Economic Valuation of Tiger Reserves in India a Value+ Approach
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ECONOMIC VALUATION OF TIGER RESERVES IN INDIA A VALUE+ APPROACH JANUARY 2015 Centre for Ecological Services Management (CESM), Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal ECONOMIC VALUATION OF TIGER RESERVES IN INDIA A VALUE+ APPROACH JANUARY 2015 Centre for Ecological Services Management (CESM), Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal Supported by Suggested Citation National Tiger Conservation Authority Verma, M., Negandhi, D., Khanna, C., Edgaonkar, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, A., David, A., Kadekodi, G., Costanza, R., Singh, R. Government of India, Economic Valuation of Tiger Reserves in India: A Value+ First Floor, East Tower, NBCC Place, Approach. Indian Institute of Forest Management. Bhopal, Bhishma Pitamah Marg, India. January 2015. New Delhi - 110003, India Design Credits Authors Design, Artwork & Cover: Madhu Verma, Innomedia Creations Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata Professor, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal [email protected] Dhaval Negandhi, Subject Expert, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal Disclaimer Chandan Khanna, Subject Expert, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal The views expressed and any errors herein are entirely those of authors. The views as expressed do not necessarily reflect Advait Edgaonkar, those of and cannot be attributed to the study advisors, Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Forest Management, contacted individuals, institutions and organizations Bhopal involved. The information contained herein has been Ashish David, obtained from various sources including respective Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Forest Management, tiger reserves, Forest Survey of India, discussions with Bhopal stakeholders, a review of publications, deliberations of the Gopal Kadekodi, workshops conducted and are to the best our knowledge Honorary Professor, Centre for Multidisciplinary Research, accurate. Despite all precautions taken to accurately reflect Dharwad the information that was collected for this report, any Robert Costanza, errors pointed out subsequently by any party cannot lead Chair in Public Policy, Australian National University, to any liability on the part of the authors. The contents Canberra of this report may be used by anyone providing proper Rohit Singh, acknowledgements. Subject Expert, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal ii / Study EXECUTION TEAM STUDY MENTORS Rajesh Gopal, Giridhar Kinhal, S. P. Yadav and Sanjay Kumar LEAD AUTHORS Madhu Verma, Dhaval Negandhi, Chandan Khanna, Advait Edgaonkar and Ashish David CONTRIBUTING LEAD AUTHORS Gopal Kadekodi, Robert Costanza and Rohit Singh STUDY ADVISORS Anmol Kumar, E. Somanathan, Himmat Negi, Ida Kubiszewski, N. S. Bisht, P. K. Sen, Qamar Qureshi, Rajesh Kumar, Rucha Ghate, Swapan Mehra and Y. V. Jhala January 2015 Economic Valuation of Tiger Reserves in India: A Value+ Approach / iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS At the very outset, the team expresses its gratitude to in the methodology workshop and InVEST workshop the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Ministry of at Periyar and his useful inputs during the same. We are Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government especially thankful to Shri Sanjay Kumar, AIG (NTCA), of India and Dr. Rajesh Gopal, ADG (Project Tiger) for Dr. S. Rajesh, AIG (NTCA), and Dr. Vaibhav Mathur, AIG showing confidence in IIFM, assigning such an important (NTCA) for your support during the study. study and extending wholehearted support during the execution of the study. The authors are thankful to Dr. V. B. Mathur Director, Wildlife Institute of India; Dr. V. K. Uniyal, Scientist-F, We are extremely grateful to Field Directors of all the Wildlife Institute of India; Dr. Anurag Danda, Head, selected tiger reserves — Shri Samir Sinha (Corbett Tiger Climate Change and Adaptation and Sundarbans Reserve), Shri J. S. Chouhan (Kanha Tiger Reserve), Programme, WWF-India; Shri Ratul Saha, Climate Change Shri M. K. Yadava (Kaziranga Tiger Reserve), Shri and Adaptation and Sundarbans Programme, WWF-India; Amit Mallick (Periyar Tiger Reserve), Shri Y. K. Sahu Dr. Harendra Bargali, Deputy Director, The Corbett (Ranthambore Tiger Reserve) and Shri Soumitra Dasgupta Foundation, Sunny Shah, WWF-India for their insights (Sundarbans Tiger Reserve) — for their participation in the on various issues related to protected area management, methodology workshop and subsequent support during the ecosystem services, and wildlife ecology, among others. field visits and data collection process. Such an extensive exercise within the stipulated time period would not have Individual consultation meetings and key informant been possible without their cooperation. interviews were conducted with various experts near each tiger reserve to provide us with a list of issues which need We are indebted to all coordinating lead authors and consideration in the study. In this regard we are grateful to advisors for this study — Dr. Gopal Kadekodi, Dr. Robert all experts consulted for taking time out from their busy Costanza, Dr. Himmat Negi, Dr. Anmol Kumar, Shri schedules and accepting our request to have a discussion Rajesh Kumar, Dr. J. V. Jhala, Dr. Qamar Qureshi, Dr. with them. The study benefitted vastly from issues that Rucha Ghate, Shri Swapan Mehra, Dr. E. Somanathan, arose during these meetings. In addition it helped in Dr. N. S. Bisht, Shri P. K. Sen and Dr. Ida Kubiszewski including views of all major stakeholders in the study. The — for their enthusiasm, constant guidance, and valuable study team also wishes to express their gratitude to all the comments from time to time which helped us immensely participants in the Methodology Workshop held in New to refine the methodology and focus our approach on Delhi during March 2014. the study objectives. With rich and vast experience in the area of forest conservation, wildlife ecology and economic We are indebted to Dr. Giridhar A. Kinhal, Director, valuation, the experts brought a range of inter-disciplinary IIFM for his support and able guidance during the study. issues to light which greatly benefitted the authors It would have been difficult to internalize the plethora of during the analysis. Without their constant guidance and issues involved without his direction. support, we would not have been able to achieve the study To Mr. K. V. C. Shekhar we extend our sincere thanks for objectives. his constant secretarial support in the preparation of this We appreciate the help extended by all the officials of the report. NTCA and wish to put on record the support extended To conclude, we once again extend our heartfelt thanks to by Shri S. P. Yadav, DIG (NTCA) through his invaluable all the individuals and their institutions who contributed insights facilitating study execution. We are also grateful to their time and expertise to the realization of the objective of Shri C. M. Shivakumar, AIG (NTCA) for his participation the study. (Madhu Verma) On behalf of the entire study team iv / jep³e ceb$eer (mJeleb$e ÒeYeej) He³ee&JejCe, Jeve SJeb peueJee³eg HeefjJele&ve Yeejle mejkeÀej Minister of State (Independent Charge) Environment, Forests & Climate Change Message Government of India Conservation of tiger has attracted a great deal of global but unaccounted national and global contribution of these attention due to its importance as an umbrella species, tiger reserves. These findings provide adequate justification whereby its conservation also protects other endangered for enhanced investment in such areas which is critical to wildlife and ecosystems. Given that we have the maximum ensure continued flow of vital life-supporting ecological, number of tigers in the wild amongst the tiger range economic, social and cultural services from these genetic countries, India has accepted the responsibility of ensuring repositories. The findings also highlight that conservation its survival. The country has taken a pioneering initiative of habitats where tigers reside is perhaps as important for conserving its national animal through the Project Tiger as the number of tigers themselves. Acknowledging the by establishing 47 tiger reserves since 1973 - covering over information for the support of policy making from such a 2 per cent of country’s geographical area, approximately 10 study, I recommend similar studies to be carried out not per cent of country’s recorded forest area and more than only across all tiger reserves in India but also across tiger 40 per cent of country’s total protected area. In addition to range countries involving multiple agencies such as the ensure perpetuity of evolution in these untouched areas of Global Tiger Forum to highlight the benefits of conserving wilderness, these tiger reserves provide a lot of benefits such tiger habitats. as provisioning of clean air and water, protection of genetic information, alleviating natural hazards such as storms Altogether, the study presents much needed information and floods, and mitigating climate change by storing and for policy makers, tiger reserve managers, conservationists, sequestration large amounts of carbon, among others. academia and other stakeholders which would help in inculcating an appreciation for the benefits from The current study on ‘Economic Valuation of Tiger conservation of tiger reserves and acknowledging their Reserves in India: A VALUE+ Approach’ executed by varied contribution to various ecological and economic Indian Institute of Forest Management with initiation systems. I complement NTCA and IIFM for this sincere and support of National Tiger Conservation