The document discusses the potential for community-based eco-tourism to support wildlife conservation in Northeast India. It outlines the shortcomings of the current tourism model and describes how community-based eco-tourism could provide sustainable tourism with conservation and community benefits by focusing on lesser-known fauna and ensuring local ownership and management. Examples from Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Garo Hills, and Pakke Tiger Reserve demonstrate how community-based eco-tourism is already incentivizing conservation in the region.

1. Community-based Eco-Tourism to Support
Wildlife Conservation in NE India
22 May 2014
IGNFA, Dehradun
Sanjay Sondhi

2. Eco-Tourism
Current model (for the most part…):
High end tourism.
Charismatic mega-fauna focused.
Large ecological footprint.
Carrying capacity largely not
assessed.
“Outsider owned and invested”.
Limited local community benefit.
Limited conservation benefit
…Corbett, Kanha, Ranthambore, Kaziranga.
Current tourism model is largely focused on charismatic mega fauna.
Core issues: community and conservation benefits suspect……

3. Community-Based Eco-Tourism (CBET)
CBET model:
Community owned & managed.
Smaller ecological footprint.
More “interested/concerned” tourists.
Charismatic mega- and lesser-known fauna.
Wider community participation and benefits.
Significant conservation benefits.
…Eaglenest, Garo Hills, Periyar
CBET tourism can provide sustainable, eco-friendly and equitable tourism with
conservation benefits

4. North East India
One of the 34 global bio-diversity Hot
Spots
One of two bio-diversity hot spots in India
(along with the Western Ghats)
Confluence of three bio-geographic regions-Indo, Indo-Malayan
& Indo-Chinese
Habitats ranging from flood plains, foothills, hill forests, alpine....
Spectacular bio-diversity, yet unexplored. Many areas still
inaccessible. New species waiting to be revealed.
Blue-throated Lizard Elephant Blue-capped Rock Thrush Green Cat Snake

5. NE India-A Biodiversity Paradise
No of species World India NE India
Birds ~10,000 ~1,300 ~900
Butterflies ~17,500 ~1,300 ~900
Amphibians ~7,000 360 110
Reptiles 9,766
(Feb 13)
535 180
Orchids 700

6. The Conservation Dilemma
How can these terrific forests, in one of the 34 bio-diversity hotspots
of the world (N E India) be conserved? Is the choice and “either
wildlife or people”? Or is there a middle path?
How can the local communities be incentivized to protect their own
forests?
At stake is food and water security for the local people and a safe
home for wildlife.
Can an income stream be generated for the local community which
is dependent on the forest, yet does not destroy it?
Is community based tourism focused on lesser-known fauna a viable
option as an incentive to conserve?
Community-based Eco-Tourism presents an opportunity to incentivize
conservation

7. CBET in NE India
A few CBET ventures in NE India are showing the way…taking small
steady steps to show that sustainable, equitable and eco-friendly
community-based tourism ventures can be successful.
Eaglenest, Arunachal Pradesh Pakke, Arunachal Pradesh
Garo Hills, Meghalaya

8. Eaglenest WLS, Arunachal Pradesh
©©©
218 sq. km. Altitudinal gradient
from 50 to 3600 m.
Best known for discovery of
Bugun's Liocichla, India's only new
bird species to be described in 50
years.
Still little explored. Veritable
paradise for flora & fauna. Many
new species of butterflies, snakes
and frogs.
Threats: proposed road
construction, poaching, tree felling

9. Community-based Eco-tourism in Eaglenest
Dr. Ramana Athreya discovered the Bugun Liocichla at Eaglenest
in 2006. First new bird species to be found in mainland India in 50
years.
Initial tourism focus: birdwatching, initiated by the Bugun Welfare
Society in 2006.
Expanding into butterfly, moth and herp tourism. First butterfly tour
in Oct 2012.
Ongoing research: butterflies, moths, bird behaviour,
herpetofauna
Ludlow’s Bhutan Glory Dafla Mountain Lizard Picasso Moth Small Niltava

10. Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh
©©©
Bugun Liocichla
Liocichla bugunorum
New species
Mictopholis austeniana
Re-discovery
Jerdon's pitviper
Trimeresurus jerdonii
New record for India
Many new species still being found. Amongst the richest areas in India for birds.
Spectacular array of amphibians and reptiles, butterflies and moths…
Leptobrachium bompu
New species
Oberthueria formosibia
New record for India
Tibetan Brimstone
New record for India

11. Eco-tourism in Eaglenest: Impact
Annual revenues of ~ Rs 12-20 L. One of the top birding
destinations in the world!
Buguns have reduced hunting, community fines for
hunting/fishing & tree felling, great deal of pride in the new bird
discovery.
Employment to ~12-20 people. Community fee of Rs 100 per
person per day. This money goes to the Bugun and Sherdukpen
tribes every year. Local guides conduct birding.
Bugun Welfare Society supports conservation research and
conservation education programs at Eaglenest.
Numerous awards….Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Award (2013),
CNBC Awaaz Tourism Award (2009)….
Success of wildlife tourism has resulted in Sherdukpens
beginning tourism at Bompu.
Local community successfully conducting low ecological impact
tourism since 2006. Significant conservation benefits.

12. Community-based Eco-tourism in Eaglenest
There is a market for tourism built around lesser-known fauna:
supporting eco-system needed….

13. Balpakram-Baghmara Landscape, Meghalaya
©©©
South Garo Hills, Meghalaya.
600 sq. km of protected area &
community land. Indo-Burmese Bio-
geographic region, borders
Bangladesh.
Dense tropical forest everywhere.
Threats: mining-coal and uranium,
tree felling (Bangladesh), hunting
and poaching, land use practices
(jhum), man-animal conflict, political
unrest

14. Community-based nature eco-tourism in Garo
Hills, Meghalaya
Conducted by: Siju & Karawani Conservation & Ecotourism
Society (SECOS/KECOS). Supported by Titli Trust. Samrakshan
missteps……
Surveys for birds (325 species), butterflies (>350 species),
amphibians (26 spp.), reptiles (46 spp), moths (>500 spp.)
conducted in Garo hills (2009-13).
Initial tourism focus: Butterflies! Tourism successfully initiated in
Oct 2010.
Intention to expand into birds and other tourism (culture, trekking,
etc) to scale up and ensure sustainability.
Local communities have supported conservation & research.
Blue-throated Lizard Green Cat Snake Zigzag Flat Chain Swordtail

15. Eco-tourism in Garo Hills: Impact
Nature-based tourism successfully initiated since Oct 2010.
Established as butterfly hotspot in NE India.
Annual revenues of Rs 6 L. 100% of revenues go to the locals.
Initial success by SECOS resulted in formation of KECOS.
Forest department funded homestay at Karwani. Additional
funds provided by Titli Trust.
Community fee of Rs 200 per person. This money goes
SECOS/KECOS for community welfare.
Students Unions actively involved in conservation movement
esp. against coal mining. Proposed coal mining ban?
Ecotourism is an effective counter to illegal mining in the area.
Ecotourism provides an incentive to conserve. Conservation
research supplements these efforts.

16. Supporting ecotourism in the Garo Hills
The “meplip” are helping conserve the Garo hills! Rs one lakh
raised since Apr 2013 from the book to support ecotourism.

17. The local
communities now
support tourism and
conservation

18. Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh
©©©
861 sq. km. Altitudinal variation
from 150 to 1500 m.
Elephant habitat. Pakhui and
Kameng rivers bound the
reserve. Incredible bio-diversity.
Threats: Poaching, illegal tree
felling, proposed dam
construction

19. Community-based eco-tourism at Pakke Tiger
Reserve
Conducted by: Pakke Jungle Camp with support from Ghora-
Aabhe Society, Help Tourism and Arunachal Forest Department
Bamboo-hut based infrastructure established by local community
with support from Help Tourism in Nov 2011. Bird & butterfly
tourism started.
Training & capability building conducted for local guides: birds,
butterflies, herpetofauna (Titli Trust, NCF, Gaia Eco Tours, WWF).
Hand-holding local community to market and conduct nature
tourism.
Wizard Mock Viper Atlas Moth Great Hornbill

20. Eco-tourism in Pakke Tiger Reserve: Impact
Pakke Eco Camp, Seijosa provides livelihood to 3-8 people.
Expected earning in 2014-15~Rs 4 lakhs.
Ghora-Aabhe Society actively involved in conservation
activities. Strict rules and fines against hunting, illegal felling.
Supports forest department in fighting forest fires, anti poaching
and conservation education programs.
GAS conducts campaigns to reduce hunting.
Supports NCF’s “Hornbill Nest Adoption Program”.
Ongoing research provides local employment and complements
tourism.
Examining opportunity to expand ecotourism to Tipi and Pakke-
Kesang (ecotourism zones).
Eco-tourism & research provides an incentive to conserve!

21. Supporting CBET in Pakke Tiger Reserve
Book published with funding
support from Arunachal Forest
Department.
Supports tourism, encourages
research.
Proceeds from book go to
Pakke Tiger Conservation
Foundation, Rs 20 K since Feb
2014.
Doherty’s Oakblue-rediscovered after 70
years, only 2 nd record ever from India…

22. Community-based in NE India: approach
Engage the local community and other stakeholders.
Assist the community to “design” the CBET tourism
model: organization structure, benefit sharing, rules and
regulations.
Identify needs for start up: infrastructure, funding,
capability building (soft skills, technical skills, financial,
etc).Hand hold during start up phase.
Survey the flora and fauna. Identify the “specials”.
Seasons, locations.
Identify opportunities for long term research.
Hand hold the local community in the start up phase
including conducting tours.
Assist local community in the start up phase. Ensure eco-tourism
is eco-friendly and equitable.

23. Community-based in NE India: approach
Sustaining the venture (low engagement phase)
Take necessary steps to ensure the venture is eventually
independent and sustainable.
Identify needs for sustenance: marketing, skill
upgradation, new “products”…..
Conservation actions: rules for forest conservation and
hunting.
Need Center and States to set up institutional framework to
support these ventures.

24. Forest department and its role in CBET
Facilitating the CBET through all stages.
Ensuring it is eco-friendly, equitable and sustainable.
Tourism model: FD as a stakeholder (vs Conducting
tourism).
Enforcement of rules and regulations for tourism.
Assessment of carrying capacity, monitoring impact.
WLPA and its enforcement.
Research and conservation go hand in hand, FD can
facilitate.
FD can play a crucial role as facilitator

25. Opportunities
Document biodiversity in a poorly
studied landscape (NE India).
Establish baseline data for future
studies.
Provide an alternate to “Tiger-based”
tourism. Smaller ecological footprint.
An alternate scalable, sustainable
eco-tourism model.
Provide an economic incentive to the
local community to conserve the
landscape.
Challenges
Raising funds!
Rugged, often inaccessible terrain &
inclement weather.
Building local capacity esp mkting.
Creating the tourism market for
lesser-known fauna.
Sustainability, scalability, inclusive
Mitigating ongoing conservation
threats-development projects
Manage safety concerns linked to
political unrest.
Spot-winged Grosbeak Common Red Flash Medo Pit Viper Unidentified bush frog
Community-based Eco-tourism in NE India

26. Constable Scarce Red Forester Wizard
Dichorrhagia nesimachus Lethe distans Rhinopalpa polynice
Chocolate Jungle Queen Witch Common Batwing female
Stichophthalma nourmahal Araotes lapithis Atrophaneura varuna
Blue Imperial Grey Commodore Tiger Brown
Ticherra acte Bhagadatta austenia Orinoma damaris

27. Baorisa hieroglyphica Cyana bellissima Plutodes flavescens
Brahmaea wallachii Agathia magnifica Opisthograptis molleri
Oberthueria formosibia Actias parasinensis Lyssa zampa

28. ABOUT TITLI TRUST
About Titli Trust
Not-for-profit organisation
Focused on nature
conservation & environment
protection
Established in late 2009
Dehradun based
Trustees
Ravi Chopra, Director, PSI
Anchal Sondhi, Environmentalist
Sanjay Sondhi, Naturalist
Focus areas
Conservation research
Conservation action
Conservation education &
outreach
In western and eastern
Himalayas
Philosophy
Sustainability
Equitable
Eco-friendly
www.titlitrust.com

29. TITLI TRUST
# 49, Rajpur Road Enclave,
Dhoran Khas,
Dehradun, 248001
Uttarakhand
0135 2607452
titlitrust@gmail.com
www.titlitrust.com
sanjay.sondhi1@gmail.com