Biodiversity Conservation

COMMUNITY LED BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION OF FOREST ECOSYSTEM IN PICHAVARAM

Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), C R E E D Preservation and rejuvenation of Pichavaram Project Activities: Mangrove Forest in district in Tamil Nadu is the primary goal of the Project. The Project Community Mobilization: A preliminary survey began as a pilot measure in T.S. Pettai, the largest was done by the NGO followed by more and strategically placed village in Pichavaram community led participatory rural appraisals area, covering around 300 hectares. Steps were (PRAs), highlighting the loss and requirements of taken to ensure alternative income through micro each of the families in T.S. Pettai and neighboring enterprises such as manufacture of Dry Fish, Fish villages. The Plan was mapped from house to Powder, Fish Pickles, Dried and Salted Prawns house and a cost plan of Rs 1,09,00,000/- was among the artisan fisher-folks in T.S. Pettai. made in three days. The presentations on the plan ! 24 small-holders regained their lands were made to the DC with NC SGP and discussions compatible for farming which had turned saline were made on how the costs need to be met. The after Tsunami. focus was both on relief and rehabilitation for sustainability. Beneficiaries identified and SHGs ! Milk cow distribution program directly benefited were formed among fishing/agriculture comm- 26 families. unities. Savings and credit activities initiated and ! Sheep pairs distribution program among 52 bank linkages made. Onaway Trust (UK) and the socially excluded families resulted in collective other International Donors came forward in ownership and management. supporting with boats, fishing nets etc. ! De-siltation of feeding canal accrued an Promotion of Sustainable Livelihoods: Gainful employment generation of 1012 person-days. and sustainable income generation activities have ! Installation of Solar Fish Drier Unit enabled 16 been initiated among the fisher folk through value women members form a Self Help Group for added activities. Processing and drying of sea food production of quality d ry fish. through two Marine Products Bulk Dryer units installed at TS Pettai. These units run on eco- ! Land reclamation program had a coverage of 24 friendly solar power. Marketing of processed acres under Varietal Groundnut cultivation. marine products through KVIC, Gandhi Gram and other Khadi showrooms is being done. Export market will also be tapped in due course.

Mangrove Forest Restoration: Plantation of 50,000 saplings is planned in the mangrove forest Project Background Name of Organisation : area as part of the Regeneration Process. A major Centre for Rural Education and part of this plantation activity has taken place. The The project was developed by the local Non Economic Development Governmental Organisation (NGO), CREED for village forest protection committee has been mangrove restoration through community actions. Geographical area : involved in the whole process. The communities Thandavarayan Sozhingan Pettai through support from the Forest Department are During implementing, a catastrophe in the form of in Tamil Nadu Tsunami hit the South Asian Region. The project raising Forest and mangrove nurseries. Also 1000 had to be improvised as the village was badly hit No. of Beneficiaries : mts canal has been dug for better water 1057 people in TS Pettai arrangements. with nearly more than 50 deaths. village of SGP Grant : Networking and Linkages: The NGO has To meet the immediate needs the NGO and the ` 14,65,500 successfully developed links/networks with GEF/UNDP SGP, CEE planned meetings with the Government/Scientific Institutions /Academic communities and a detailed village plan was Co-Financing Grant : ` 84,22,305 Institutions etc for Advocacy, Knowledge sharing developed. Simple village maps approach to and Sustainability. develop the actions required was adopted in a 3-4 Project Time Period : day participatory exercise. This was later adopted 2004 - 2007 as a ’model approach’ by the district ad- Project Partners : Results from actions in village: ministration for all affected villages. The NC Onaway Trust (UK); UNICEF; Animal 1. Successful PRAs among the communities Husbandry; Forest Deptt; Govt. of Tamil advised the NGO CREED, on the planning exercise resulted in generation of micro plans at village Nadu; CARE India; Local Banks; and and the NGO plans and ‘modus operandi’ was NABARD. level and involvement of other district, national taken as a sustainable method for needs assessment and international level government and non- by GOTN. government funding agencies. Created a community confidence and affective The project aims at reaching out the poor people management plan for a range of activities with affected by Tsunami in Thandavarayan Sozhingan clear sharing of responsibilities, roles, Pettai [T.S. Pettai] to desalinate the cultivable lands decisions and funds. This then led to a shared and upgrade livelihoods of the poor families. community vision and a path to move on. NGO CREED was made the nodal agency by the DC for more than 40 affected villages. Project wages maintained structural f community-based r Committee P 215 Local 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. o e r r p o

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