Integrated And Participatory Approach To Revegetate Village Ecosystems In Karnataka For

Carbon Sink Enhancement And Biodiversity Conservation Through Sustained Livelihood

Development

Dr. M.H. SwaminathConservator of Forests

Karnataka Forest Department

WESTERN GHATS REGION – FEATURES

Western Ghats is a “megadiversity hotspot” in India

Area: 14 Mha with Forest area of 5.3 Mha

Large biodiversity

Flora (3500 species)

Fauna (48 genera of mammals, 275 genera of birds,

60 species of reptiles)

Watershed for several rivers

Provides NTFPs and livelihood to large population

Forest conservation is effectively implemented but forest

degradation continues

PROJECT AREA Western Ghats Region Kanara Circle 3 Forest Divisions Representing:

I Coastal Forest Ecosystem (Evergreen & Semi-evergreen forest type)

II Ghats or Mountain or Hill Ecosystem (Moist deciduous forest type)

III Dry Forest or Plain Ecosystem (Dry deciduous forest type)

Project Area: I. Coastal Ecosystem: 30 villages II. Hill Ecosystem: 30 villages III. Plain Ecosystem: 30 villages

OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT“Develop, implement and disseminate integrated and participatory

approach to revegetate village ecosystems for enhancing sustained

flow of benefits to the local communitiesTo enhance carbon stock and biodiversity in different land components of village ecosystems in the Western Ghats region

To enhance bio-resource supply to village communities to improve incomes and livelihoods

To develop and disseminate integrated village ecosystem revegetation package to different regions of the Western Ghats

To develop sustainable participatory institutions and build capacity, and

Participatory Monitoring for Biodiversity Conservation.

BASELINE SCENARIO

Forest degradation due to biomass demand and to a small extent demand for land for conversion.

Afforestation, social forestry, implemented on significant scale in the Kanara circle.

Dominated by fuelwood model, dominated by fast growing species such as Acacia auriculiformis.

Focus is largely on degraded forest land (Reserve Forest & Minor Forest lands).

Biodiversity or carbon sequestration is not the focus. JFM implemented in about 336 out of 1283 villages in the district.

Community participation limited to decisions on; revegetation system, species choice, protection etc.

Capacity building activities limited to VFC members and FD staff.

Contd….

Productivity (carbon sequestration) rate low for afforested area.

Current level of incentives inadequate for sustaining community

participation

Inadequate focus on NTFP species

Inadequate focus on NTFP processing, fuelwood conservation

devices etc.

Lack of integrated approach to revegetation or biodiversity

conservation

Inadequate resource for sustained institution and capacity

building activities.

GEF PROJECT SCENARIO – FEATURES

1. Integrated “Village Ecosystem” approach to revegetation of all land categories; forest, village commons, private forest, dryland, irrigated land, temple land, school compound, stream and pond fore shore area.

2. Focus on enhancing a. biodiversity

b. sequestering carbon in vegetation (biomass) and soil and

c. flow of forest products

3. Participatory approach to involve the stakeholders relevant to each land category in decisions on area to be planted, species choice etc. Community forest: Village assembly Temple land: Temple committee Farm land: Farmers School land: School teacher/School committee

Contd...

4. Strengthening existing and developing new institutions for

protection, management, participation in different activities

5. Building capacity for; village community, women, farmers,

NGOs, Forest Dept. staff to enable and empower them for

effective participation.

6. Developing information package on “Integrated and

participatory approach to revegetation of village ecosystem” and

its dissemination for replication.

Innovative aspects of the project Integrated village ecosystem revegetation approach

including forest and non-forest land categories through participatory approach

Focus on conservation and enhancement of biodiversity, carbon sequestration and flow of economic benefits of different stakeholders through decreasing dependence on forests enhanced planting of native species in different land use

systems biodiversity conservation through landscape approach,

e.x. water bodies, agroecosystems etc. enhancement of productivity through SMC measures,

innovative silvicultural interventions, intensive management on both forest and non-forest categories

enhancing the local need resources through sustained resource use in forest lands creation of resources in non-forest lands including private lands value addition at the local level improved market infrastructure empowerment and equity through innovative institutional

mechanisms

Intensive institutional and capacity building for sustaining participation

Information package development and dissemination

SUSTAINING BIODIVERSITY, CARBON SEQUESTERED AND FLOW OF BENEFITS

INSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS Strong participatory institutions with capacity to manage

ecosystem resources developed Awareness and capacity built

Women groups created under the project will ensure sustainability of activities to ensure sustained flow of benefits

FD and NGOs will create appropriate institutions and incentives to enable project sustainability

ECONOMIC FACTORS Regeneration and planting of economically valuable tree and non-

tree species will provide forest products and income, creating a stake for different stakeholders

Contd...

Biodiversity and carbon sequestered on farmlands, around

temples and water bodies are unlikely to be felled, ensuring

sustenance of local benefits

TENURIAL AND POLICY CHANGES

Policy changes to ensure secure tenure for stakeholders

Financial management by local community

2 VillgesIntensive study

Andle & Bole

30 Villages

Karw ar & HonnavarForest Division

Coastal Ecosystem(Evergreen,

Sem i-evergreen forests)

2 VillgesIntensive study

Mogegaru &Kallur-Hosalli

30 Villages

Sirsi Forest Division

Hill Ecosystem s(Sem i-evergreen and

Moist deciduous)

2 VillgesIntensive studyChibbalageri &

Adike-Hosur

30 Villages

Haliayal Forest Division

Plain Ecosystem(M oist Deciduous and

Dry deciduous)

Forest Circle - KanaraUttara Kannada

Sampling framework

FIELD STUDY METHODS AND SAMPLING

Adikehosuru &Chibbalageri

Kanara Circle

Coastal ES Karwar &

Ankola Division

Hill ESSirsi Division

Plain ESHaliyal Division

Cluster of 30villages

Cluster of 30villages

Cluster of 30villages

- Landuse survey- Socio-economic studies- Afforestation

Andle & BoleKallur &

Maggegaru

- Detailed 100% landuse measurements- Census householdsurvey- Stakeholder consultationon revegetation- GIS maps of land use,vegetation, biodiversity,soil C

Biodiversity and carbon stock in major land use categories for three sample villages in threeecosystems

Coastal Ecosystem Hill Ecosystem Plain EcosystemLanduse categoryAndle Bole Mogagaru Kallur-

HosalliChibbalageri Adike-

HosurAgro-EcosystemNumber of Species 13 50 85 67 47 35Density/ha 95.6 160 926 205 402 149Basal area/ha 3.22 7.88 185.18 12.08 53.1 26.88Carbon Stock (t/ha) 7.89 24.42 653.4 39.3 184.8 91.83Homestead GardensNumber of Species 67 64 99 - - 24Density/ha 138.3 722 124.7 - - 260Basal area/ha 13.73 28.11 61.45 - - 38.88Carbon Stock (t/ha) 45.15 96.17 214.45 134.4ForestNumber of Species 43 10 55 8 30 20Density/ha 258 112 262 106 239 600Basal area/ha 9.54 2.62 18.2 7.15 5.1 19.44Carbon Stock (t/ha) 30.3 5.75 61.02 21.82 14.54 65.41Private/privileged ForestsNumber of Species 23 5 54 40 26 -Density/ha 578 80 564 308 804 -Basal area/ha 5.92 9.12 9.14 17.47 16.8 -Carbon Stock (t/ha) 17.45 28.65 28.87 58.42 56.05Stream/RiverNumber of Species 43 50 20 81 23 -Density/ha 38.4 100 28 264 237 -Basal area/ha 2.1 4.93 2.4 17.9 26.52 -Carbon Stock (t/ha) 3.88 13.94 4.94 59.95 90.9

Land area potential for different ecosystem based revegetation systems (coastal/Ghat/Plain) under project scenario in 90 aggregate villages

Carbon Emission avoided and sequesteredBaseline carbon stock (t/ha) GEF alternate projected carbon

stock (t/ha)Land use categories Area (ha)

AboveGround

Soil Total AboveGround

Soil Total

Carbonincrement

(t/ha)

Agricultural Land 350 33990 105 34095 148515 14852 163367 129271

Forest - Good 1000 47765 700 48465 10357.5 48304 58661 10196

Forest - Less Degraded 2000 74000 1400 75400 99005 29702 128707 53307

Forest - Degraded 7000 149135 4900 154035 747015 74702 821717 667682

Home Garden 150 5463 105 5568 43505 30454 73959 68391

School 100 25 30 55 126015 12602 138617 138561

Pond and tanks 100 3095 30 3125 126015 12602 138617 135492

Streams/rivers 300 7644 210 7854 144015 14402 158417 150563

Temple 100 42 30 72 126015 12602 138617 138545

Plantation 2000 4822 60 4882 297015 29702 326717 321835

Total 13100 325981 7570 333551 1867473 279919 2147392 1813841

Stakeholders choice of re-vegetation system for different ecosystem categories:

Kallur- Hosahalli village case study

Silvicultural package and innovations for the Integrated Ecosystem Development Project

Project Scenario; Revegetation systems, Silvicultural packages for different land categories developed based on participatory approach

Incremental Cost Matrix

Project Budget and Contribution of Different Agencies (in Rs. Million)

Contribution ofComponent TotalGEF Forest

Department(Baseline)

Bilateral Community

Objective 1: To enhancecarbon stock and biodiversityin different land componentsof village ecosystems in theWestern Ghats region

217 132 50 25 10

Objective 2: To enhancebio-resource supply tovillage communities toimprove incomes andlivelihoods

78 57 5 15 1

Objective 3: To develop anddisseminate integratedvillage ecosystemrevegetation package todifferent regions of theWestern Ghats

75 65 5 5 -

Objective 4: To developsustainable participatoryinstitutions and buildcapacity

40 25 5 10 -

Objective 5: Participatorymonitoring for biodiversityconservation.

10 10 - - -

Total Budget (Rs. million) 420 289 65 55 11

BUDGET in US $ million 8.9 6.15 1.38 1.17 0.234

1 US $ = Rs. 47.00

Implementation Arrangement

Potential risks and mitigation measures.

Risks Level ofrisk

Mitigation measures

1. Non-participation of differentstakeholders

Medium 1 Empowerment of village communities andrespective stakeholders and theirparticipation in all decision-making process

2 Awareness creation and transparency infunctions of different institutions

3 Enhanced biomass resource supply2. Low regeneration rates andproductivity of revegetated lands

Medium 4 Distribution of good quality seedlings5 Effective soil moisture conservation

measures3. Lack of communitypreparedness for revegetation

Low 6 Supply of species of local choice7 Training programmes for capacity building

4. Lack of demand for biomassresources and processed products

Medium 8 Market infrastructure development andcreation of market linkages

5. Lack of policy support Low 9 Awareness workshops for policy-makers10 Demonstration of successful

implementation and enhanced flow ofbenefits

SUMMARYINTEGRATED AND PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO REVEGETATE

VILLAGE ECOSYSTEMS IN KARNATAKA FOR CARBON SINK ENHANCEMENT AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION THROUGH

SUSTAINED LIVELIHOOD DEVELOPMENT

Local Executing Agency :Karnataka Forest Department (KFD)

Project Location :Western Ghats Uttara Kannada Circle

(District) Karnataka

Project Period :5 years

The project aims at:The development, implementation and large-scale dissemination of an integrated village ecosystem revegetation package for enhancing carbon sinks and biodiversity along with improvement in the livelihoods and incomes of local communities

The project components are: Developing a package for the Western Ghats region in

consultation with relevant stakeholders Implementing the package in 90 villages of 3 forest ecosystems

of the western Ghats region Developing institutions and enhancing the capacity to

implement, protect and manage the revegetation programme Developing participatory vegetation monitoring for biodiversity

conservation Developing and disseminating the approach in other parts of the

Western Ghats region Budget

GEF : $ 6.15 Million

Co-Financing Government of Karnataka : $1.38 Million Bilateral : $1.17 Million Beneficiaries : $0.234 Million Total Project Cost : $8.934 Million