Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 21
Nagaland state is one among two biodiversity hotspots under eastern Himalayas, which also comes under the 35 biodiversity hotspots identified globally. To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must meet two strict criteria: it must contain at least 0.5% or 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics, and it has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation.
This was informed by Sudip Kanta Basistha, Deputy Manager Foundation for Ecology Security (FES) NE Cell, Guwahati, a resource person at a workshop on Community Conserved Area management planning held at Khonoma today.
The programme has been organized by Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sactuary Trust (KNCTS) in collaboration with Foundation for Ecology Security (FES) North East, Guwahati.
Nagaland being located between two meeting point, has varieties of flora and fauna, however he pointed out that the rate of deforestation is very high and the ecosystems have reached at a fragile stage. Therefore, he pressed on the need for community based conservation in protecting the mother earth from further damage and loss.
Highlighting on the importance on biodiversity, Sudip pointed out that it gives a balance ecosystem services, provides recreation, genetic resources and option value for future generation, he also pointed out the unsustainable harvesting of natural resources, loss, degradation and fragmentation of ecosystem, pollution and climate change are a major threats to the state biodiversity.
Giving a statistics on the rich biodiversity of Nagaland, Sudip said the state has 2250 varieties of flowering plants, Bamboo – 22; Orchids – 340; Butterflies - 200+; Herpetofauna - 40+; Birds – 494 and Mammal -106. At the same time, he also informed the participants that due to destruction of its natural habitat owing to mass deforestation some threatened species of Nagaland like Blyte Tragopan, porcupine, bullock gibbon, hornbill, elephant, pangolin and Mrs Hume’s pheasant are the brink of extinction.
Therefore, he strongly maintained the people have a crucial role towards protection and conservation of the biodiversity. Towards this, he said people must initiate community based conservation, create mass awareness programs among the people, promote research to identify the various species of flora and fauna, provide conservation education and adopt of sustainable development measures.
Alakesh Malla Baruah, Deputy Manager, North East Office also a resource person speaking on how to strengthened the community based conservation in the state said knowingly and unknowingly there has been rampant destruction of the environment for our needs which has create imbalance in our ecosystem.
While stating that Nagaland was the transitional zone of Indian and Indo Chinese Burma (zoogeographic) sub regions and its culture are closely related to nature and appreciated the traditional practice of conserving patch of forest by the Nagas.
However, he also noted that the rich biodiversity of the state has been affected greatly due to uncontrolled hunting for food, local trade of bush meat and for social status, felling of trees for jhum cultivation and timber etc. He therefore, said there is an urgent need to framework CCAs for emergence of new issues, greater participation of stakeholders, to establish collective decision making process and address conservation, governance and livelihood related issues through proper planning.
Speaking in the second session, Sidramappa M Chalkapure, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer, said Khonoma village being a pioneer in conservation has been an inspiration to many not only in the state but abroad too, and therefore maintained it need to put more efforts, bring new ideas and also improve its techical areas towards achieving this.
He also informed that there are 700 conserved areas in Nagaland, wherein 400 are working in collaboration with the various departments, and that about 10-12 villages are doing quite well without any support and assistance through community conservation. He also said that the state is way ahead and doing well in community conservation than the other states of North East.
Earlier, the chairman of the KNCTS, Khriekhotuo Mor who also presided over the first session said the workshop has been organized with the objective to empower, enlighten, education and boost the people towards conservation of the ecosystem. He also said that KNCTS in its 18th year has been running successfully without any financial help or aid from the government or NGOs towards conservation of its 30 sq km conserved forest areas. He also pointed out that financial constraint and lack of funds as the main obstacles although it desires to do more.
The second session was chaired by Kevichülie Meyase, Secretary Enviroment. The sessions also included discussion and question hour, which was attended by representatives from neighboring villages, village elders, student and youth leaders of the village and officials and staff from Kohima Divisional Forest department.
