Dear readers,

 

We are pleased to present the latest edition of The Corbett Foundation Newsletter, covering the period from June to August. In this issue, we share highlights from the celebration of World Environment Day, Global Tiger Day and World Elephant Day from across The Corbett Foundation's (TCF) offices covering over 825 villages in 26 districts from six states of India. 

 

We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to our generous funders and partners, whose support and interest in our work have been instrumental in driving a positive change. It is through their continued support that we are able to make a lasting impact on wildlife conservation and local community engagement.

 

We hope you enjoy reading this edition of our newsletter and find inspiration in the stories and updates shared. Thank you for being a part of our journey towards a sustainable and harmonious coexistence with nature.

 

1. Celebrating events of International Importance at TCF
2. Updates projects in the Bandhavgarh Landscape
3. Updates from our work in Kanha Landscape
4. Updates from eco-restoration project in Satpura Landscape
5. Updates from our work in Maharashtra's Rajmachi and Lonavala conservation reserves
6. Awards and appreciation

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

THE TIGER HABITAT PROJECT 

The Corbett Foundation, with funding support from Axis Bank and WestBridge Capital, is executing a habitat restoration initiative in the corridor between Bandhavgarh and Sanjay-Dubri tiger reserves at Pipari, Karpa and Amanar villages in North Shahdol Forest Division. The project aims to rejuvenate degraded forests through the planting of native plant species and the establishment of protective measures such as boundaries and security personnel to deter vandalism and livestock grazing. The project's core goals are centered around long-term tiger conservation and enhancing climate resilience. The restoration aims to promote biodiversity, conserve water resources using earthen check dams, and mitigate soil erosion. The current project phase involves completed groundwork, encompassing activities such as site fencing, excavation of planting pits, construction of earthen check dams, and sapling plantation. A total of 180,000 saplings of native tree and bamboo species have been planted over 275 hectares.

 

TCF is thankful to Madhya Pradesh Forest Department for the partnership.

With support from HDFC Bank Parivartan, TCF is implementing a Holistic Rural Development Programme in sixteen villages nestled in the Western Ghats and surrounding Rajmachi and Lonavala conservation reserves in Pune District of Maharashtra. The project's main aim is to ensure human-wildlife coexistence for long-term conservation. TCF has teamed up with the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Maharashtra, to execute the 'Adoption of Anganwadi Program' across these 16 villages. The signing of the MoU was attended by former Minister Shri. Mangal Prabhat Lodha and officials, acknowledging TCF's past success in the Sindhudurg IRDP project supported by National Payments Corporation of India. 

 

Between May and August, TCF focused on many aspects of rural development in the region and implemented multi dimensional initiatives such as a vaccination camp in Sawale village with the focus on improving livestock health and distribution of torches to farmers following an extensive Human-Wildlife Interaction survey, improving safety during nighttime crop protection and promoting coexistence. Snake awareness sessions were also conducted in schools and villages, fostering respect for snakes' ecological significance. TCF also initiated school and anganwadi refurbishment in some of the villages.

 

For the purpose of biodiversity and conservation support, TCF expanded to creating butterfly gardens in two identified locations, involving local community members and providing engaging spaces for experiential learning.

 

Surveys and assessments of chosen sites for Natural Resource Management (NRM) activities like dams, ponds, and watchtowers were also completed. By involving communities and training forest staff going forward, TCF strives to align settlements with wildlife habitats and optimize water resources, reflecting their commitment to comprehensive conservation and development.

 

TCF is thankful to Maharashtra Forest Department for the partnership.

HOLISTIC HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT MITIGATION

With the support of the Born Free Foundation, UK, TCF is implementing a comprehensive human-wildlife conflict mitigation project within the Kanha Tiger Reserve. The project's main objective is to address human-wildlife conflict in the buffer zone of the reserve. This is being achieved through two strategies: reducing cattle depredation by tigers and leopards by promoting stall feeding by providing controlled fodder grown on privately-owned lands and promoting alternative income sources to conserve big cats and their habitat. To realize these goals, the TCF has leased a 10-acre plot from farmers in Baherakhar village. This land is used for cultivating green fodder, which helps reduce unregulated grazing in the forest and prevents disease transmission from domesticated cattle to wild herbivores. Additionally, 10 high milk-yielding cows have been given to farmers in the same village to support alternative livelihoods. TCF also provided financial and medical assistance to cattle owners whose animals were attacked by tigers and leopards in the area.

GREEN LIVELIHOODS & ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PROJECT

TCF, with support from the PwC India Foundation, is currently engaged in a comprehensive project aimed at habitat restoration and community support within the Kanha Tiger Reserve. The core objectives of this project encompass the initiation of sustainable livelihoods for forest-dependent communities in the Kanha Tiger Reserve, the restoration of degraded forest land within the reserve's buffer zone, and the facilitation of harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife through community awareness and sensitization initiatives.

 

This initiative focuses on eco-restoration of degraded forest areas with the support of local communities and empowering self-help groups (SHGs) in the proximity of the KTR to generate additional income. These SHGs are equipped with resources and capacity-building assistance to diversify their income generation activities. Within the framework of this project, the TCF organises awareness programmes, consultative sessions, and training workshops. During the period from June to August, the TCF organised several programmes commemorating occasions like World Environment Day and Global Tiger Day. Furthermore, TCF extended support to women's self-help groups for the establishment and efficient management of a backyard nursery. Lastly, TCF facilitated meetings to introduce governmental initiatives, including horticulture and the creation of bio-resource hotspots, to local communities. This strategic step aims to amplify the impact of the project and secure the enduring sustainability of the undertaken endeavors.

 

TCF is thankful to Madhya Pradesh Forest Department for the partnership.

ECO RESTORATION AND MICRO-PLANNING IN SATPURA LANDSCAPE

TCF, with funding from The Nature Conservancy is implementing an eco-restoration initiative within the buffer zone of Satpura Tiger Reserve. The project's focal points include targeted efforts in restoration, management, and capacity building. This encompasses augmenting habitat management for ungulate species' forage, enhancing landscape-level connectivity between the Satpura Tiger Reserve and adjacent reserves for larger mammals, promoting eco-restoration in buffer areas through planning, capacity enhancement, and execution, and enabling local communities to harmoniously coexist with wildlife on the reserve's fringes. In the latest quarter, the on-ground teams successfully concluded biodiversity assessments for sites earmarked for weed removal and grassland rejuvenation and conducted a series of consultations with local communities for developing micro-plans in 50 villages. 

 

TCF is thankful to Madhya Pradesh Forest Department for the partnership.

Kedar Gore, Director of The Corbett Foundation was interviewed by Satpura Landscape Tiger Partnership (SLTP) as a part of their Global Tiger Day Celebrations. In this interview, Kedar Gore shed light on the crucial work TCF is doing in collaboration with partners like Born Free Foundation to conserve tigers and their habitats. The interview reveals Kedar Gore's journey from his early passion for wildlife and nature exploration to becoming a dedicated tiger conservationist. He emphasizes the pivotal role tigers play in maintaining ecosystems, acting as apex predators and guardians of biodiversity. He also highlights the challenges faced by tigers due to habitat loss, poaching, human conflicts, and unsustainable development.

 

To read the full interview click here: GTD, Kedar Gore Interview

Dr. Naveen Pandey, Deputy Director of The Corbett Foundation received the Best Oral Presentation Award at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati during the National Conference on Gau-Vigyan in Modern Life and Medical Science. TCF's paper titled 'Incorporating Ethnographic Techniques for One Health Research in Rural India' was recognized for its outstanding contribution. 

Mr. Ankit Kachhwaha from TCF's Kuno team was awarded a certificate of appreciation from the Kuno Wildlife Division, Sheopur for his efforts in supporting the department officials in Cheetah monitoring and patrolling. Since November 2022, TCF has been actively engaging with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and the communities in about 50 villages surrounding Kuno National Park to support effective monitoring, address negative human-wildlife interactions, and raise awareness about the newly introduced Cheetahs in the region. 

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS

Dr. AJT Johnsingh and Dr. Asad R. Rahmani