Valmiki (Bihar): Sitting on a newly-constructed platform underneath a mango tree, the villagers of Majuraha discuss conservation of tigers in nearby Valmiki Tiger Reserve in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. While they express their interest in wildlife, they enthusiastically propose alternatives to reduce their dependence on the forest and participate actively in the eco-development schemes being set by the Bihar Forest Department and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) with support from US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Having studied the viability of tiger population in Valmiki TR, the WTI along with the Bihar Forest Department and USFWS, initiated a long-term recovery plan for the tiger. The plan uses tools like tiger and prey monitoring and also encourages community participation in conservation processes through eco-development activities. Long-term success in tiger conservation would not be feasible in this reserve without the cooperation of local villagers; considering the human pressure on resources from over 80,000 residents of the 140 nearby villages.

Majuraha is one of the first five villages of the 22 in the Done valley, selected for the initial phase of eco-development activities. The village selection was based on their proximity to the core area of the reserve; correlating dependence as an inverse factor of distance.

Isolated by lack of basic infrastructure and cut off from access to any urban areas the 18,000 odd villagers of the Done valley depend on the forest almost wholly for their subsistence. They do not traditionally exploit the forest for commercial purposes but left with no other alternative, they extract resources from the forest to fulfil their needs. The inhabitants, mostly indigenous ‘Tharus’ but also non-Tharu tribesmen known as ‘Dhangars’ and the non-tribal ‘Vajiyans’ depend on the forest for fuelwood, fodder, grass etc.

“Our goal is to reduce the dependence on the forests by providing alternatives to villagers. We aim to solve their problems in consultation with them as well as the forest department,” says Rajarshi Ranjan, field officer, WTI.

The project began with a year-long study evaluating the socio-economic status of the villagers, their dependence on forest. The study also assessed their needs and attitude towards conservation etc. “We spent a year studying the five villages to get a baseline data for comparison of change following the implementation of our activities,” Ranjan said.

“The villagers were wary of us in the beginning. It took long to garner their trust. To build faith we constructed a platform for meetings in Majuraha, community bathrooms in Kamarchhinwa, Gardi and Khairahani and provided material for temple construction in Naurangia. Also, the villagers were involved in the micro-plan development themselves. This gave the whole programme the ground level weight it needs.” Ranjan added that there has been positive feedback and requests for similar eco-development activities have been received from other villages too. “The eco-development micro-plan activities are to include awareness programmes, exposure visits, fuelwood alternatives, capacity building for eco-development committees (set up by the forest department), and the setting up of sub-committees within the eco-development committees to follow the progress of individual project activities” he said.

The planned activities also include training for income generation and fuelwood tree plantation. A portion of the profits made by the beneficiaries through the trainings will be used to set up a village development fund. In addition to this, alternatives to fuelwood such as biogas plants, improved stoves and husk stoves will be promoted.

Distribution of husk stoves has already begun with 15 households being given one each in three villages.

“All these alternatives will be tried in the first phase as an experiment while we record their efficiency in reducing fuelwood consumption. Once completed, we will discuss the results with the villagers and the forest department, and help install the most efficient and viable alternatives to gradually decrease the pressure on the tiger habitat,” said Ranjan.

Valmiki TR with its alluvial grasslands and sub-tropical moist deciduous forests is contiguous with Chitwan National Park and Parsa Wildlife Reserve in Nepal; this territory forms a Level I Tiger Conservation Unit.

Controlled resource extraction was permitted here even after the forests came under state government ownership in the 1950s. In 2000 it was completely banned by a directive of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, however it does continue illegally. The region is therefore in need of sustained conservation intervention.