CEPF-ATREE Western Ghats Program
SMALL GRANTS MID-TERM PROGRESS REPORT
Applicant/Organization Name: (as stated in the grant agreement):
Keystone Foundation
Project Title and Number (as stated in the grant agreement or covering letter):
Hill Wetlands in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve – A People’s Conservation Initiative
CEPF-ATREE-WGhats/SGP/ WGSG067-Keystone_Wetland
Submitted by: Archana Sivaramakrishnan
Project Summary:
Aims to preserve special habitats of Hill Wetlands (Tarnadmund, Bison Swamp, Nedugula)
of Nilgiris, highlight their special status, bring to the forefront lesser known wetland species
and their importance in conservation programs. This will be achieved by implementing
sustainable management plans with stakeholder communities for the protection and
monitoring of these landscapes which today are fragmented and disregarded.
Project Dates (as stated in the grant agreement):April 2011- June 2012
Reporting period (Quarters 1 & 2 with month/year): April 2011- September 2011
NARRATIVE SECTION- seven pages at the most
1. Introduction (½ page)
Hill wetlands comprising of swamps and marshes of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve are as yet
less understood and warrant more attention for the special role they play in the ecosystem.
The services these wetlands render directly for conservation of soil and water, support of
unique plants and animals etc is yet to be recognised. Development planning has overlooked
the role of these unique ecosystems and has treated them as
wastelands that have to be converted for agriculture, filled with soil and reclaimed, set aside
for use as garbage dumping sites etc. In the Nilgiris one sees that the wetlands have been
reduced in extent, by the takeover of these activities.
In this project we have been addressing the issue through three interlinked activities. The one
being a biodiversity assessment, the second an economic survey and the third conservation
education sessions with children. These three activities culminate in a community discussion
to arrive at appropriate community responses regarding the conservation of the wetland.
2. Progress against work plan – completed tasks - 2 pages (copy from approved work
plan) –
CEPF-ATREE Western Ghats Program
Appendix 1
3. Preliminary outcomes if any including maps, tables, figures, pictures - 3 pages
(images with clear captions can be sent as separate attachments but mentioned in
text below)
Habitat maps of the three wetlands- Appendix 2
4. Proposed activities in the next quarter - ½ page (copy from approved work plan) -
Appendix 3
5. Challenges and lessons learnt - ½ page
The process of enlisting community interest in a resource like the wetland has been difficult.
This is essentially because the village community especially in Tarnadmund finds it difficult to
envisage a situation where the wetland may shrink to a small proportion of its current size. On
the other hand, the school sessions with the children has been both rewarding with the
children acutely interested in understanding various dimensions of wetlands.
6. Feedback & suggestions - ½ page
Nil
7. Conclusion - ½ page
The project is at a midpoint and we understand that we need to focus more on
conservation education. This seems to be a strategy that will ensure sustained local
discussion on the health of the wetland and on decisions that are likely to affect the
wetland.
8. Appendices (if any) –
Appendices 1 -3
Appendix 1: Progress against work plan
Quart
er
Activities Outputs Deliverables/Reports
to ATREE
Status
1
01/04/
2011
to
30/06/
2011
1. Public meetings and consultations
with local communities on the
project.
2. Meeting with Forest department
and Panchayat on the Project.
3. Participatory exercises with the
resident communities to elicit use
of wetland resources by the
different groups, timeline and
evolve
A habitat map.
4. Survey of wetland and inventory
of biodiversity with active
participation of local community.
5. Contact local schools for monthly
sessions on wetlands.
6. Compiling information for
1. Meeting reports of
public consultation.
2. Reports of use
assessment
participatory
exercise.
3. Preliminary data from
biodiversity
inventory.
4. Session plans on
wetlands for schools.
1. Preliminary
resource use
report and
habitat map.
2. Wetlands
school session
plans.
1. Attached
2. Attached
education material and generation
of posters in English and Tamil.
2
01/07/
2011
to
30/09/
2011
1. Meetings with community
members to analyze problems
and brainstorm on solutions.
2. Meetings with community to
identify representatives and the
idea of Hill Wetlands
Conservation Groups. (HWCG)
3. GIS portal for wetlands
1. Monitoring
mechanisms over
wetland use
2. Representative
groups of community
members evolved.
3. GIS portal for
wetlands and
biodiversity registers.
1. Problem analysis
report.
2. Preliminary
restoration plan.
1. Attached
(preliminary
observations)
2. Work in
Progress
Appendix 2: JPG files attached separately
Appendix 3: Proposed Activities for Qtr 3
Quarter Activities Outputs Deliverables/Reports to ATREE
3
01/10/201
1 to
31/12/201
1
1. Continued monitoring of wetland
biodiversity and physical parameters.
2. Periodic meetings of the Hill
Wetlands Conservation Groups.
3. Visit and interaction of forest
department officials and Panchayat
members with the HWCG.
4. Wetlands awareness sessions with
children in local schools, and sharing
of local initiative by members of the
HWCG.
5. Survey to ascertain economic value
of wetland.
6. Display of public messages on value
of wetlands and ongoing initiative at
the wetland site.
1. Evolution of
conservation
action plan by the
HWCG, with
habitat map,
livelihood
dependence
analysis and
action steps.
2. Identification of
areas for
cooperation
between the
HWCG and the
Forest
department and
Panchayat.
1. Conservation action plan and a
report of activities undertaken by
the HWCG.
2. Progress report of biodiversity
inventory and GIS based portals.
CONSERVATION EDUCATION: WETLANDS MODULE
The need for a concerted effort at conservation education cannot be overstated in the context of
the NBR. A variety of factors including growing human populations, policies of land use change,
changing climatic factors and increasing human wildlife conflicts have lead to a fragmentation of
habitats and inadequate protection to islands of biodiversity. Wetlands are a typical example of
this. Providing vital ecosystem services to the entire region and downstream, these resources
have been ignored by policy and rampantly abused. These are also important habitats for a range
of bio diverse life forms.
While we understand that indigenous knowledge inherently carries a respect and conservation
ethic of all natural resources including wetlands, the onslaught of rapid changes has weakened the
mechanisms of practice and transfer of indigenous knowledge. Changing livelihood patterns have
been among the chief factors. There is a need to engage with local communities on how to revive
elements from indigenous knowledge and communicate them to the younger generation. We
envisage that an equally important aspect of conservation education is to facilitate fora of
discussion among community members on the changing status of natural resources around them,
their own relationship to these and how they can be conserved.
The wetland school sessions are part of the effort to address children on various dimensions of
wetlands. The school session themselves are part of a larger conservation education effort
targeted at all community members. Given below is an outline of wetlands session plans. It is
envisaged that these sessions will be conducted in seven schools, all adjoining the three project
wetlands. These sessions have been divided into three sets to address the learning needs of
children at various levels of schooling.
These wetlands sessions are envisaged both inside the classroom as well as project activities.
Thus, children will be encouraged to 'adopt' certain portions of wetlands near their houses and
study dimensions through observation. Further, village elders will be enlisted to conduct some
sessions/accompany children to the wetlands, to enable sharing of traditional knowledge.
The school outreach segment of the project is expected to involve children from the habitations
dependant on the project wetlands and enlist their support in the overall management plan that will
be evolved.
Sl No Title Duration Components Activities
1 Introduction to
Wetlands
2 hour What is a wetland
Uses of wetlands
Listing of wetlands known to
children
Drawing
HW : Choose a wetland and
list how many animals and
plants live in the wetlands
2 Living and non
living thing in the
wetlands
1 hour Description of
observation
Sharing of last month's
wetland observation notes
bird checklist
3 Habitat and
wetland types
2 hour Field visit with
village elders
Discussion on differences in
different types of wetlands
4 Zonation and life
cycle
½ day Identify zones Adopt a wetland
5 Adaptations ½ day Field visit
6 Food web and
chain
½ day Description Adopt a portion of food web
7 Relationships in
the wetlands
½ day Field visit
Explaining
mutualism etc.
Based on the observation of
food web-discussion on the
relationship between each
level of the food chain
8 Wetland’s threats
impacts
½ day Field visit Questionnaire
9 Cultural
dimensions of
wetlands
½ day Field visit with
village elders
Interaction with villagers,
indigenous information
collection
10 Wetland
Protection
2 hour
LIST OF SCHOOLS
Selection of schools is priority based. Modules will be done in the schools that are in the vicinity of
the project site (Nedugula, Korakunda, Glenmorgan).The list of schools near the vicinity of the
wetland was made as below.
Nedugula
1. Govt. Higher Secondary School.
2. Hillfort Matric School, Kericombai, Nedugula, Kotagiri.
3. Govt. Higher Secondary School, Milithane
Tarnadmund:
4. Govt. Elementary School, Glenmorgan Estate. 1-5std
5. Govt. School, Camp. 1-8std
Korakunda
6. Govt Elementary school 1-Vstd
Thaishola
7. Govt Elementary school 1-Vstd
Three target groups of children have been identified and the modules allocated accordingly
Class Module
I-V '1-3
VI-VIII '4-6
IX-XII '7-10
SCHEDULE
Minimum of three module/ month will be done.
One module/month in each of the selected three schools will be done.
The modules will be started during the month of August and finish by May.
Resource Use Notes and Draft Problem Analysis
1. Nedugula
The wetland serves the four habitations of Nedugula, Kurkuthi, Kavalorai and
partially Kakasolai.
The small remaining portion of the wetland is choked with weeds. The village
claims that the Panchayat allocates funds annually to clean and desilt the
feeder canals. This year, this activity remains to be done.
The water in the check dam is used washing of carrots as well as to wash
clothes by the Kavalorai families.
The neighbouring settlement of Kakasolai grazes its goats and few cows in the
fallow lands adjoining Kavalorai. These cattle drink the water in the check
dam.
The vegetable growing lands of both Kavalorai and Nedugula are on the either
banks of the main feeder canal. There are approximately 75 wells that supply
irrigation to these lands.
One of these wells also supplies drinking water.
The issue of the wetland being converted is imminent; vast tracts of it have already
been claimed for agriculture. The remaining part has a check dam that alters the
water flow to the wetland. The check dam has been commissioned by the HADP. The
proposal did not face any resistance from the villages.
2. Tarnad Mand
The wetland serves the four habitations of Tarnad Mand, Arthol Mand, Pudu
Mand and Kobba Mand.
Water from the wells in the wetland irrigate approximately 60 acres of land, all
vegetable growing
The buffaloes of all four habitations use the wetland both for wallowing and
drinking water; the catchment is the grazing lands.
The ritual of offering salt to the domestic buffaloes also happens on the
wetland
The probability of the wetland being converted to agriculture seems low at present.
The four habitations together own a large extent of grassland by a revenue
assignment termed as 'Toda Patta' land. These tracts are virtually surrounded by
Reserve Forests. While the current residents of the habitations themselves do not
possess the resources to farm most of the land, it is likely that outsiders will move in
to lease land from the Todas. We are as yet unclear what has prevented this from
happening to date.