Focus on participatory approach to conservation

Thiruvananthapuram,  
The Hindu, February 24, 2015

The second National Biodiversity Congress organised by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) began here on Monday with a call to adopt participatory approach to conservation and natural resource management.

In his inaugural address, K. Muraleedharan, MLA, highlighted the health hazards caused by the relentless assault on the environment. “Many epidemic outbreaks and incidence of cancer have been traced to urban garbage accumulation. Vector-borne diseases are on the rise as urban waterbodies turn into garbage dumping grounds,” he said.

Mr. Muraleedharan blamed the fast-food culture for the poor health profile of the younger generation of the State. KSBB Chairman Oommen V. Oommen, who presided over the function, said biodiversity conservation was the duty of every citizen and not that of the government alone.

The concept

Conservation had to be recognised as part of natural resource management, he said. Pointing out that people’s empowerment held the key to successful conservation, Dr. Oommen called for strengthening the panchayat-level Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).

KSBB Member Secretary K.P. Laladhas; Director, Department of Environment and Climate Change Yalakki; CEO, Kerala State Medicinal Plant Board K.G. Sreekumar; Director, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute P.G. Latha; and KSBB senior programme coordinator S. Rajasekharan were among those present.

The five-day congress, based on the theme access to biological resources and benefit sharing (ABS), includes interactive sessions with scientists, traditional farmers, tribal healers, BMCs, environmental groups, and functionaries of biodiversity boards of other States.

A children’s biodiversity congress and a biodiversity expo are other attractions of the event.

Read more »

New species of birds spotted

Kozhikode,  
The Hindu, February 24, 2015

Five species of birds and eight varieties of butterflies new to the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kozhikode have been spotted during the annual survey conducted under the aegis of the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department and the Malabar Natural History Society (MNHS) here recently.

As many as 35 bird and butterfly watchers from Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu participated in the survey spread across three days from February 13. The survey for birds and butterfly was undertaken at different points of the sanctuary, including Peruvannamuzhi, Chengottakolly, Athikode, Choothupara, Amabalppara, Vattakyam, Raveendra Estate, Shankaranpuzha Estate, Kakkayam Dam site.

Altogether, 123 species of birds were recorded during the survey, said the organisers in a release here. This included five species of birds new to the sanctuary, Viz. Meni Ponman (Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher), Kaattu Kocku (Malayan Night Heron), Kinnari Praparunthu (Black Baza), Shaheen pullu (Shaheen Falcon) and Valiya kinnari parunthu (Legge’s Hawk Eagle).

With the new sightings, the total number of bird species recorded in the sanctuary has increased to 202 after five annual surveys, which started in 2011. The organisers maintained that the finding of new species was significant, especially when the survey was limited to three days. According to them sighting 123 species with limited number of watchers in three days was noteworthy. “Because, the total number of 202 species was spotted during many surveys conducted across a few years,” said Jafer Palot of MNHS.

A total of 142 species of butterflies were also recorded during the survey.

Read more »

Authority for wetlands sought

Jabir Mushthari

Kozhikode,  
The Hindu, February 3, 2015 

The need for creating an authority for wetland management was stressed during the World Wetland Day observation programme organised by the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) on its campus at Kunnamangalam in the district on Monday.

Organised in collaboration with the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, the programme discussed various measures including the introduction of more stringent guidelines to ensure the protection of the wetlands in the State.

The session attended by several water scientists, evaluated the general condition of the wetlands in the State and examined what citizens could do to ensure their protection. The discussion on the theme ‘Conservation of Wetlands of Kerala for our future,’ also gave explanations for why these vital water bodies should be important for the existence of life on earth.

C. Unnikrishna Warrier, scientist, Isotope Hydrology Division of the centre, explained how different isotopes could be applied to predict the shrinkage of wetlands in different regions. He presented the details based on a case study conducted at the Wetlands in Sasthamkotta in Kollam. Scientist and head of the Geomatics Division of the centre V.P. Dinesan elucidated the possible impacts of the interlinking of Pamba and Achencoil rivers on the Vembanad wetland system.

Head of the Thiruvananthapuram sub-centre of CWRDM George Chackacherry spoke about the management of wetlands in the State while head of the Water Quality Division of the Centre P.S. Harikumar talked about the water quality management of wetlands. Wetland Technical Unit coordinator of KSCSTE P. Harinarayanan gave details of the legal and institutional aspects of wetland conservation.

M.K. Raghavan, MP, inaugurated the programme, which was presided over by the CWRDM executive director N.B. Narasimha Prasad. Mr. Raghavan also presented the prizes for the winners of competitionsorganised by the centre in connection with the World Wetland Day.

Read more »

‘We are heading for a disaster’

K.A. Martin

KOCHI,  
The Hindu, February 2, 2015 
The deteriorating condition of the Vembanad backwater system along with other Ramsar sites in the State are in focus as activists get together on Monday to observe World Wetlands Day, recalling the adoption of the wetlands convention in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar.

Clams, a large number of fish species and the famed scampi are among the best known to have succumbed to pressure of human intervention and the devastating pace of shrinkage of the backwaters.

“We are heading for a disaster,” says K.G. Padmakumar, former associate director of research, Regional Agricultural Research Station. He was referring to issues like climate change, global warming and frequent flooding of Kuttanad as he raised the question why nobody was doing anything for the Lake. Nothing has been done for conservation of biodiversity in the backwaters or more particularly for the celebrated species of scampi. Once there was a talk about a Vembanad Development Authority. There are a lot of stakeholders but no owners for the backwaters, he said.

Activists and fishermen cite studies to claim that the Vembanad lake system has shrunk from 42,000 hectares to less than 13,000 hectares. Together with the lake are disappearing fish species central to Kerala’s food security, says Charles George, State president of Matsya Thozhilali Aikyavedi, a forum representing fish workers.

The Vembanad Lake, south of the Thannermukkam barrage, has turned into an “aqua desert”, affecting the livelihoods of those active in inland fisheries. The Vembanad Lake is virtually the lifeline for about a lakh fishermen in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts.

A fisheries scientist who studied clam fisheries in the Vembanad extensively says that production had fallen to about 40,000 tonnes a year from the level of about 75,000 tonnes 10 years ago.

Read more »

Wetlands are being gobbled up

T. Nandakumar
Thiruvananthapuram,  
TheHindu, February 2, 2015 

In the absence of a conservation and sustainable management plan for wetlands, the lakes in Kerala are increasingly prone to encroachment, pollution, and debilitation caused by invasive alien species.

On the eve of the World Wetlands Day 2015 to be observed on Monday, scientists have called for drastic measures to check the considerable reduction in waterspread area of the three Ramsar sites in Kerala, namely the Ashtamudi, Sasthamcotta and Vembanad lakes, and the ecological threats faced by smaller waterbodies like the Veli-Akkulam lake.

The Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) has initiated efforts to prepare a management action plan for the Ashtamudi and Sasthamcotta lakes.

According to George Chackacherry, scientist, CWRDM, there is an urgent need to address the threats faced by the wetlands from an environmental perspective.

The consequences

Scientists say the disappearance of wetlands will affect access to fresh water for millions of people, and impact livelihoods and biodiversity. Research work done by the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala, reveals that the organic pollution of the Veli-Akkulam lake ecosystem in Thiruvananthapuram has assumed serious dimensions.

A study conducted by U.G. Abhijna showed that all the ecological indicators were far below the required standards. Another work by R. Regi showed that more than half the area of the lake was affected by the spread of the exotic water hyacinth Eochhornia crassipes while the exotic Tilapia had emerged as the dominant species, crowding out native fishes.

The increasing number of African catfish and sucker catfish in the Akkulam Lake is also of great concern, notes A. Biju Kumar, Head of Department. The indigenous catfish (mushi) which was common in the lake is not seen anymore. Increased development activities and encroachment have also whittled down the water mass and impacted on the health of the lake ecosystem.

Dr. Kumar argues for a Wetland Management Authority for conservation and management of the lakes in Kerala. He highlights the need to prepare a GIS map of the wetlands to identify encroachments and prevent further reclamation.

Read more »

Bird survey bares issues of concern

Ignatius Pereira
KOLLAM,  
The Hindu, February 1, 2015 

The annual Asian Waterfowl Census (AWC) held in six select wetlands last Saturday in Kollam has revealed matters of concern and elation for birdwatchers.

While the waterbird population was a cause for excitement, questions have been raised about the conservation of the traditional wetland habitats of such birds.

The census was carried out in association with the WWF-India and the Social Forestry Division of the Forest Department.

The wetlands covered are Kandachira - Sakthikulangara harbour, Pallikkodi -Neendakara harbour, Thodiyur - Vattakkayal - Vellanathuruthu, Chittumala - Karali marshes, Polachira, and Kappil beach. The highest count was from Polachira, near Chathannur, from where around 3,500 birds were counted. Among them were five types of wild ducks, namely lesser whistling ducks, pigmy cotton goose, garganey ducks, spot billed ducks, and northern pintails, the latter three being migratory. The Neendakara harbour and Pallikkodi wetlands stood second with a count of around 1,500 birds, of which the majority were little egrets. Migratory birds such as painted stork, greater sand plover, lesser sand plover, grey plover, green shank, green sandpiper, brown headed gulls, and whiskered terns were sighted at Thodiyur - Vattakkayal and on the Vellanathuruthu beach.

Though Kandachira is a habitat for a number of black-tailed godwits, this year only one bird was sighted. But plenty of other migratory birds were observed there. The count of swimming birds preferring deeper waters such as ducks and cormorants was high. But the count at the Karali marshes, once a haven for water birds, was a disappointment. The wetlands, which used to shelter more than 5,000 purple swamphens, is now home to only few. What used to be a shallow wetland is now a deep lake due to sand-mining. The Polachira wetlands seem comparatively less disturbed.

Read more »