Inaugration of concept of Greater Manas by Mr. Kampa Borgoyari, Deputy Chief of Bodoland Territorial Council at Manas National Park, 24/02/2008. © Irani Saikia/WTI.
Inaugration of Selbalgre Village Forest by Chief Wildlife Warden at Selbalgre, Meghalaya. 27-02-2008. © Irani Saikia/WTI.
The Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation provided a grant of £50,000 towards core costs in 2007/08.
The grant supported 30 core staff and consultants. These staff provided the base for technical staff to successfully run around 70 projects spread across the seven thematic programmes conceptualised to deal with various identified conservation needs. Some of the key achievements from these projects during the year include:
a. In partnership with the local community, villagers in Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (ADC) set aside a piece of riverine forest that is an important habitat for the endangered hoolock gibbon. This marks the first step in ensuring connectivity in the larger Nokrek-Selbalgre landscape.
b. WTI, on a request from the Bodoland Territorial Council, surveyed certain areas near Manas National Park, one of the best national parks in India in terms of its biodiversity. Based on the survey results and recommendations, the territorial council has agreed to notify two areas for legal protection. On eventual notification, this will have the potential to extending and vastly strengthening the conservation of Manas National Park.
c. In a first of its kind, WTI successfully registered the brand name 'Pashma, the warmth of Kashmir' as a trademark to be used on all pashmina wool products made by the Kashmir Handmade Pashmina Promotion Trust (KHPPT). Activities of the KHPPT saw further consolidation this year with membership of the KHPPT increasing to around 400 and the start of the full supply chain right from sourcing of raw pashmina wool to manufacturing and selling of shawls and stoles under the 'Pashma' trademark.
d. A total of 687 frontline forest staff were trained in various aspects of wildlife crime prevention. The Van Rakshak programme also gave away kits containing field equipment to increase patrolling efficiency. The staff were from the 11 protected areas. Four accidental death / disability insurance claims were paid out to families of frontline forest staff who died / got permanently disabled while on duty either because of accidents or in clashes with poachers in various parts of the country. The insurance claims were settled under the Van Rakshak programme’s project to provide insurance cover for about 20,000 frontline forest staff.
Visit the Wildlife Trust of India website.