towards project snow leopard - Nature Conservation Foundation

70 • Appendix 1
1. Constraints Faced by the Forest Department Staff in Effectively Managing Wildlife in the
High Altitudes (> 3000 M) of Uttaranchal
1.1. Constraints: Administrative
1.1.1. Lack of co-ordination among multiple agencies potentially working at cross-purposes:
Wildlife conservation is essentially an integrated activity whereby a substantial part
deals with environment-friendly rural development. The Wildlife Department is
often seen as an ‘anti development’ department. The other higher revenue generating
and development oriented departments sometimes work at cross purposes with the
wildlife department that result in conflict.
1.1.2. Lack of training: The high altitude areas need specialized skills for wildlife monitoring
and management planning. While scientists are experimenting with better techniques
these are not getting transferred to the field personnel on a continuing basis.
1.1.3. Need for management plans/strategies within and outside PAs also: Management
plans provide a scientific basis of working in an area and a vision for that work
over a period of time. These plans are often lacking for the PAs of the region. It
is recognized that besides the PAs we need to also include non-PA areas that have
wildlife value under suitable activities that conserve biodiversity there. There is a lack
of specific prescriptions for wildlife protection/ conservation outside PAs such as the
Overlapping Circles. In this regard, management plans for larger landscapes need to
be prepared.
1.1.4. Lack of stand-by protection mechanisms in the high altitudes: In poaching prone areas
the handful of departmental staff may not be very effective in curbing poaching. A
stand-by protection force has been very effective in this regard in some existing PAs
such as the Corbett Tiger Reserve and NP. A similar mechanism is lacking in the high
altitudes.
1.1.5. Lack of good communication equipment (effective wireless systems): With a difficult and
vast landscape, it is important to have good communication facilities such as wireless
sets and basic roads/trails for staff for their patrolling activities and commuting.
1.1.6. Inadequate demarcation, zonation of PAs, PA boundaries; need for ecologically meaningful
demarcation: There are some PAs of the high altitudes that are very large, but include
substantial areas under permanent glaciers and cliffs with limited wildlife values,
while other smaller pockets with high biodiversity value may still remain outside.
1.2. Constraints: Financial
1.2.1. Inadequate staff strength in high altitudes: The high altitude areas are invariably
inhospitable, and thus there are few staff members who are willing to work there.
Further, there are few posts in these areas per unit area compared with many low
lying PAs. This discrepancy means that there are very large and unmanageable areas