To read book reviews of two co-published books by Kalpavriksh, please click here.

To read the latest issue of Protected Area Update Newsletter, please click here.

Latest Hindi People in Conservation: Biodiversity Conservation and Livelihood Security Newsletter is out!

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‘A Monumental Folly’ is a new report from Kalpavriksh that looks at the rapidly unfolding situation in the southern most island of the Andaman & Nicobar Island group. Put together by Pankaj Sekhsaria, long time chronicler of the islands, the compilation is an exhaustive dossier (and an evolving archive) that puts together related information on Great Nicobar for quick and easy access. The first part is comprised of a series of news features on the Niti Aayog’s plans for the island that were published in the first half of 2021 in ‘The Hindu’, ‘Mongabay India’ and ‘The Wire’.

The second part, the more substantial one, is a set of 30 detailed annexures – meeting agenda notes, committee meeting minutes, administration notifications, call for proposals, the pre-feasibility report for the project dated March 2021, scientific assessments, RTI responses and much more.

The compilation aims to help the reader get a quick and reasonably comprehensive account of what has happened thus far and also help us, hopefully, to anticipate what we should be expecting in the months to come. It also aims to articulate and illustrate the folly of pushing such a mammoth project in these islands that lie at a very fragile and vulnerable intersection of the geological, ecological and socio-cultural. To go ahead with it will be to perpetuate a monumental folly the price paid for which cannot even be comprehended.

The report is available here.

Support Letter for Biodiversity Heritage Site at Devalsari formed during the West Himalayan Vikalp Sangam (Alternatives Confluence) held at Devalsari (Tehri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand) on 21-24th October, 2021.

Supported by:
Kalpavriksh, Beej Bachao Andolan, Titli Trust, Devalsari Paryavaran Samrakshan Evam Takniki Vikas
Samiti, Shramyog, Pawalgarh Prakriti Prahari, South Asian Dialogue on Ecological
Democracy, Astha Jan Kalyan Evam Vikas Samiti, Mausam, Corbett Gram Vikas Samiti,
Zanskar Conservancy Movement, Camp Hornbill, Avadaz Agro, Snow Leopard
Conservancy – India Trust, Kalpavriksh, School for Rural Development and Environment,
People’s Science Institute, Equations, Travellers’ University

Read the entire letter here

Earlier this month, on October 2nd, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change released a ‘consultative paper’, which recommended 14 amendments to the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) of 1980.

The Act, which was put in place to control deforestation, might now find its power diluted by some of the recent recommendations. They broadly propose to exempt some categories of infrastructure developers from requiring the Central Government’s permission to use forest land for non-forestry purposes. But, confusingly enough, the amendments also signal a huge push for plantations and preserving certain ‘pristine forests’.

So what exactly are these changes? What do they really mean for our forests? How will this impact the many forest-dependent communities of India? We spoke to Meenal Tatpati of the Kalpavriksh Environment Action Group, Manoj Misra, Convenor of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan and Prakash Bhandari of the Himdhara Environment Research and Action Group to understand more.

Here is the link to the video: https://thebastion.co.in/politics-and/environment/what-is-the-future-of-indias-forests-explaining-the-proposed-forest-conservation-act-amendments/

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To read the latest issue of Protected Area Update Newsletter, please click here.

The Ladakh Vikalp Sangam on Food & Agriculture was co-organised by Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Agr. Dept of Ladakh UT, Local Futures Ladakh, Snow Leopard Conservancy – India Trust, Ladakh Art and Media Organisation, and Kalpavriksh Vikalp Sangam at Saboo village from 19^th-20^th September, 2021.

The over-arching focus of the sangam was to focus on how to implement Ladakh’s Mission Organic (target to make the region 100% organic by 2025), along with saving its food traditions, sustaining livelihoods, and protecting its fragile ecology. A detailed discussion was facilitated on imagining and re-defining the wellbeing of Ladakh (in the context of agro-tourism, food and pastoralism).

A number of follow-up actions have emerged post the two-day gathering that will be taken up by the Council and civil society groups. The Sangam saw active participation of farmers, NGOs, scientists, food entrepreneurs, govt officials and the Exec. Councillor (Agr). All of this was accompanied by displays of organic / local produce, and of course, delicious traditional lunches! And a trip to the farms of organic farmers in Saboo village. 

To read the latest issue of Protected Area Update Newsletter, please click here.