#1The Sustainable Management of SEPLS and Mainstreaming of Biodiversity Conservation in the State of Nagaland, India PIA SETHI Centre for Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services Forestry and Biodiversity Division The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India July 2017 GEF-Satoyama Project CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL gef Japan OVERNMEN UNITY OF NAGALAND teri#2Presentation Outline Introduction to TERI Overview of the SEPL Role of local government in SEPLS Pressures in the SEPLS Role of Community-Conserved Areas TERI'S GEF-Satoyama project Issues of sustainability The role of subnational (State) Government Conclusion#3Introduction to TERI TERI established in 1974, initial focus on documentation & information dissemination. Research activities initiated towards the end of 1982. ✔ Now the largest developing-country institution working towards sustainability Ranked 2nd in global climate think tanks Vision and Mission Vision ✓ Creating Innovative Solutions for a Sustainable Future Mission Tackle issues related to Indian society, and the world at large, and develop innovative and cost-effective solutions. Enhance networking for sustainable interventions. Realize potential for national and international leadership as a knowledge-based agent of change in the fields of energy, environment, other natural resources, and sustainable development. Inspire and reach out to diverse stakeholders for realizing a shared vision of global sustainable development.#4Forestry & Biodiversity in TERI Capacity-building and dissemination The Group regularly organizes workshops and training programmes on several aspects of forestry at various levels, ranging from senior IFS officers to local communities. Themes that have been covered recently include valuation of ecosystem services, instruments for carbon based forest-financing and the economic contribution of the forestry sector. The professionals of the Group have over 100 research publications to their credit. Key projects Mid-Career Training of IPS Officers (Phase IV) (Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun) Regional workshops on REDD Plus (Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India) Major events CRO-COP XI Side Event International REDD Plus Architecture and its Relevance for Developing Countries (2013) CAD-COP XI Side Event Operationalising Nagoya Protocol in South Asia (2013) Delhi Sustainable Development Summit Special Event: REDD Plus-South Asia Perspective (2013) Delhi Sustainable Development Summit Special Event: Forest Governance in the context of FRA and PESA (2013) Delhi Sustainable Development Summit Special Event: Rusiness Opportunities in Himalayan Ecosystem Management (2012) Delhi Sustainable Development Summit Special Event: Realising the MDGs: the Forests-Poverty Link (2012) Uttarakhand Sustainable Development Summit Sustainable Development Climate Change and Natural Resources Management Status, Issues and Way Forward (2008) Major publications Books REDO Plus and Sustainable Forest Management (2013) Medicinal Plant Wealth of India: A comprehensive Review of Selected Species (2011) Community-based Biodiversity Conservation in the Himalayas (2011) Policy Papers Forest governance and implementation of REDD+ in India Institutional framework for implementing REDD+ in India Conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services by REDD+ in India International REDD+ architecture and its relevance for India Livelihood of local communities & forest degradation in India: Issues for REDD+ Methodology for assessing carbon stock for REDD+ project in India Contact Area Convenor Forestry and Biodiversity Group TERI, IHC Complex New Delhi 110003 Phone: 2468 2100 or 4150 4900 Email: [email protected] Forestry and Biodiversity The Energy and Resources institute#5The Indo-Burma and (Eastern) Himalaya biodiversity hotspots BAT MYANMAR (BURMA) Kohler's BENGAL THAILAND CAMBODIA SOUT CHIN SEA NEPAL GULF CCARS THAILAND MALAYSIA INDIA The Eastern Himalayas CHINA BHUTAN BANGLADESH INDIA MYANMAR Second highest number of bird species in the world Indomalayan and Palearctic realms 353 new species discovered between 1998-2008 25% of India's forest cover#6Role of local self government in SEPLS of Nagaland Village Republic ✔ Village owns & governs its resources Plans development activities Maintains law and order, Delivers justice and secures defense Customary rights protected under Article 371 A of the constitution Village Council Nagaland Village and Area Council Act, 1978-every recognised village must have a VC ○ members elected by villagers in accordance with the prevailing customary practices and as approved by State Government. 。 Hereditary village chiefs, the Gaon burrhas (GB), are ex-officio members with voting rights of the Village Councils. ♥ Village Development Board for rural development#7Local government in forest management Forests (Forests & Tree cover 80.5%, 36.6% under dense forests) 93% of natural habitats (largely forests) owned by individual clans, village, district councils Nagaland Village & Area Councils Act, 1978: grants Village Council powers & duties to (s.12 (1)) 'to supervise proper maintenance of forests' ✔ Traditional conservation practices and ✔ folkloric traditions to protect biodiversity ✔ No separate budgetary allocations ✔ Nagaland Communitisation of Public Institution & Services Act of 2002 o Ownership & management of education, health care, water, tourism and biodiversity conservation-delegation of powers & responsibilities to local government-Govt funds & technical advice#8Village-level forest management Naga society presented a varied pattern of near-dictatorship and extreme democracy (V. Elwin, 1969) In Naga society, chief or clans (e.g. Angami, Ao) predominate Village core of Sema society under control of a chief Selection of chiefs hereditary-elder sons leave village, youngest continues Village council decides where cultivation is carried out & chief allocates land for shifting cultivation to landless Shortening jhum cycles from 15-20 years to 7-9 years#9Ideal situation for effective management of SEPLS KIVIKHU VILLAGE COUNCIL HALL ✔ Tenurial security ✓ Community key decision makers ✔ Traditional wise-use practices & strong traditional governance institutions ✓ Control over use of ecosystem services Incentive to invest in conservation ✔ High social capital ✔ No need for external permission for activities#10Pressures and Issues Population, increased by 64 per cent since 1961. Out of total geographical area of 16579 sq. km. approximately 937 sq. km is cleared annually for shifting cultivation Evidence of decrease in jhum from 1.87 million in 2003 to 1.2 million hectares in 2005-06 (NEPED, 2011).#11Community-Conserved Areas as a strategy for conservation in SEPLS? 407 CCAs: one third of the total number of villages (1428 as per 2011 census data): 1700 sq. km 74% to arrest forest degradation. 65% loss of key wildlife species 1(0.2%) 1 (0.2%) ■Self initiated 62 (15.2%) 343 (84.3%) Forest degradation Decrease or loss of key species of... Loss of livelihood/economic... Excessive hunting of wildlife species 350 319 3:00 265 234 250 231 220 182 2:00 150 100 50 D Factors Motivating Communities to initiate CCAS Other Department initiated ■NGO initiated ■Forest Department initiated 91 Water scarcity Decrease or loss of key species of flora Any other 86 Loss of other ecosystem services.... Self-empowerment Religious Sentiments Cultural Associations In response to external threat NETRA CLAN CHIECHANA COMMUNITY CONSERVATION AREA TFC 2014-12 CHEPHEROU RANGE NOTICE 28 13 11 11 TWITED FRANCE CONNICIONAD VECITY CONCERACTION PRESTAT VILLAGE CONNUNITY CEN THEREUMA DIMAPUR FOREST DIVISION SITU CONSERVATION WELCOME TO THONGSONYU VILLAGE#12Challenges of CCAs 400 292 300 226 200 128 100 2 0 Private Land Clan Village Council Others (Community land) Ownership patterns: Clans: 72%; ✔ Individuals: 56% Village councils: only 31% Average size 500 ha: little connectivity-only 18% part of a larger landscape network 81% face challenges of providing alternative livelihoods Conversion to CCAs: opportunity cost (lost revenues from forest products, timber revenues) 58% of the village councils reported facing financial constraints and 59% reported incursions by timber mafia#13GEF-SATOYAMA PROJECT Mainstreaming Community-Conserved Areas for Biodiversity Conservation in Nagaland#14The Objectives Support community-based conservation to Mobilise support for the formation of CCAs including larger networks in Zunheboto district Revive traditional conservation practices (e.g. hunting bans ◆ Carry out ecological assessments of these CCAs and surrounding areas ◆ Provide training for community-based ecotourism initiatives Develop a state policy for CCAs#15Yet how to ensure sustainability? Erosion of traditional conservation practices ✔ Economic and demographic pressures ✔ Function as a network of protected areas- yet no funding source ✔ Important as a strategy against climate change (INDC goal) ◆ Network of CCAs across landscape to maintain viable corridors/links & populations * Absence of enabling framework, financial outlays for CCAS#16Crucial role of subnational (State) governments ✔ Department of Environment and Forests: enforcement of central & state government regulations for movement of timber, protection and conservation of forests and biodiversity ✔ Policy support ✔ Funding facilitation ♥ Technical support ✔ Institutional strengthening ✔ Capacity building & program facilitation#17Government support for a policy on CCAS A MU PRCY DIALDE FORSAIRP 13 06 2016 11:44 To buttress state recognition, support and funding of community-managed initiatives in Nagaland.#18A People's Biodiversity Register (PBR) of Village Sükhai, Zunheboto, Nagaland Submitted to Department of Forests, Ecology, Environment & Wildlife of Nagaland Government of Nagaland October 2015 Project Code 1 Documentation of Community Conserved Areas of Nagaland Submitted to Department of Environment, Forests & Climate Change Government of Nagaland WETHA CLAN CHIECHAN COMMUNITY CONSERVATION AREA Tre 2012 CHEPHU RANGE NOTICE teri The Energy and Resources a ... towards global sustainable development DIANA FOREST DIVISION VILLAGE COMMUNITY ASTOR THEKRIZURA teri WELCOME THONGSONYU VILLAGE#19Conclusion ✓ Local government system of resource management highly efficient But need for enhanced involvement of State government in supportive role ✔ Greater clarity in linkages of local & subnational government ✔ Funds specifically for forest management#20Thank You GEF-Satoyama Project CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL Japan gef OVERNMEN UNITY OF NAGALAND teri