FIRST MANAGEMENT PLAN OF PAMBADUM SHOLA NATIONAL PARK 2009 - 2018 DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND WILDLIFE GOVERNMENT OF KERALA INDEX Pages PART - I THE PROTECTED AREA: THE EXISTING SITUATION 1-23 CHAPTER - 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE AREA 1-3 1.1 Name, Location, constitution and extent 1 1.2 Approach and access 1 1.3 Statement of significance 2 1.4 Values of the Park 3 CHAPTER - 2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND ATTRIBUTES 4-13 2.1 Boundaries 4 2.2 Geology Rock and Soil 4 2.3 Terrain 5 2.4 Climate 5 2.5 Water sources 8 2.6 Range of wildlife, status, distribution and habitat 8 CHAPTER - 3 HISTORY OF MANAGEMENT AND PRESENT PRACTICES 14-22 3.1 General 14 3.2 Timber operation 14 3.3 Non Wood Forest Collection 15 3.4 Leases 15 3.5 Other programmes and activities 15 3.6 Forest protection 15 3.7 Visitor Management 19 3.8 Research monitoring and training 20 3.9 Wildlife conservation strategies & evaluation 20 3.10 Administrative set up 20 3.11 Communication 21 3.12 Summary of threats to wildlife 21 CHAPTER - 4 THE PROTECTED AREA AND THE INTERFACE LAND USE 23 SITUATION 4.1 The existing situation in the zone of influence 23 4.2 The Development program and conservation issues 23 PART - II PROPOSED MANAGEMENT 24-61 CHAPTER - 5 PLAN OBJECTIVES AND PROBLEMS 24-31 5.1 Objectives 25 5.2 Problems in achieving objectives & strategies to overcome the 25 problems CHAPTER - 6 STRATEGIES-BOUNDARIES, ZONATION, ZONE PLANS AND 32-46 THEME PLANS 6.1 Boundaries 32 6.2 Zonation 33 6.3 Zone plans 34 6.3.1 Plan for core zone 34 6.3.2 Plan for restoration zone 36 6.3.3 Plan for buffer zone 38 6.4 Theme plans 38 6.4.1 Protection plan 38 6.4.2 Fire protection 44 6.4.3 Watershed and water resource management 45 CHAPTER - 7 TOURISM, INTERPRETATION AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION 47-48 7.1 Environmental conservation awareness 47 7.2 Nature-based regulated tourism 48 CHAPTER - 8 ECODEVELOPMENT 49-51 CHAPTER - 9 RESEARCH, MONITORING AND TRAINING 52-53 9.1 Research 52 9.2 Monitoring 53 9.3 Training 53 CHAPTER -10 ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION 54-55 10.1 Structure 54 10.2 Responsibilities 54 CHAPTER -11 THE BUDGET 56-61 PART-III APPENDICES 62-95 Annexure -1 Notification No. 12875/F2/2003/F&WLD dated 14.12. 2003 62 Annexure -2 Trees, Shrubs, Herbs of Pambadum Shola National Park 63 Annexure -3 List of Mammals recorded from Pambadum Shola NP 66 Annexure -4 Birds of Pambadum Shola NP 67 Annexure -5 List of butterflies recorded from Pambadum Shola NP 71 Annexure -6 List of moths recorded from Pambadum Shola NP 74 Annexure -7 Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forest vide 77 letter No. F(c) A/11.6/172/Misc/KER dt. 02-05-2005 Annexure -8 Government of Kerala GO(Ms) No 42/93/F&WLD dt. 11-06-93 79 Annexure -9 GoK agreement with HNL 04-10-2007 81 Anneuxre-10 List of Control forms 88 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION OF THE AREA 1.1. Name, Location, Constitution and Extent Pambadum Shola National Park is located on the eastern portion of the High Ranges of Southern Western Ghats of Kerala. It is situated between 10o 7' and 10o10' N Latitudes and 77o14' and 77o17' 30" E Longitudes, falls in the Vattavada Panchayat of Devikulam Taluk, Idukki District. This National Park lies in between the Kanan Devan Hills and the Palani Hills of Tamil Nadu Originally notified as Pambadum Shola Reserve No. 55 in 1901, it was declared as National Park in December 2003 as per Notification no. 12875/Fe/2003/F&WLD dated 14/12/2003 of Kerala Government (Annexure 1) due to its unique ecological and geographical significance. The vegetation consists mostly of southern subtropical hill forests with shola-grassland system at the higher altitudes. The Shola National Park is 11.753 Km2 in extent (as per SOI toposheets) even though the notified area is only 131.80 Ha. In Muvattupuzha part of Malayattoor Working Plan for the period 1951-52 to 1966-67 by Sri. T.P. Viswanathan, it is stated that though the area as per notification is 320 acres the area indicated on the concerned Map exceeds 2600 acres and that maintained on the ground roughly corresponds to the area indicated on the Map (page 105). It was prescribed in Page 72 of working plan to take early steps to survey and notify the Shola Reserve. The extent within the notified boundaries has also been checked and calculated by the GIS unit working under the Chief Conservator of Forests (FMIS). As per the findings of GIS unit extent comes to 11.6859 Sq. km. The Boundary of the Pambadum Shola National Park on the toposheet is given in Fig. 1. 1.2. Approach and access The Park is situated at a distance of 36 Kms from Munnar town. Munnar is accessible from Kochi (120 km) and Coimbatore (150 km) airports along main roads. The nearest railway station in Kerala is Aluva (120km) and in Tamil Nadu, Pollachi (100 km). Two 1 roads pass through the Park, the Munnar – Koviloor road and the Munnar – Kodaikanal road, now closed at the State boarder. Fig.1: Boundary of Pambadum Shola National Park on Toposheet 1.3. Statement of significance The Pambadum Shola National Park represents a large number of plants and animals unique to the shola vegetation. The Park has 321 species of Lepidoptera out of which 89 species belong to the sub order Rhopalocera (butterflies) and the rest belong to Heterocera (moths). Thirteen endemic butterflies which are dominant in the higher elevations are found in the shola. The species Parantica nilgiriensis (Nymphalidae) which is restricted to some of the hills of south India and listed as threatened species by IUCN, is abundant. The Shola also harbors 2 other rare species like Libythea lepita, Pantoporia ranga, Rohana pariasatis, Zipoetis saintis and Jamides dalecto. 1.4. Values of the Park 1.4.1. Value related to biodiversity of Protected Area. Value related to flora. · Well-protected representative example of shola ecosystem in Western Ghats. · Exceptional species diversity · Significant population of locally endemic species. · Ideal place for “in-situ” germplasm conservation of rare and threatened species like tree ferns. Values related to fauna. · Significant diversity of insects especially butterflies. · Corridor connecting KDH and Palani 1.4.2. Values related to watershed · Value associated with watershed for drinking water and irrigation to Vattavada valley. 1.4.3. Values related to education and research. · Research and monitoring values associated with endemism, biodiversity, human- wildlife interaction etc. · Educational value associated with nature education, nature exploration and adventure. 1.4.4. Aesthetic value · Eco-tourism potential · Values related to bird watching, trekking, nature interpretation 3 CHAPTER 2 BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND ATTRIBUTES 2.1. Boundaries 2.1.1. Legal boundaries North: The southern boundary of Pambadum Shola Reserved Forest No.55, starting from a point about 500m towards south from hill point 2162, thence runs more or less south East to hill point 1896 and thence towards East to meet at a point roughly in the middle of hill points 2497 (Pattitalachai Malai) and 2531 (Vandaravu Malai) on the inter state boundary. East: The boundary runs more or less south along the interstate boundary. South: The boundary runs more or less west along the interstate boundary. West: The western boundary of Pambadum Shola Reserved forest No.55 adjoining to the eastern boundary of Chittuvarai Tea estate till it reaches North Eastern corner at the starting point. 70% of the boundary is already consolidated with permanent cairns. 2.1.2. Internal Boundaries The Park is now managed as a single unit and hence there are no internal boundaries. 2.1.3. Ecological Boundaries On the northern side, the Park is bordered partly by the Kurinjimala Sanctuary. The eastern and southern sides are bordered by the proposed Palani Hills National Park and forests of Theni Division respectively. On the western side are the forests and plantations of Kannan Devan Hills. At the landscape level, the Park has continuity with Anamala Tiger reserve, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Eravikulam National Park and the forests of Kannan Devan Hills. 2. 2 Geology, rock and soil The underlying rock formation consists principally of gneiss of a granites nature, very often foliated and composed of quartz, feldspar and biotile. The soil is deep in general 4 and in ridges and hilltops, the soil is shallow. Soils in lower slopes and valleys are considerably deeper and finer. 2.2.1. Soil sampling and analyses Surface soil samples (0-20 cm) were collected from Pambadum Shola. The gravel contents were found out. Analyses were carried out for estimation of particle–size separates, soil pH, organic carbon, available N, P, K Ca and Mg as per standard procedures in ASA (1965) and Jackson (1958). The soil physical and chemical properties are shown in Table 1. Table 1: Characteristics of soils from Pambadum Shola forests Organic Av. Av. Av. Sand Silt Clay Soil Av. N Av. K Location carbon, P Ca Mg % % % PH % % % Ppm % % Pambadum 60 14 26 5.7 4.50 0.037 12 0.271 0.092 0.0288 Shola Source: KFRI Extension Project Report No. 15. The general features of soils in Pambadum shola are as follows: The soils are very dark grayish brown granular, porous and very friable, low in gravel content, rich in organic matter and all nutrients, decaying leaves forming a mat on and closely below surface, medium acid and clay loam.