodder availability, improved social relations between villagers |
| Salkuli Naula (Uttarakhand) | Central Himalayan Rural Action Group, Nainital | Springs | Socio- hydrogeological approach, Capacity building, training of para-hydrogeologists, mechanical and vegetative measures, community contribution encouraged | Increased women leadership, improved spring discharge, capacity of local population built. Higher community ownership |
Promotion of Nature-Linked Ecotourism as a Rural Livelihood in Uttarakhand: A Proposal for Development of Supporting Training Materialss
Funding Agency: The Development Bank of Singapore Ltd. (DBS)
Duration: August, 2020 - December, 2021
Project Lead: Dr. Ghazala Shahabuddin
Forest-dependent people in the middle Himalayas are facing loss of livelihoods due to declining agricultural productivity resulting in poverty and out-migration.
The aim of this project was to provide training materials for an ongoing livelihood programme(in which CEDAR was a partner) in nature-linked ecotourism as a viable rural livelihood for 7-10 villages in middle Himalayas of Uttarakhand State, India. This project was aimed at development, design and publication of training material that is specifically geared towards the local ecological context and needs in both Hindi and English.
The outcome of the project cosnist of an E- flora to identify 50 common tree species and 50 wildflower species of Uttarakhand which will be available as a phone app for Android and iPhone, as well as Windows. An illustrated book on the Bird Tales of Himalayas with 50 bird stories based on local folklore and myths. A website and Facebook page. A poster on the wildlife of the Himalayas in both digital and printed format.
Through this project, CEDAR has significantly supported local non-profits, villages and scientists in training and business activities for ecotourism, and also created awareness of the high biodiversity, large expanse of forests and scenic mountain views, which make Uttarakhand a popular tourist destination.
