The Hindu, January 20, 2015
There are 75 communities living around the reserve, including tribal
people who are dependent on eco-development programmes, said field
director of the reserve Amit Mallick on Tuesday. The reserve set up the
Periyar Foundation in 2006 which was a model for other reserves in
biodiversity conservation and community participation in managing
natural resources.
After this, the Wildlife Protection Act was amended so that each reserve
would set up a Foundation, he told The Hindu. Earlier, the India
Eco-Development project (IEDP), which was started in the reserve in
December 1996, continued up to June 2004. The community-based
eco-tourism activities helped visitors and there were night scouting
programmes with the help of expert trackers as well. Tourism was
supplemented by pepper growing and marketing which was a value addition.
Now self-help groups were involved in honey processing and other
income-generating activities, Dr. Mallick said. Of the 75 eco
development committees, 15 were tribal and each had about 150 to 200
members. There were 19 different eco-tourism programmes apart from
village eco-development programmes like bee-keeping.
The committees also played a major role during the Sabarimala pilgrimage
which involved a 23-km trek in the dense forests. Small shops were set
up along the way and people helped in regulating the pilgrims and in
waste management, removing 40 to 50 tonnes each season.
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