ANNUAL WWF-India REPORT IND Kerala State Office 2011 ANNUAL REPORT 2010 - 2011 FROM THE STATE DIRECTOR’S DESK It is indeed with great pride and joy that we put forward the Annual Report for 2010 – 11. When we look back to the passing year, we very much realize that with a small team of 6 staff, we have been able to do considerably good work in the conservation scenario of Kerala. We do not claim that we have done everything needed. We had limitation of manpower and materials. But prioritizing the various conservation needs and issues and deciding on what we can handle within our scope, we can certainly say that we have done our best in that. If one looks at the spectrum of work that we have done, it will fall in major three bands, i.e. conservation projects, environment education, policy and advocacy interventions In the last one year, we could successfully complete 2 major projects that we have been handling since the last few years, mainly ‘Design and Installation of Information Panels, Signages and Handbook for the Thiruvananthapuram Museum & Zoo Complex’ funded by the Directorate of Museum & Zoos, ‘Carbon Sequestration Capacity of Magroves of Kannur District of Kerala’ funded by Department of Science & Technology. The project linking livelihoods and conservation of Vembanad is still ongoing and it will extend to middle of the next year also. We had our hands full with regard to environment education and awareness programmes. This includes a wide range of activities including Teachers Training Workshops, Nature Clubs, Nature Education Camps, and commemoration of environmentally important days, Friday Forums, Green Gatherings and others. The fifteen TTWs that we are regularly organizing every year across the State on ‘Environment Education’ mainly targeting School Teachers and Teacher Trainees have created a lasting impression in the field of EE in Kerala. In each workshop we have been able to train around 45 – 60 participants and thereby around 1000 participants in a year. The training has been a great capacity building programme for the participants as given in the feedback. The participants as they return back to their school are encouraged to start a nature club and take up projects and programmes in connection with local specific conservation needs. So the TTWs give long lasting multiple benefits. This has been possible through the support of CPREEC, Chennai. We have been able to associate with other institutions and agencies in their similar work also. A word of special appreciation goes to Mr. A.K. Sivakumar, Education Officer who has been sacrificing many of his personal conveniences to find time for all these programmes and activities. For the coming year, we very much desire to support him with an Assistant Education Officer which will help him to be more effective and efficient and also bring in new programmes. The initiatives and activities taken up by the state wide network of our District Co-ordinators also needs special mention. We have just given them possible support by providing resource materials. But their zeal and dedication is to be appreciated. In the policy and advocacy scenario, we have been proactive in supporting various initiatives linked to conservation issues like that of the Pathiramanal Island, proposed Athirappilly HEP, GM crops, CRZ notification etc. We had very good support from the Secretariat also, right from the Secretary General to various Programme Heads and also the other support staff at the Secretariat. We have been involved in the various initiatives under the Marine Programme and also that of the Forestry Programme. The various workshops and programmes conducted under the GFTN-India project on ‘Forest Certification’ funded by the European Commission has definitely helped us to make a great impact on the timber and related industry in Kerala. We have also been able to provide the necessary administrative support to the South Western Ghats Landscape Programme Office and its team especially in its liaison with the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department. In the coming year, we look forward very hopefully and optimistically to do the best to our ability for the conservation needs of the State. Renjan Mathew Varghese (State Director) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to take this opportunity to thank one and all who have contributed in some way or the other, direct or indirect, to help us fulfill our mission of nature conservation and environment protection, mainly with regard to the needs of Kerala State. We express our special thanks and regards to Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO who has always given ear to all our requests and supported us in immense ways in fulfilling our mission well. Our special thanks go to Dr. Sejal Worah, Programme Director who has always guided us with her advice and inputs. We extend our thanks to Mr. Lovekesh Wadhwa, Director-Finance, Gp. Cpt. Naresh Kapile, Director-HR, Lt. Col. Sanjeev Singh Rana, Director-Operations, and Mr. Karan Bhalla, Finance & Operations Controller. The support given by the other heads and staff at the Secretariat are also duly acknowledged, namely Dr.T.R.Manoharan, Ms. Vishaish Uppal, Ms. Madhur Das, Ms. Shaila Sam, Ms. Mita Nangia Goswami and others. We would like to place on record our most sincere thanks to Mr. A.V.George, Chairman of the Kerala State Advisory Board who was always there by our side with all possible support whenever and wherever we have needed them. The work freedom that he has given us is what has helped us to reach such heights. The contribution of the other Advisory Board Members are also duly acknowledged. We would like to thank all our associates in our various projects i.e. Department of Science & Technology, GoI, Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department, Environment Management Agency Kerala, Directorate of Museum & Zoos, CPREEC Chennai and GFTN-India. Our wide range of EE programmes would not have been possible without the help and support of various departments and agencies, namely Ministry of Environment and Forests, GoI, Kerala State Biodiversity Board, Department of Tourism, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, Kerala State Pollution Control Board, HSBC, TKMIM, CMS Vatavaran, Earth Day Network, NIMS, EMC, CESS, Institution of Architects and Interior Designers, CISSA, DCSMAT, Warblers & Waders, Association of British Scholars, ATREE, Kottayam Round Table and a host of others. We would like to thank all the District Coordinators who has invested time and resources in supporting us in our various programmes and has also gone one step ahead in bringing up their own initiatives in organizing environment education and awareness programmes and also in addressing local conservation issues. Renjan Mathew Varghese (State Director) CONTENTS FROM THE STATE DIRECTOR’S DESK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT CONTENTS A GLIMPSE OF 2010 – 11 MANPOWER ACTIVITY REPORT IN DETAIL I. CONSERVATION PROJECTS II. ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION & AWARENESS PROGRAMMES III. POLICY & ADVOCACY INTERVENTIONS IV. OTHERS V. PUBLICATIONS VI. WORKSHOPS & SEMINARS ATTENDED/ ASSOCIATED VII. INTERNSHIP VIII. SALES IX. NETWORKING X. OFFICE ADMINISTRATION A GLIMPSE OF 2010 – 11 Conservation Projects - Carbon Sequestration Capacity of Mangroves of Kannur District and comparison at ecosystem and species level funded by Department of Science & Technology, Government of India - Design & Installation of Information Panels, Signages & Handbook for the Thiruvananthapuarm Museum & Zoo Complex funded by Directorate of Museum & Zoos, Government of Kerala - Forest Certification Project of GFTN-India funded by European Commission - Survey of marine turtles along Indian Coast – Status, Threats and Management – Kerala Component funded by WWF-India - Development of Sustainable Livelihood Security Index for the Ramsar Site (Vembanad) of Kerala funded by Environment Management Agency Kerala, Government of Kerala Environment Education & Awareness Programmes - Nature Clubs - Nature Education Camps - Teachers Training Workshops (15 nos) funded by CPREEC Chennai - Friday Forums/ Saturday Forums - Commemoration of Environmentally Important Days o Earth Day 2010 o World Migratory Bird Day 2010 o World Environment Day 2010 o Ozone Day 2010 o World Tourism Day 2010 o Salim Ali Day 2010 o World Wetlands Day 2011 o World Forestry Day 2011 o World Water Day 2011 - Wild Wisdom 2010 - NEAC 2010-11 Policy & Advocacy Interventions - Proposed Athirappily HEP - Introduction of GM Crops in India (BT Brinjal) - CRZ Notification - Tourism development in Pathiramanal Island - Chakkankandam pollution issue - Methrankayal reclamation issue - Draft Regulatory Framework on Wetlands Conservation - Kerala Inland Fishery Bill Others - Save Our Tigers - Wildlife Week & CMS Vatavaran Film Festival - Bird Race 2010 - Seminar with TKMIM on Current Trends & Challenges in Envt. Mngt. - Indian Biodiversity Congress - TRAFFIC Workshop on Strengthening Wildlife Law Enforcement in India - Earth Hour - Reporting of wildlife mortality to TRAFFIC - Association with NIMS in their greening project ‘NIMS Harithakam’ - Financial support to Vava Suresh (Snake Rescuer) Publications - Posters on Birds & Butterflies - Bimonthly newsletter ‘Mruthika’ - India’s Forests and the Judiciary/ Conserving Protected Areas and Wildlife - Articles in other publications Workshops & Seminars Attended/ Associated - Galileo Little Scientist Programme - Class at PRS Hospital as part of Free Children’s Clinic - Class for Government Officers at IMG - Inauguration of Bhoomithra Club at Shanthigiri Siddha Medical College