Uttarakhand Forest Department

Uttarakhand, renowned for its rich biodiversity and extensive forest cover, plays a crucial role in the ecology of the landscape. However, the fragmentation of habitats due to increasing human population, land use changes, urbanization, expansion in agricultural activities and industries, and infrastructural development projects have intensified pressure on the already limited resources. This has resulted into negative interactions between humans and wildlife, in co-shared spaces. The impact from negative encounters, ranging from the loss of human and animal lives to damages and economic losses experienced by vulnerable communities, affects humans as well as wildlife, including endangered species.

To address this pressing concern, Uttarakhand Forest Department has revised its approach and strategy to include short-term solutions to tackle immediate challenges and long-term measures to promote sustainable coexistence between human and wildlife populations. For this, a ‘Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Cell’ has been created with a dedicated team for: Assessment of trends, patterns and drivers of conflict; introduction of a helpline, which records, registers, rapidly responds to incident reporting, and facilitates coordination between affected individual and Forest Division/Range level officers across the state.

Systematic recording and disbursal of ex-gratia payments; Streamlined allocation of funds and resources towards critical forest divisions for providing targeted support, established through hotspot analysis and incident mapping; In-depth species-specific conflict studies are being undertaken to assess the social and ecological factors influencing conflict along with species population estimation, habitat use and carrying capacity studies to create essential baseline data to prevent potential conflict. All this together, would enable the implementation of targeted measures to mitigate conflict and promote coexistence.

Components

  1. Understanding Conflict: Trends, Patterns and Drivers
  2. Assessing Efficacy of Mitigation Measures
  3. Reducing Impact on Humans and Wildlife
  4. Building Tolerance for Wildlife

Innovative Initiatives

What is the Uttarakhand Forest Department doing to address issues surrounding Human-Wildlife Conflict in Uttarakhand?

  • Introduction of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Helpline for the state, records, registers and rapidly responds to active cases; Coordination between victim and Forest Division/Range level officers
  • Recording of information on incident specifics, including site and time of incident, and evidence of circumstances leading to the incident
  • In-depth analysis of trends, patterns and drivers associated with conflict; Hotspot identification and mapping
  • Scientifically backed decision making and resource allocation
  • Streamlining resource allocation and providing targeted support in identified critical regions
  • Understanding social and ecological factors through ground studies
  • Wildlife population and habitat studies, and stabilizing increasing wildlife population
  • Formulating effective mitigation and prevention strategies

Status QRTs/ RRTs

A total of 65 QRT/RRT are functioning in 30 Forest Divisions

Status of Village Volunteer Protection Force