| Sanction Date: | 26-02-2018 | ||||
| Project Category | MG | ||||
| Batch Year | 2017-2018 | ||||
| Project Duration | 3 Years + 9 Months Extension | ||||
| BTA : | Biodiversity Conservation and Management | ||||
| Project Site/ State/ Districts/ Villages Covered: | Dampa Tiger Reserve, Mizoram | ||||
| Organization/ Implementation Agency: |
School of Life Sciences, Mizoram University |
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| Project Partners: | S.No. | Name | Roles & Responsibilities | ||
1. |
Amity Institute of Forestry & Wildlife Amity University Uttar Pradesh | To study the trajectory of faunal (birds, mammals and reptiles) recovery patterns along the successional gradient. |
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2. |
Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, West Bangal | Identification of specimen after collection, examine changes in spatio-temporal utilisation of habitat |
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3. |
G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora | To investigate the pattern of recovery of floral composition and richness with respect of time elapsed since abandonment after shifting cultivation. |
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| Lead Proponent: | Dr. H.T. Lalremsanga Dean, School of Life Sciences Mizoram University, Tanhril Aizawl, Mizoram |
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| Project Brief Description: | In the hilly tracts of north-east India, jhuming is linked with the ecological, socio-economical, and cultural lives of the over 86% of local people. The negative impacts of shifting cultivation are devastating and far reaching in degrading the environment and ecology of this region. The earlier 15-20 years cycle of shifting cultivation on a particular land has reduced to 2-3 years now. This has resulted in large scale deforestation, soil and nutrient loss and invasion by weeds and other species. Land use practices like shifting cultivation causes significant changes in habitats and animal communities thus are a major concern in conservation biology. Frequent shifting from one land to the other, has affected the ecology of many regions. The area under natural forest has declined; the fragmentation of habitat, local disappearance of native species and invasion by exotic weeds and other plants are some of the other ecological consequences of shifting agriculture. An ongoing project sanctioned by GBPIHD, titled: Technology Development, Management and Long-term Monitoring of Shifting Cultivation and Coal Mining in North-eastern India, is mapping the area under shifting cultivation in seven states of north-east India. There has been considerable work on the vegetation succession after shifting cultivation but except one study on the impact of jhum cultivation on birds and a preliminary study on squirrels and primates, no study on has been carried out till date. The proposed detailed study tries to fill this gap and the outcomes can be compared with the existing studies undertaken in the region to see any changes. The proposed study will investigate the pattern of recovery of floral and faunal composition and richness with respect of time elapsed since abandonment after shifting cultivation. We will study for any changes in spatio-temporal utilisation of habitat by birds, mammals and reptiles along the successional gradient in comparison to habitat utilisation in primary forest. This study will also provide information on the nature and extent of anthropogenic pressures on species diversity. Through workshops and training programmes local communities will be provided the options of alternate livelihood, which in turn help in reduce dependency on forest. Main beneficiaries will be local people and other stakeholders, wild flora and fauna. | ||||
| Beneficiaries/ Stakeholders: | Local communities ( Farmers, gram panchayats, local administrative bodies), Forest department, State government, Scientific community, Universities, research institutions , NGOs | ||||
| Activity Chart (For 3 Years): | Click Here | ||||
| Total Grants (in Rs.) | Rs. 90,96,560/- (Rupees Ninety Lakh Ninety Six Thousand Five Hundred Sixty only) | |||
| Project Objectives | Quantifiable Deliverables | Monitoring Indicators |
| To investigate the pattern of recovery of floral composition and richness with respect of time elapsed since abandonment after shifting cultivation; | Knowledge products on impact of shifting cultivation on floral and faunal composition and richness | No. of New Database/ Datasets generated on the identified dynamics (No.) like shifting cultivation, trajectory of faunal recovery patterns, spatio-temporal utilization of habitat, anthropogenic pressure on species diversity, etc.; |
| To study the trajectory of faunal (birds, mammals and reptiles) recovery patterns along the successional gradient; | Document on adaptive strategy adopted by fauna to overcome the effects of shifting cultivation will be available; | Periodic submission on adaptive strategy of selected species (No.) with analytical findings and outcomes; |
| To examine changes in spatio-temporal utilization of habitat by birds, mammals and reptiles along the successional gradient in comparison to habitat utilization in primary forest; | Creating awareness and building capacity among stakeholders 4 villages from each selected district. | No. of Capacity Building/ Awareness Programmes/ Trainings conducted/ organized, including No. of Stakeholders benefitted (No. of Rural Youth, No. of Women, and Total No. of Beneficiaries) with update on Income generation (Rs./ person); |
| To assess the nature and extent of anthropogenic pressures on species diversity; | Reports on anthropogenic pressure on diversity (No.) for assisting the management and decision-making; | |
| Other Publications and Knowledge Products (Nos.), particularly on impact of shifting cultivation, adaptive strategies, etc. | ||
| Capacity building of gender based local communities and stakeholders for sustainable development through training. |
| S.No. | Name (Sanctioned Staff) | Qualification | Designation | Salary |
| 1. | 02-JRF @ Rs. 25000.00+HRA | |||
| 2. | 01-JPF @ 16000.00 +HRA |
| S.No. | Name of Equipment (Sanctioned Equipment) | Use of Equipment | Cost (in INR) |
| 1. | Camera Traps-10 | ||
| 2. | Video Recorder-02 | ||
| 3. | Sound Recorder-03 |
