Time to recognise private conservation initiatives

The thousands of birds that throng the wetland during the winter months become a point of convergence for many visitors from  various parts of the country. The added merit of the sanctuary is the local tradition of protecting the birds, which was initially spearheaded by a zamindar of the village.  

It is said that the zamindar would reward anyone who protected the birds, whom he called visitors, and severely punish those who harmed the birds or the water body which served as their home. Complementing  this, is the case of Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary in Tirunelveli district where the local residents shy away from bursting crackers during festivities, for it serves as a home to some of the most charismatic migratory birds that visit India. It is not unusual in this quaint  village to see birds in sizeable numbers being perched on roof tops and homestead trees. Vedanthangal and Koonthankulam are well known and celebrated.

There are however many more notable examples of local communities, concerned citizens and private entities which are not widely known.  For instance, a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India pioneered the Constitution of the country’s first conservation reserve in his village of Thiruppadaimaruthur in Tirunelveli district. Located on the banks of River Thamirabarani, the Siva temple of the village is a heronry of sorts, and the locals ensure that the place is protected for the many birds that roost/breed on the tall Arjuna trees within the temple premises. There is also a dedicated space to rescue and rehabilitate injured birds in the village.   

Equally unknown is the fact that the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research at Kalpakkam has a dedicated wetland within its campus as a birding zone, which is not only protected stringently, but is also monitored for its conservation status with the active involvement of ornithologists. The Simpson Estate in Chennai is yet another example, which has been a refuge for birds for many years. While the above serve as examples that are focussed on species conservation, there are a number of astounding initiatives that work at the ground level for protecting habitats.   

The Naraikadu (Grey Forest) protected by the Dohnavur Fellowship in Tirunelveli district is a standing example of how forests could be conserved for posterity by adopting principles of sustainable campuses.  

Supported by a strong tradition of documenting the flora and fauna of the forest being conserved, the initiative has emerged to be a model worthy of replication. In the districts of Tiruvanamalai and Vellore, the Srinivasan Services Trust has demonstrated that restoration of degraded habitats can be effectively combined with generation of livelihood opportunities. The Baghayam campus of the Christian Medical College, Vellore and the campus of the Madras Christian College, Tam baram  - Chennai have a stated principle of twining the objectives of academic excellence  and conservation of biodiversity.  The Theosophical Society at Adyar through its strongly entrenched principles of inviolate conservation, has demonstrated that forests and biodiversity can thrive even in the midst of a burgeoning metropolis.   

Evidently, this is not an exhaustive compilation and there may be many more much worthy initiatives. The point is that such initiatives remain hidden, invisible and unrecognised, and hence are not mainstreamed into the State’s agenda of conserving its natural wealth.