In 2012, in Saint Petersburg in Russia , Western Ghats received the most respectable attention that it deserved . It’s 39 serial sites were inscribed by World Heritage Committee of UNESCO as World Natural Heritage. That was proud moment for India as well as the huge responsibility to conserve that heritage for future generation.
Western Ghats is one of the hot-spots of the bio-diversity on the Earth. Green TERRE Foundation , civil society organisation, played the critical role in getting the heritage inscription of UNESCO by presenting the views of the community of one of the 39 sites -Kaas Plateau . That was the beginning of the new movement in biodiversity conservation through ‘ People’s Participation’ and ‘ Community Dialogue’. TERRE for last 10 years has been a close catalytic friend to work with the Kaas community to promote the management of the World Natural Heritage.
The local Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) led the the initiative by providing regular mentorship, guidance and consultation to the local community and the Government authorities for the preservation of the plateau without any external monetary support.
Annual Report Cards (ARC) published by TERRE right from 2013, became a participative tool to track the progress. The methodology adopted by TERRE in preparing such ARCs is transparent, inclusive and consultative. Importantly, the youth from the universities have been in fore front in consulting the community, collating the data nd compiling the report. The young team of research students and interns, guided by biodiversity experts, this ARCs have become the treasure of trends from which future generation can learn the lessons for nature conservation.
A decade of action declared by United Nations from 2020 onwards, in fact started by TERRE in Western Ghats 10 years back. Kaas Community is struggling with new challenges and opportunities that come along with the developmental pressures.