As part of a series of training sessions on the Biodiversity Act and Rules (Amended), a team of members from Conservation and Livelihoods Program conducted a session on 17th February 2026, for their counterparts in Bhimashankar to help them in facilitating the implementation of the BDA in Kkarpud, Bhomale and Padharwadi villages of Bhimashankar region.

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Kalpavriksh, in collaboration with the Van Gujjar Tribal Yuva Sangathan and partners, organised Gujjaran-Go-Kaarj, a three-day biocultural festival in Rishikesh (February 2026) to celebrate the Gojri Buffalo: A Shared Heritage of the Himalayas. Marking the UN International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists and the International Month of Buffalo, the festival honoured Van Gujjar pastoral traditions and created a platform for dialogue among pastoralists, policymakers, NGOs, and conservationists

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This report covers a four‑day collective session in Munsiari (1-4 December,2025) with Himal Prakriti,
Kalpavriksh, local Van Panchayat leaders, youth, and Maati Sangathan women. The first three days focused on youth‑driven learning- Forest laws, FRA, and global frameworks. The final day brought Sarpanches and community members together, highlighting challenges of governance, funding, and tourism, and concluding with a shared call to strengthen Van Panchayats, and pursue FRA rights for lasting community control.

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The Protected Area Update database is now live and available for use
via the KV website: https://pau-database.kalpavriksh.org/ The database has 4400+ news stories covering more than 300 PAs from across the country.

Kalpavriksh mourns the death of Prof. Madhav Gadgil, a huge influence for many of its members in the fields of biodiversity, ecological history, combining conservation with people’s rights, and more. He was amongst the few modern-day ecologists to question the legitimacy of the Forest Department’s claims on ‘scientific forestry’, to provide rigorous research of use to people’s movements against destructive projects including the Silent Valley project in Kerala, and to provide support to the struggle to reclaim community rights to govern and use forests. Some of our members worked with him on processes such as the framing of the Biological Diversity Act and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. We will miss his presence but will continue to find inspiration in his work.

This policy brief examines the complexities surrounding the expansion and declaration of
Protected Areas (PAs) and their impact on the rights and livelihoods of local communities. It
highlights how these processes intersect with legal frameworks and underscores the need
for equitable, inclusive conservation. The brief also simplifies relevant laws and recent
amendments to help communities better understand and assert their rights under the Forest
Rights Act (FRA). Click HERE to read the policy.