Kalpavriksh’s journey with protected areas began in 1982, after police firing at the Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary killed five villagers. An inquiry revealed the conflict stemmed from a sudden grazing ban that left people without fodder for their livestock, threatening their livelihoods. That first encounter sparked four decades of field investigations, debates, and research, ultimately shaping Kalpavriksh’s conviction that conservation cannot succeed by excluding the people who live with wildlife.
Kalpavriksh’s work spans policy communication, research, and advocacy on protected areas. It produces accessible policy briefs—often translated into local languages while maintaining databases that track legal and on-ground changes, conflicts, and media reports. Through the Protected Area Update newsletter, conflict mapping, and field investigations, it generates rich primary information that supports policy advocacy and research by others.
