Community Conserved Areas
A Brief About Community Conserved Areas In India
As one traverses the length and breadth of India, one often comes across the co-existence of humans and wildlife, even in the midst of ecological degradation and fast pace globalization. These include grasslands, wetlands, forests, various species of plants and animals protected for a variety of reasons. The reasons for such protection are diverse and include, spiritual and religious sentiments, sustainable resource use, gaining political strength or economic stability, as a conscious or subconscious continuation of traditions, or because of a newer sensibility based on knowledge about the need to conserve threatened species or habitats. A wide range of traditional and new systems are used to achieve such conservation. These include establishment of rules and regulations which either completely prohibit human use or regulate them, establishment of fining systems, establishment of local institutions and so on. Such sites are important for their conservation value and play a crucial role in ensuring local livelihoods. We refer to these as Community Conserved Areas (CCAs)
Understanding CCAs is important as it could provide solutions to a number of conservation related faced in the country today. However, CCAs remain invisible to society, are facing internal and external pressures due to globalisation, are ignored in government conservation policies, and some are on the verge of breaking down. Recognizing and supporting these efforts, and creating an environment to facilitate their spread, has the potential to start a conservation mass movement in the country. One step in this direction is the publication of Community Conserved Areas in India – A Directory (An Overview). It describes a diversity of such initiatives with the objective of gaining a deeper understanding of interface between conservation of biological diversity, local livelihoods, peoples’ rights and development needs.CCA Research & Documentation
Lack of information and awareness about Community Conserved Areas and their issues has been one of the reasons why they have been ignored so far. For past few decades Kalpavriksh has been documenting, analyzing, supporting and lobbying for CCAs in general and in India and South Asia in particular.
Dialogues
Regular discussions and debates are the backbone of any transparent decision-making process and in helping to build a coherent bond between various actors involved. Kalpavriksh has been facilitating such dialogues in many parts of India and South Asia.
Grassroot Engagements
Kalpavriksh believes in long term relationship with communities and civil society groups that we engage with. These are our sources of inspiration, who have not only helped us deepen our understanding about participatory and community conservation and its links with local livelihoods but have also helped us refine our own institutional functioning and decision-making processes.
UNDP Final Report Feb 2011
Kalpavriksh had undertaken a one year (2009-10) project "Recognising and Supporting Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas in South Asia and Globally". Its main objectives were....Read the Final UNDP Report, Feb 2011...