Bird & Habitat Conservation

Wetlands are vital ecosystems that replenish groundwater, filter pollutants, mitigate floods, store carbon, and sustain livelihoods. Birds connect ecosystems, people, and livelihoods. They pollinate, disperse seeds, control pests, and sustain agriculture. In India, birds also hold deep cultural and spiritual significance. Yet, many Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in India lack protection. In recent years, wetlands hosting resident and migratory birds are fast deteriorating due to pressure of development and indifference of the communities residing near these habitats. Many of these wetlands are not officially recognized by the Forest Departments, and remain under the control of the panchayats or other local bodies.

Ramsar status is accorded to the more prominent wetlands hosting significant biodiversity, which lends these locations some level of recognition and security. India has less than 100 Ramsar sites, while there are 467 IBAs across the country. There are many more which aren’t even recognized as IBA, but host thousands of migrant birds. The process of getting a waterbody as an official wetland takes many years, and Ramsar status even more, as the state and national governments go through a long administrative exercise.

It is in this context that the birdwatching community joined hands with Empower Trust, an NGO working in the area of conservation to work in wetlands with significant bird population, yet do not have Ramsar status. The mission is to protect the unprotected wetlands and biodiversity from degradation and ensure the birds continue to live and migrate through this habitat.

It is universally accepted that when local communities be true stewards of the wetlands, conservation will be more effective and is sustainable. However, unless these communities stand to benefit in some form due to the wetland or its biodiversity, there would be very little interest to safeguard those as assets. Therefore, Empower Trust is working in unprotected wetlands to conserve the habitats and biodiversity through scientific wetland management and community empowerment, as below:

Scientific Wetland Management

Hydrological regulation to maintain optimal nesting water levels.
Floating nesting platforms to safeguard Sarus breeding.
Removal of invasive species like water hyacinth.
Bathymetric re-profiling to restore water depth.

Community Empowerment

Education modules in local schools and evening learning centers.
Health camps and hygiene awareness programs.
Livelihood clusters: water hyacinth crafts, eco-tourism services, and manufacture of local products under ODOP.

All the activities are managed from Enhanced Wetland Education Centers (WEC) set up near the wetland, with facilities for interpretation, training hall, visitors’ lounge, a village-products shop, mini-café and toilets for visitors. Professionals will manage the program while about 500 volunteers from amongst the birdwatching community will be supporting all aspects of this initiative.

Unlike traditional Wetland Education Center (WEC) that aims at delivery of CEPA (Communications, Education, Participation and Awareness) activities for interpretation, the enhanced WEC is a living lab for conservation and a hub for community development.

Establishing a WEC has in the proximity of a wetland has been a key strategy of educating communities and biodiversity conservation, as prescribed for Ramsar sites. Empower Trust works only in locations that are yet-to-be designated Ramsar sites or neglected sites, and therefore takes this concept a step further, making the WEC not only a facility for imparting conservation education, but the engine for the smooth management and delivery of education, health and livelihood activities aimed at the local community under this program.

This enhanced, yet basic and functional, WEC is set up in a village surrounding the habitat. It is the center for innovative conservation initiatives, meaningful engagement of volunteers, promotion of e-tourism and birding as a serious hobby, and the management and delivery of community development activities for people’s health, education and livelihood.

The low cost, high impact design will be a model for all Important Bird Areas (IBA) to be replicated across India and beyond. The digital outreach of the center goes beyond visitors through live stream bird counts, virtual tours and use of citizen-science apps.

While the establishment will include initial infrastructure and programmatic support for three years, the center and many of its activities will be sustained through its volunteer base of bird enthusiasts and other incomes. The target audience for the enhanced WEC are the residents of the villages - especially women, youth and children, alongside the eco-tourists and the birders who visit the location in large numbers. The ultimate goal of the center is to change behaviors in pursuit of conservation.

The objectives of setting up this Enhanced Wetland Education Center are:

Raise awareness of key bird species that are Near Threatened (NT), Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN), and Critically Endangered (CR) as per the IUCN.
CEPA (Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness) activities to be delivered to various target audiences. Wetland interpretation to gain a holistic understanding of the wetland and the biodiversity it supports.
Enhance the stewardship of the wetland and its biodiversity by the community, which engages with activities in the WEC.
Gain trust and cooperation of the community, linking socio-economic development to the conservation and health of the habitat.
Encourage farmers to use less pesticides and better agricultural practices, reducing the pollution through the runoff from the agricultural fields.
Explain the importance of birds to the youth and children through classes, videos, games and other engagement.
Motivate visitors to help in conservation activities, especially in a wide range of volunteering tasks.
Encourage birders, bird photographers and nature enthusiasts to cooperate and collaborate in meaningful conservation activities.
Train volunteers on conservation activities pertaining to the habitat and biodiversity.
Provide a platform for birders, visitors and the community to engage and interact with the objective of conserving Sarus cranes and other birds, along with the habitat.
Serve as the facility for a women-led livelihood interventions such as a “village-products” shop, a mini-café, and eco-tourism initiatives.
Serve as the administrative center for local school bird clubs and their activities.
Train local youth to become bird guides and benefit from eco-tourism at the location.
Promote bird photography as a hobby for mental health and happiness.
Observe important days such as World Wetlands Day, National Bird Day, World Migratory Bird Day, etc.

The Enhanced Wetland Education Center would be managed by a wetland professional who will guide conservation, volunteering and training and activities undertaken at the center will be in consultation with stakeholders including the community elders, forest officials, birders and the administration. The Enhanced Wetland Education Center (WEC) will use rented or temporary structures to comply with the ban on permanent construction within mean high flood level observed in the past ten years calculated from the date of commencement of the Wetlands Rules in 2017.

Conservation Activities Managed by WEC Hub

Bathymetric Re-profiling (Dredging): In areas where siltation has significantly reduced water depth, limited manual desilting of specific channels may be undertaken to ensure water reaches the central nesting islets. This will be done in Year 2, in coordination with the Forest Department.
Creation of Floating Nesting Platforms: To mitigate the threat of fluctuating water levels, the project will pilot the installation of artificial nesting platforms. These floating islands, anchored to the wetland bed, rise and fall with the water level, ensuring nests are never flooded or stranded on dry land. This technique has proven successful for crane conservation globally.
Clean-up of wetland and surrounding areas: Organize regular drives for removal of plastic and other waste, removal of invasive weeds such as water hyacinth in the wetlands, primarily through volunteers.

Bird & Habitat Conservation

Conservation Activities Managed by WEC Hub

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