The Nilgiris, an ecologically rich region in southern India, is vital for its unique flora and fauna. Collaborative conservation by local communities, government, and stakeholders is essential to protect this fragile ecosystem.

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

• The Nilgiri biosphere is India’s first UNESCO-designated biosphere, spanning over 5,500 square kilometers across Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. 
• It features a diverse range of landscapes, from the towering Doddabetta peak at 2,637 meters to the 260-meter-deep Moyar gorge. 
• This region is home to unique plants and animals found nowhere else, including the medicinal Baeolepis nervosa used by the Irula tribe, the Nilgiri Chilappan, and the star-eyed bush frog.

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Human Activity Posing New Challenges

• Recently, the Nilgiri biosphere has experienced increased human activity. Once known mainly for its colonial-era tea plantations, it now has a growing agriculture and tourism sector. While these industries provide essential livelihoods, they also present new challenges.
• Tourism: Tourism is less sustainable than local communities and the government would prefer, with day-trippers contributing to waste and traffic congestion
• Farming: Additionally, farmers are increasingly using heavy pesticides and fertilizers that contaminate previously clean water sources.
• Toda Community: The Toda people, who have lived in the Blue Mountains for thousands of years, now have their villages as popular stops on the tourist trail.
  • Sadly, only a few hundred Todas remain today, representing a fragile connection to the ecological wisdom of their ancestors.
• Adaptations of Wildlife in Changing Times: Growing wildlife populations have resulted in animals spreading beyond protected areas. A prime example is the elusive leopard, which has taken a liking to domestic dogs.
  • One can spot Indian gaurs (Indian Bison) in the tea plantations, wild pigs rummaging through garbage dumps, and sloth bears and leopards wandering around bungalows at night. 

Actions Taken

• In response to these rapid changes, local communities have come together to protect their environment. 
• Civil society organizations like “Clean Coonoor” are promoting sustainability through a public-private partnership that fosters a circular economy for managing solid waste. 

• The state government and district administration are also pursuing ambitious goals for the Nilgiris.
  • Their plans aim for carbon neutrality, banning plastic waste, conserving endemic species like the Nilgiri tahr, and reducing invasive plants such as Lantana camara and pine to restore native flora.

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Way Forward

• Government: The government cannot be the only entity responsible for protecting the biosphere.
• Tourism Industry (Market): The tourism industry must promote sustainable practices.
• Society: People need to feel accountable for these biospheres and recognize that it is their fundamental duty to protect them as well.

Conclusion

Urgent collaboration for conservation in the Nilgiris is essential, emphasizing that protecting this unique ecosystem requires a shared commitment from local communities, government, and stakeholders to ensure its sustainability for future generations.

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