THE STATE OF ENVIRONMENT OF THE NILGIRI BIOSPHERE RESERVE.
The usual facts about the Nilgiris -
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) is a unique, biologically rich and ecologically fragile region of India. There exist numerous parks offering sanctuary to wild flora and fauna. Geography has nurtured isolated adivasi groups dependent upon natural resources for their livelihood, high hill ranges serve as a fountainhead to parched throats in the drought prone plains and a unique labour intensive economy attracts low skilled labour to work in commercial plantations of tea, coffee, rubber, areca.
Yet, much has changed over the past decades. Large swathes of forested hills have been ruthlessly exploited, much of the original land use altered, dams built over once free flowing rivers, severe demography changes threaten to tear up the delicate balance between the indigenous people and migrants - NBR today is an area in flux.
However, on a positive aspect, increasing environmental degradation has caught the imagination of concerned citizens who are striving to preserve this unique ecosystem. These include efforts to ban the use of plastics, grow organic foods, preserve animal corridors, etc.
The Not so usual things that should scare us
A rapid change in culture and ecology has provoked a few people to take stock of the environment. I feel that scattered knowledge does exist but there needs to be a proper documentation from available sources and put them across through a single window. Maybe, bring to light the issues that these landscapes face as a series of anecdotes.
If I was asked to do so, I would conduct a thorough survey of vital aspects of the environment including state of land, water, air, forests, livelihood, adivasi culture, wildlife, tourism, participatory forest management, social interventions in the field of health and education, development projects and so on. Then, I would compile the fact-finding research and sincerely hope that someone reads it. But that is unlikely to happen, isn't it.
With grasslands & Tropical Montane, Moist and Dry deciduous and Wet Evergreen Forests, the Nilgiris does not have one key element - It cannot be a loud noise for itslef.
With protected Areas like Wynaad, Nagarhole, Bandipur, Mudumalai, Mukurti National Park and The Silent Valley, the region's tigers end up in rehabilitation centres.
With 112 endemics of flora, more than 100 species of mammals, 550 of birds, 30 of reptiles and amphibians have been reported, largest known populations of the endagered lion tailed macaque and the Nilgiri tahr, of Gaur, elephant, tiger, sambar and chitals, THE REGION IS ALSO HOME TO THE MOST AGRESSIVE REAL ESTATE BOOM THE REGION MUST HAVE SEEN IN A MILLION YEARS.
Only one thing - God bless America and the Nilgiris
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) is a unique, biologically rich and ecologically fragile region of India. There exist numerous parks offering sanctuary to wild flora and fauna. Geography has nurtured isolated adivasi groups dependent upon natural resources for their livelihood, high hill ranges serve as a fountainhead to parched throats in the drought prone plains and a unique labour intensive economy attracts low skilled labour to work in commercial plantations of tea, coffee, rubber, areca.
Yet, much has changed over the past decades. Large swathes of forested hills have been ruthlessly exploited, much of the original land use altered, dams built over once free flowing rivers, severe demography changes threaten to tear up the delicate balance between the indigenous people and migrants - NBR today is an area in flux.
However, on a positive aspect, increasing environmental degradation has caught the imagination of concerned citizens who are striving to preserve this unique ecosystem. These include efforts to ban the use of plastics, grow organic foods, preserve animal corridors, etc.
The Not so usual things that should scare us
A rapid change in culture and ecology has provoked a few people to take stock of the environment. I feel that scattered knowledge does exist but there needs to be a proper documentation from available sources and put them across through a single window. Maybe, bring to light the issues that these landscapes face as a series of anecdotes.
If I was asked to do so, I would conduct a thorough survey of vital aspects of the environment including state of land, water, air, forests, livelihood, adivasi culture, wildlife, tourism, participatory forest management, social interventions in the field of health and education, development projects and so on. Then, I would compile the fact-finding research and sincerely hope that someone reads it. But that is unlikely to happen, isn't it.
With grasslands & Tropical Montane, Moist and Dry deciduous and Wet Evergreen Forests, the Nilgiris does not have one key element - It cannot be a loud noise for itslef.
With protected Areas like Wynaad, Nagarhole, Bandipur, Mudumalai, Mukurti National Park and The Silent Valley, the region's tigers end up in rehabilitation centres.
With 112 endemics of flora, more than 100 species of mammals, 550 of birds, 30 of reptiles and amphibians have been reported, largest known populations of the endagered lion tailed macaque and the Nilgiri tahr, of Gaur, elephant, tiger, sambar and chitals, THE REGION IS ALSO HOME TO THE MOST AGRESSIVE REAL ESTATE BOOM THE REGION MUST HAVE SEEN IN A MILLION YEARS.
Only one thing - God bless America and the Nilgiris
