Nagaland Community Conservation & Livelihoods

Implemented under the Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme (ITHCP-II) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and funded by German Cooperation via KfW Development Bank, this 15-month project supports six forest fringe communities in reviving traditional conservation measures, designating Community Conservation Areas (CCA), and implementing regulations. Over the past year, infrastructure and livelihood investments such as rainwater harvesting units and produce-marketing sheds have benefitted approximately 300 households. Learning tours and sustainable livelihood contests facilitated community engagement, while 22 youth partners from surrounding villages were employed for planning and executing project goals as part of our grassroots ownership initiative.

This project seeks to promote community-led conservation in 15 villages on the fringe of Ntangki National Park in the Peren district of Nagaland. This forested patch of around 202 sq. km. serves as a crucial corridor for wildlife between the adjoining Kaziranga National Park and Dhansiri Reserve Forest in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam. With about 3,000 households in these fringe villages, community engagement is essential for the ecological viability of the region as a wildlife reservoir and corridor. The project aims to involve these communities in the conservation of natural resources to improve both their livelihoods and the habitat for wildlife.

Team
 

Bano Haralu

Bano is working as the Programme Manager for the Nagaland - Conservation and Livelihoods programme. She has been involved with environment conservation since returning to her home state in 2010. She pioneered a bird and wildlife survey for the Forest department leading to the publication of the book on ‘Birds of Nagaland’. In the year 2011, she co-ordinated a survey to determine the status of wildlife in the state for the Forest Department in eight locations across the state. The survey was conducted by MSc interns from NCBS Bangalore and covered eight different locations over 6 weeks in 2011. Camera traps were used for the first time in the state.

In 2012 along with a team from Conservation India she highlighted the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of the migratory Amur Falcons in Nagaland. She formed the Nagaland Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Trust in 2013 that focuses on ‘wildlife conservation education’ in Nagaland.

Lungsuibo

Lungsui is from the Peren District in Nagaland. He was born in Samziuram village and is currently residing in Beisumpuikam village. He belongs to the Liangmai tribe of the Zeliangrong community. After high school, he worked in Delhi and returned after 3 years to help his parents cultivate the wetland for rice. Meanwhile, he serves for the youth department in the church and the Games and sports secretary for the student union. Also, he got a good opportunity to work on camera trapping inside the Ntangki National Park with a research student to complete her PhD on “Effect of habitat modification on wild mammals and wildlife hunting in Nagaland”. He is also serving for Beisumpuikam Youth Club as a games and sports captain in the village.

Mane Konyak

Mane is from Hongphoi village in the Mon district of Nagaland. He studied at Don Bosco School in Mon, after which he completed his higher secondary education from Public Commerce College, Dimapur, and graduated from Dimapur Government College in 2022.  He works with the Nagaland Community Conservation & Livelihoods project as an Assistant Administrative Manager.

Ramkuahingbe

Ramkuahingbe completed his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from St. Xavier College, Jalukie, in 2017. Following graduation, he dedicated six years to teaching before transitioning to WCS-India as a Field Assistant in the Nagaland Project. Additionally, he holds the position of General Secretary of Ikiesingram Students' Union Nagaland, serves as President of Ikiesingram Baptist Church Youth, and acts as Treasurer of Ikiesingram Baptist Church. Ramkuahingbe strongly advocates for conservation efforts in his community.

Robin Eastment

Robin has been associated with the conservation industry for over 18 years. Over this period, he has worked chiefly with forest-fringe communities in the Bodoland regions of Assam. Learning about ways to make conservation (actually) work for forest communities is what motivates him.

He has been working in the Nagaland project since September 2023. His primary role in the team is to manage the project’s deliverables within budgets & timelines.  On the job, he relishes mentoring his “much-younger” colleagues and encourages them to do most of the work. In his free time, he delights in shooting people (with a camera, of course).

Isamgiele Lungalang

Isamgiele Lungalang, from the Zeliang community from Benreu village, completed her Bachelor of Science in Forestry at BFIT Dehradun and her Master’s degree at Mizoram University in 2023. Following her graduation, she joined the WCS-India Nagaland project as a Field Assistant, where she applies her academic knowledge and passion for conservation. 

Sourav Dutta

With over four years of experience, Sourav has contributed to climate change, community engagement, and biodiversity management. They promoted eco-friendly tourism in Himachal Pradesh through the E-Living Project and managed climate change mitigation projects using nature-based solutions at KrypC Technologies. At TERRE Policy Centre, they worked on sustainable management at Kaas Plateau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Collaborations with UNESCO and Operation Earth (China) have equipped them with expertise in global environmental risk assessment and SDG implementation.

Credits: Illustration - Aditi Rajan (Cover) | Photo - Sourav Dutta