A novel development in Biodiversity Conservation is taking place in Arunachal Pradesh….

1. A novel development in Biodiversity Conservation is taking place in Arunachal Pradesh….

2. The region was environmentally studied during the 1980s from the geology, to geomorphology, to pedobiology, to limnology, to ichthiology, to entomology, to zoology, to botany, to anthropology, to atmospherics, to socio-economics, to climatics…

3. This indicated that Northeast India lies at the trijunction of THREE different biographical plates: • the Laurasian, • the Ethiopian and • the Oriental, sheltering some of the world’s most unique biodiversity.

4. The needs of the community and the benefits of conservation were widely discussed with the Sherdukpen Clan leaders… …resulting in the Sherdukpen Clan of the State resolving to set aside a large tract of their community land for the purpose of conservation of flora and fauna.

5. One example of what can be done with environmental information... Decision Making Accurate Information Environmental Concerns Multi-Stakeholder Human Problems Factual Inputs Rural/Urban Real/Motivated Personal/Political Logical Deduction + emotional concerns Compromise solution includes dialogue Local, State, National, International Levels Implementation and Enforcement

6. It is with a view to protecting what little forest remains that this presentation is made. The thrust has been information dissemination, convincing of locals and empowering them so that there can be some hope of success.

7. We are now physically preserving large tracts of primary rain and cloudforests as well as regenerating denuded areas through locals. Without plantations.

8. Insurgency & the Environment • Open conflict, declared or undeclared war, insurgency, militancy, & terrorism debilitate governments . • Governments, politicians and outside interest groups have fled from the problems • Vast environmental resources left to insurgents

9. Almost ALL of North Assam’s Government Reserved Forests in N.E. India have been decimated to the almost non-existent stage, on the pretext of settling “Insurgents”. And all this in that ecological kaleidoscope, the UNDP DECLARED ENVIRONMENTAL HOTSPOT: EASTERN HIMALAYA.

10. Usual Needs & Benefits • JOBS • Capacity Building. • Poverty Alleviation • Motivate & train communities to self sustain project • Keep peace by removing one underlying cause of conflict—unemployment

11. Possible Solutions: • Go in with an ICDP plan. • Bottom up approach—ask local people what they want • Convince local leaders of benefits. • Takes time. Be prepared for reverses. • Start small. • Get moving. Find funding for initial stages. • Make it self sustaining. • Religion, Culture, Peace & Environment - a powerful foursome. Add implementation & enforcement. It works.

12. This process is highly replicable in most rural areas with local adaptations. • The project is envisaged to be a model for community forests in the Northeast where a large tract of forest area is outside of State Government control • Huge conservation areas can be developed benefiting local people without bureaucracy, red tape and corruption.

13. Thank You Further details: Peter Thorose, Secy, MEWS-INDIA email: peterthorose@hotmail.com