The Tree of Hope

Can a series of letters to concerned authorities demanding attention and accountability elicit a response? What can an organization do to whip up a storm so that the critical issue of biodiversity conservation is addressed? "A lot," says Ashish Kothari, one of the founding members of Kalpavriksh environmental action group: a small 22-year-old NGO (non-governmental organization) that works on environmental awareness, campaigns, litigation, research, and other areas. Established in 1979, it has taken a position on a number of environment-development issues, more often than not confronting the state through measures ranging from writing protest letters to street demonstrations.

Many of its members have been through an intense and diverse learning process: initiating local protests against the destruction of Delhi's largest green area (the Ridge), trekking through the Himalayan region with the Chipko Andolan, studying the impacts of the Narmada projects, investigations into police firing in Bharatpur bird reserve, and all this while, continuing nature walks and lobbying for wildlife conservation and animal rights. With such a background, it is not surprising that the NGO has continued to participate in mass movements, challenging the state and its policies, while episodically supporting elements of the state that have moved progressively on environmental and development fronts.

Recognizing merit in both the struggle to protect basic human rights and the need for a formal system of conservation, Kalpavriksh has attempted to 'build bridges'. Not being an on-the-ground practitioner itself, the group has carried out investigations, acted as an information dissemination agent, supported the struggles of those on the ground, helped organize yatras and exchange programmes involving diverse stakeholders, and organized a series of national consultations on the subject. In doing so, it has accepted that there is no black-and-white situation out there.

"Kalpavriksh believes that a country can develop meaningfully only when ecological sustainability and social equity are guaranteed, and a sense of respect for, and oneness with, nature and fellow humans is achieved," explains Kothari, adding that it is a non-hierarchical organization and the group takes all decisions after appropriate debate and discussion. The democratic nature of Kalpavriksh has seen it scale new heights, one of them being the NBSAP (National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan) ' the mammoth documentary evidence of the loss of plant and animal species and the tremendous will shown by some committed individuals to protect the earth ' battered and bruised beyond recognition.

The NBSAP covered all kinds of biodiversity like ecosystems, species, and genes and all aspects of conservation ' like sustainability in the use of biological resources, equity in decisions regarding the access to benefits from these resources, etc. ' were dealt with. A thoroughly participatory process, the path-breaking research and preparation of the report involved tens of thousands of people from various sectors including farmers, adivasis, and fisher folk. Kalpavriksh embarked on a journey of hope and achievement with the publication of a brochure ' Call for Participation ' in all of 16 languages seeking involvement from the society. "The response was overwhelming," says Kothari with a smile. Close to 650 groups and individuals came back to Kalpavriksh, expressing their interest in the project.

The findings, made public in October 2005 were alarming. India's biodiversity, according to NBSAP, was truly in peril. The root cause of this biodiversity loss is the model of development that India has followed centered on large-scale industrial expansion. Abundant evidence is now available of the negative impacts of this development model on natural and agricultural ecosystems, habitats and species, as well as ecosystem-based livelihoods and socio-economic equity.

Kothari and his team, while working on the ambitious project, stumbled upon other causes of biodiversity loss, such as erosion of customary rights and traditional management; increasing social, political, and economic inequities; changes in cultural, ethical, and moral values; lack of recognition of the full values of biodiversity; and inappropriate, inflexible, weak, and contradictory laws and policies. Some demographic changes have also contributed to the pressures on biological resources.

For the complete story read TerraGreen (April-June 2006). Now on stands! For subscriptions,
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