Wildlife Policy Research Cell

Nodal Officer : Shri. Pratap Singh

Research Associates: Dr. Harendra Singh Bargali & Dr. Sumit Dookia

Preamble

The National Wildlife Action Plan (2002 – 2016), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India has drawn new policy imperatives to strengthen wildlife conservation through ecological security, priority to conservation, national land use policy, primacy for water and sustenance, in situ conservation, people’s support for wildlife and human- wildlife conflicts. These can not be achieved unless land - water – environment – people relationship processes are understood, and sustainably manipulated on larger landscapes beyond the boundaries of National Park and Sanctuaries, to benefit the society’s need. Landscape integration across several land uses and legal land categories is essential to reverse the syndrome of wildlife habitat and population fragmentation and isolation. The conservation capitalization at regional scale on such landscapes need addressing the issues of community livelihood, safety net & empowerment, legal and regulatory reforms, legitimate use of land resources, capacity enhancement and governance. At national scale changing political attitudes, technology developments for bioresources and genetic engineering are the upcoming aspirations of the society, which need to be addressed through new challenges of environmental problems, political policies and technology applications. The demographic challenges of human population growth and their energy consumption have created new dimensions of environmental problem affecting global atmosphere through climatic changes, deforestation and marine pollution. Though there is a gloomy talk on all above issues of environmental degradation, yet human optimism remain as a challenge to overcome the situation through better leadership and political thinking.

Aims

The aim of the Wildlife Policy Research Cell at Wildlife Institute of India is to coordinate research at regional, national and global levels to influence attitude, policies and practices towards the relationships between wildlife, environment and human society. This will eventually facilitate land integration, poverty alleviation, food security, conservation of flora and fauna and environment through better informed manipulations. The attitudinal changes will develop a better sense of trust and regulations to follow between governments, people, donors, NGOs and private sectors and also to implement activities mutually for society-wide resource development and utilization. The ongoing innovative investigation and monitoring of various policy and practices will bring out the gaps and redress the balance between enforcements and accountability to achieve better environmental governance.

Objectives

To identify and integrate wildlife, environment and community interests on landscapes, and use informed decision about possible trade-offs for well being and harmony.
To carry out innovative investigation and monitoring of State, National and International legal frameworks on forests, wildlife, environment for necessary simplification and efficacy.
To carry out investigation on land and natural resource tenure issues for suggesting necessary reforms.
To integrate NGOs, donors and private sectors on the issues of forests, wildlife and environment through informed knowledge.
To carry out innovative investigation to the gaps on policy fronts related to forests, wildlife and environment.
Organize thematic training workshops on the legal and policy issues related to forests, wildlife and environment.
Disseminate research findings to the public, practitioners, academics and decision makers through publication, conferences and seminar and analyzing precedent setting legal cases on environment issues.

Proposed Current activities of the Cell

The Policy Research Cell currently plans to carry out research in few selected priority areas. These policy research areas are:

A. Threatened and endangered species restoration and rehabilitation

Issues

1. Policy & prospects of wildlife farming and harvest

2. Policy & prospects of locally overabundant wildlife

B. Wildlife damage control

Issues

1. Governance for managing human –wildlife conflicts

2. Land use governance for range influences on wildlife

C. Conservation law enforcements

Issues

1. Policy and practices gap in dealing forest crime & offenses

D. Conservation management of elephants

Issues

1. Policy and practices for managing exotics on islands

E. Wildlife population control

Issues

1. Policy and prospects on wildlife translocation for managing populations