NATURE EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR FOREST FRINGE VILLAGE SCHOOL CHILDREN IN CAUVERY WILDLIFE SANCTUARY AND KUDREMUKH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Nature education programme for nearly 1000 school children in the forest fringe villages of Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and Kudremukh Wildlife Sanctuary is being conducted in assoication with the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Kudremukh Wildlife Sanctuary and Center for Environment Education (CEE) is currently underway. We have completed the following;

1. Nature Education Programme for Rural Children at BRT Tiger Reserve

The KEDB in association with the Wildlife Wing of the Karnataka Forest Department organized a comprehensive programme for rural school children in the forest fringe villages. This nature education programme was specifically designed because the rural children in the froest fringe villages grow up to future citizens who are in the frontline of man-animal conflict. This nature awareness and education programme sensitizes them to the issues in future along with other objectives listed below. With the above home work, the BRT tiger reserve, Centre for Environment Education and Swamy Vivekananda Seva Trust in collaboration with the Education Department conducted nature education camps for rural school children residing around BRT with an aim to sensitize students on nature, forest, wildlife and conservation with relevance to BRT tiger reserve.

2. A walkthrough booklet

The biggest gap in Eco-travel is a lack of good quality publications which talk about the various destinations. KEDB recognized this gap and co-ordinated with Director, BRT Vijay Mohan Raj to come out with a booklet on the newly created BRT Tiger Reserve. The booklet is a concise, very well illustrated and researched. The booklet has been very well received and KEDB intends to come out with similar publications for other protected areas.

3. PRINTING OF THE BHADRA TIGER RESERVE BOOKLET

A well illustrated Booklet for Bhadra Tiger Reserve has been printed from the Board, the Booklet covers the various issues concerning the Tiger Reserve highlighting the flora, fauna and also the success in rehabilitation of villages. It also highlights the Eco-tourism potential of the area. The booklet has been brought out in partnership with Jungle Lodges and Resorts.

4. THE SOCIO ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL IMPACT STUDIES OF ECOTOURISM IN THE PROTECTED AREAS OF BANDIPUR, BHADRA AND DANDELI

The socio-economic and ecological impact studies of Eco-toursim in the Protected Areas of Bandipur,Bhadra and Dandeli was conducted by Manoj Kumar, Conservator of Forests (Research), Freeda Robins, Kadambari and Ayesha Prasad. The projects is crucial to understand the impacts of ecotourism on the protected areas because Eco-tourism is being projected as a panacea for addressing socio-economic problems for PA fringe villages. The study has clearly highlighted the areas which need to be addressed.

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5. THE ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM IN PROTECTED AREAS IN KARNATAKA

Tourism has increased by more than 100% between 1990 and 2000 in the world’s biodiversity hotspots, regions richest in species and facing extreme threats (Christ et al. 2003). The distinguishing feature of ecotourism should be that it benefits biodiversity conservation (Brandon & Margoulis 1999). Although nature-based tourism (often incorrectly called eco-tourism), a growing economic sector in India, does generate economic support for conservation (Karanth & DeFries 2011), the ecological fallouts of these activities are seldom examined. Furthermore, policy and regulations pertaining to such tourism is either absent or drafted based on little to no understanding of the actual workings of the ecology or socio-economics of nature tourism activities. Existing policy is often incorrect or limited in its view of impacts, and inadequate to curb or mitigate real impacts. The need for deeper, empirical understanding of the ecological ramifications of activities and infrastructure centred on nature tourism is urgent.

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6. THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM IN PROTECTED AREAS IN KARNATAKA

The Eco tourism scenario in India has been going through ups and downs. Even the Supreme Court of India had pitched in to bring in change. In such a scenario the NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority)1 throws positive light to Eco Tourism and its functioning in India. The guidelines provided for in the NTCA will help the Tourism Industry and the stakeholders within the Government establishment to promote quality Eco tourism and thereby push for sustainability on the long run. The NTCA guidelines are broad in nature; it is the responsibility of the states and the local stakeholders to implement through a policy framework equitable Eco Tourism solutions for all the stakeholders. Hence, for this reason an understanding of the existing policies in the respective states is essential, so this study has been undertaken which will throw open the positive and the negative impacts of existing tourism practices in ecological sensitive areas i.e., the protected areas and in particular 3 Tiger Reserves- Bandipur (BTR), Dandeli (DATR) and Bhadra (BhTR). The study brings in the facet of site specific guidelines to ensure maximum benefits. In fact, the NTCA has asked the State governments to develop State-level legislation to favour a community driven, low-impact ecotourism in place of wildlife tourism to maintain the integrity and connectivity of Tiger reserves. In its ‘Guidelines for tourism in and around tiger reserves,’ the NTCA has categorically told the States that no new tourist infrastructure should be set up within the core/critical tiger habitat of the reserves in compliance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Supreme Court directives. It insists on the formation of a Local Advisory Committee (LAC) for each tiger reserve to review the tourism strategy, ensure site-specific norms on constructions, advise local and State governments and regularly monitor all tourist facilities as well as operators to ensure wildlife was not disturbed while taking visitors into the reserves.

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7. Synopsis of “A Study on the socio-economic, ecological and environmental impacts of Eco Tourism in protected areas of Karnataka”

The total contribution of Travel & Tourism to the Indian GDP was INR6,385.1bn (6.6% of GDP) in 2012 and is forecast to rise by 7.3% in 2013, and to rise by 7.9% pa to INR14,722.3bn in 20231. Off course this is the generic figure that the Government of India and WTTC have provided. There is no sectoral evaluation of the metric in regards to Eco tourism, Heritage tourism and similar, hence one would not be able to comment on the aspect of GDP contribution through Eco tourism. However, considering that multitude of tourists visiting India and the domestic tourists do visit destinations that fall in the categories of Eco tourism and nature based tourism; it is pertinent that studies in the sector will add value and bring about positive growth and development if approached from a 360° angle. Karnataka has been a forefront of many aspects of tourism promotion and off late there has been a qualitative churn and an intensive focus on Eco tourism. The creation of the Karnataka Eco Tourism Development Board (KEDB) in 2013 has provided a fillip to bring in a new structure, a policy, create guidelines and frameworks, awareness and education, and provide opportunities for training and capacity building amongst the stakeholders, besides standards and certification.

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