Efforts to strengthen biodiversity conservation in NE

Kohima | January 28 : A two day long experience sharing workshop on communities’ initiatives for biodiversity conservation in North East India got underway here today at DUDA Guest House under the aegis of Nagaland Empowerment of People through Economic Development (NEPED) in collaboration with Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore and supported by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT).

In this workshop, prominent researchers in the Northeast working in the field of biodiversity conservation are interacting with the knowledgeable persons who are managing Community Conservation Areas in their respective areas and share their experiences. The workshop also featured discussions on issues such as significance of indigenous ecological knowledge documentation, collective action for community conservation, significance of biodiversity conservation in the Northeast and glimpses of community conservation in Arunachal Pradesh.

Strengths and gaps of the community conservation efforts also featured in the discussion.

Addressing the inaugural function this morning, principal secretary & agriculture production commissioner, H. K. Khulu IAS congratulated the organizers for the initiative of strengthening community conservation efforts in Nagaland. He informed the gathering that the government would facilitate to the extend possible and mentioned the importance of building a close relationship between the community and the district administration. He further appealed the private agencies and committed conservationist to go ahead with their initiative of biodiversity conservation in Nagaland and set an example for the neighbouring states and the nation.

The inaugural session was chaired by commissioner & secretary and team leader NEPED, Temjen Toy IAS. Biswanath Sinha shared on Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Allied Trusts’ Strategy for engaging in ecological security and its priorities in India’s North Eastern region. Short speeches also delivered by representative from Saramati Awung Conservation & Management Society, Kiphire, Hongmong Conservation Committee, Mon and Yai Zone Wildlife Control, Shamator. “Overview of “Strengthening Community Conservation efforts in Nagaland” (SCEN)” was shared by Dr. P.A. Azeez, Director SACON.

The programme was followed by experiences sharing from Nagaland- Zanubu Range Forest Committee (Phek District), Phoyisha Range Conservation (Phek District), Helipong Khong Joint Biodiversity Conservation Area (Tuensang District), Sendenyu Wildlife Sanctuary (Kohima District) and Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary (Kohima District).

The session also witnessed talk on “Significance on Indigenous Ecological Knowledge documentation” by Amba Jamir, “A glimpse of Community Conservation Efforts in Arunachal Pradesh” by Piyush Kumar Dutta, “Collective action for community conservation projects” by Nandita Hazarika, “Biodiversity Significance of North East India” by Sudipto Chatarjee and Retrospection and outcomes of SCEN Project by Vengota.

Published at Murong Express on January 28, 2011

Community to conserve Saramati

In a glowing example of community initiatives for conservation of the environment, a vast area of forest under Saramati Range under Pungro sub-division, Kiphire district has been declared Community Conserved Area at a historic function held Saturday last. The formal declaration of the community conserve area which was held at Penkim village was graced by state parliamentary secretary for IPR, economic and statistic R. Tohanba. In his speech Tohanba encouraged others to follow the example of the people of Saramati range. Director of SACON Dr. Bhupathi was also present on the occasion. Catalyst and facilitated by NEPED and SACON (Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore) 17 villages out of the total 19 villages on Saramati Range came together as a cluster community and formed Saramati Awung Conservation and Management Society (SACAMS) earlier for community conservation purpose. It was learnt that NEPED and SACON jointly took up the initiative to strengthen the community effort in Nagaland towards conservation. With regard to this, the joint team of experts led by Dr.Venguta from NEPED as coordinator and late Dr.Ravi Sankaran from SACON as assistant had earlier toured the entire Saramati Range as part of its effort to strengthen the community effort in Nagaland and created awareness among the villagers. A series of meeting were held with villagers of Saramati Range which had brought about formation of Saramati Awung Conservation and Management Society. NEPED facilitated in the formation of the society and also in drafting the constitutions. Saramati Range boasts of having among the richest biodiversities that houses many rare as well as endangered species of flora and fauna and various kinds of orchids. It is covered with rich, natural and diverse forests, ranging from sub-tropical ever green and semi ever green to temperate broad leaved and Alpine vegetation. According to the local populace, vast and virgin forest of Saramati range housed rare species such as wild Mithun, Hollock Gibbon and even Lion were reported to be sighted recently. With the declaration of Saramati Range as Community Conserved Area, there are five such CCA in the five eastern district one each in Phek, Kiphire, Tuensang, Mon and Longleng. Conservation would also help promote eco-tourism, which has become a global high point.

Published at Nagaland Post on 6 Nov. 2009

Khonoma’s shift from a rebel cradle to Asia’s 1st green village

KHONOMA (NAGALAND): “MY grandfather said that by killing Mahatma Gandhi, Indians had sealed the fate of Naga independence,” said Methahetho Chase, grandson of Naga National Council chief Angami Zapu Phizo, also known as the ‘Father of the nation of Nagas’. A resident of 3,000-strong Khonoma village, 22 km from Kohima, Chase says Phizo had met Mahatma Gandhi before Indian independence, after which he sought verbal support for Nagaland’s independence. A close friend of Subhash Chandra Bose, Phizo allied with the Japanese in Burma during World War II.

From being a cradle of resistance to both the British and Indian rule, Khonoma has come a long way to become Asia’s first green village. The Angami Naga village of 600 houses was one of the last villages that fought a bloody war with the British from 1878-80 against imposed land tax rules. 

“Christianity was introduced in 1897 by American Baptists after Khonoma’s defeat,” Chase added. “Until Shillong Accord of 1975, Indian Army had sealed the village. Even a child needed permission to relieve himself/ herself in the fields. Those were the heady days. We had to undergo tremendous torture at the hands of the Indian Army,” he said. 

However, times have changed. The Indian Army has become friendly and helped construct an array of community assets from public toilets to irrigation facilities. Gradually, the birthplace of Naga nationalism has moved on to impose a total ban on hunting, and jhum cultivation, without which practically no Naga village can survive. Now, waste generated in the village is segregated and disposed, majorly by incineration. 

“It was a very difficult task in the beginning to persuade people to give up hunting and jhum (shifting) cultivation. But, in 1998, the Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary (KNCTS) was established by the Khonoma village council to protect wild animals and birds, including the rare tragophan bird,” said Chase, then vice secretary of the village council. 

“Over the years, we have conserved over 123.23 sq km of forest in Khonoma village, and people practice wet rice cultivation in terrace farms,” he said Owing to its history of resistance to outsider rule, Khonoma has over 1,000 country-made guns, despite its ban on hunting.

“After death of Phizo, a lot of factions of the Naga Army emerged, the Isak-Muivah, Khaplang factions and so our movement weakened. No one treads the path of Phizo. Added to that, the young generation is after easy money. Nobody wants to struggle for the Naga cause,” he said.

By Aishik Chanda

Published at Indian Express on 07 December 2016

India 'green village' turns tables on hunters

On World Environment Day, conservation efforts in Nagaland state hailed as a model for protecting nature.

by Amarjyoti Borah

Khonoma, India - An idyllic "green village" in northeast India is being hailed as a model of conservation after an innovative project to protect wildlife began to lure tourists to the area.

As World Environment Day is marked on Thursday, India's government is now promoting Khonoma in the remote state of Nagaland as a successful example of what can be done by a small community to tackle hunting and logging and safeguard the environment.

The spirit of conservation has penetrated so deeply among villagers that local youths are signing up to be "wildlife wardens" in the community, 20km from Nagaland's capital, Kohima.

"The whole process has brought about a revolution here, and everyone has started to look at things through the eyes of a conservationist," said Kevichulie Meyase, a member of theKhonoma Tourism Development Board.

Sanctuary

In 1998, villagers formed the Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary (KNCTS) extending across a hilly terrain of 70sq km.

"The whole process has brought about a revolution here, 

and everyone has started to look at things through the eyes of a conservationist."

- Kevichulie Meyase, Khonoma Tourism Development Board

The aim was to protect local wildlife including the endangered Blyth's Tragopan, a pheasant that inhabits wooded areas, and the village established strict rules banning hunting and logging.

"If anyone is found coming to hunt in the sanctuary he is fined 3,000 rupees ($50) as a punishment," said Mhiesizokho Zinyu, a conservationist associated with the KNCTS.

In an effort to ensure the bans were strictly enforced, the regulations stipulated that offenders' families would also face the prospect of collective fines.

"All this meant that the villagers complied with the council's strictures," said Pankaj Gogoi, a researcher associated with the non-profit organisation Destination North East, who has worked in the area.

The success of the initiative is striking given that awareness about conservation was almost completely absent in the village until the early 1990s.

The Gujarat-based non-profit Centre for Environment Education (CEE) played a pivotal role in raising local consciousness about the importance of conservation, and this was reinforced by the leading role played by Khonoma's village council.

Monkey feast

"I still remember when we had visited the village for the first time in 1994, the residents there threw a lavish feast for us - we were served monkeys and endangered deer meat," said Abdesh Gangwar of CEE.

Gangwar said he is wonderstruck when he sees the conservation efforts now embraced by Khonoma's residents.

An woman walks down a street in Khonoma village [Reuters]

Soon after establishing the new initiative, the villagers launched a tourism programme to generate income lost as a result of the prohibition on hunting and logging.

In 2003, they formed the Khonoma Tourism Development Board, which now gives local youths and women opportunities to work as tour guides, operators and interpreters.

"This was done so that the livelihood of all those people who were dependent on logging of trees and hunting will not be affected, and it worked out very well," said Meyase. "The sanctuary is ideal for trekking and research work, and it has a variety of ecosystems ranging from semi-evergreen forest to savannah grasslands."

Riding on the sanctuary's success, the government adopted Khonoma as a "green village" and awarded it 30 million rupees ($500,000) to develop infrastructure.

"The money was used to construct footpaths, toilets, roads within the village, solar lights, viewpoints, and for the purchase of trekking equipment," Meyase said.

In tune with their mission of conservation, the roofs of all homes were painted green so everyone knows it as the "green village".

The villagers' efforts have been lauded by Nagaland's state government, and former chief minister Neiphiu Rio has said Khonoma offers the world lessons about what people can achieve while protecting nature.

"It has been a great success and 

can also become a role model for other states and communities as well"

- Firoz Ahmed, Aaranyak conservation group

Rich dividends

The villagers' efforts are paying rich dividends and the sanctuary has turned into a hotspot for tourists - yielding clear economic benefits.

Visitors who want to experience rural life can pay for "home-stays" - accommodation in a village household costing about $17 a night, enabling them to eat local food and enjoy the natural surroundings.

The tourism board said at least 1,000 tourists - both domestic and foreign - now visit the village annually.

"Payments are made to guides, to performers at cultural programmes, and to individual families who run the home-stays," said Meyase. "This has improved the economic conditions of several households."

Conservationists working in the region say the model established by Khonoma can now be replicated in other parts of India - and beyond.

"It has been a great success and can also become a role model for other states and communities as well," said Firoz Ahmed of Aaranyak, an environmental group.\

Published at AL JAZEERA on 5 Jun 2014

Grey Nagaland goes green for a day

World Environment Day was observed at Benreu village under Peren district, a program for which was jointly organized by the Peren Forest division, Foundation for Ecological Security of Guwahati and the Community Conservation Area Committee of Benreu village. During the event, C Villalhuolie, the forest officer of Peren talked about the significance of the day and emphasized on the obligations that everyone was vested with “for helping attain a healthy environment.” He encouraged the younger generations to live up to the expectations and demands of the day, “not only in academics but also in having concern for the environment.”

Another speaker at the event, Alakesh Baruah, emphasized on the various aspects of community conservation efforts especially in Nagaland. He spoke about the importance of having ‘good knowledge of the benefits and economics of conservation, need-based assessment and utilization of resources and the need for continuity.’

Published at Eastern Mirror on June 7, 2016

The sambar and red hot chilli peppers

Sendenyu Village Community Biodiversity Reserve. Photo: Ananda Banerjee/Mint

Bhut Jolokia, the world’s hottest chilli, has found an unlikely fan in the sambar, the largest deer in the Indian subcontinent. But the animal’s fondness for the red hot chilli hasn’t gone down well with farmers in Sendenyu village, located 45km from the Nagaland state capital Kohima.

Why the sambar, which has made a comeback in the region thanks to local conservation efforts, loves the fiery chilli, whose name translates as Ghost Pepper, is a mystery. It takes painstaking work, spread over half the year, to cultivate the Naga chilli, also known as Raja Mircha (king chilli), which is so hot that it is used to fence farmland against marauding elephants and is an ingredient in pepper bombs used to disperse mobs.

The chilli that is some 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce needs to be grown in just the right temperature and soil moisture.

Conservation efforts by the village council of Sendenyu have led to a dramatic resurgence of biodiversity in the area—epitomized by the return of the sambar.

Sendenyu’s efforts haven’t drawn publicity like Khonoma’s conservation story (The battlelines of Khonoma, 21 November), where villagers nurtured a community forest, although their tale is somewhat similar and has the support of Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio.

In September, Nagaland hosted the third Sustainable Mountain Summit on three key environmental issues—water, agriculture and forests—in the mountain states of India. But not many at the summit knew about this little village on the periphery of Kohima that is inhabited by the Rengmas, an indigenous tribe.

It’s not as if it’s unknown. In a bygone era, Sendenyu, along with neighbouring Phenshunyu, became famous for its hostility towards the Indian Army after hoisting the first Naga national flag in 1956 in support of the state’s quest for independence.

In the 1990s, the gaon burahs (village elders) voiced concern at the depletion of wildlife because of excessive hunting. The forests, which once used to reverberate with the sounds of animals and birds, had suddenly gone silent. According to the elders, the community forest once hosted a large population of hornbills, elephants, tigers, wild dogs, black bears, barking deer and a substantial population of sambar.

So, amid stiff opposition, a few elders debated banning hunting. A trip to the Kaziranga National Park in Assam helped motivate village council members. The sight of a large number of animals and birds thriving in the protected area helped convince the group that villagers back home needed to stop hunting, at least during the breeding season.

This experiment went on for six years but failed to revive the wildlife population in large numbers. In a desperate attempt to save the last of the sambar deer from being hunted, the village council declared a part of its community land as the Sendenyu Village Wildlife Protected Area.

In 2001, a contiguous area of about 12 sq. km of village land was demarcated and named the Sendenyu Village Community Biodiversity and Wildlife Conservation Area. A law was passed—the Sendenyu Village Council Wildlife Protection Act, 2001—banning hunting, trapping, fishing, collection of forest produce, cultivation and plantation in any form.

In 2005, the village council extended the area under protection, and announced a fine for hunting. A big billboard at the village gates today proclaims there’s a “Rs.20,000 penalty for hunting and likely imprisonment”.

The conservation initiative has had its share of problems over the years. “The sambar doesn’t know which area is safe and which is not, so when an animal moved inadvertently out of the protected area it got shot by hunters,” says Gwasinlo Thong, chairman, Sendenyu Village Wildlife Community (SVWC).

Some people broke the law and were fined, and even the church, a powerful institution in Nagaland, had to pay a fine for serving wild meat in a village festival.

“People’s reluctance to do away with traditional culture remains an issue,” says Thong. “Though a decade has passed, still there is a constant need to remind people that their livelihood depends on conservation.”

Today, to create awareness on ecological and environmental protection, SVWC organizes excursions, film shows and workshops. From time to time, Thong visits the village school and church to talk about conservation, citing biblical references.

Apart from hunting, as the population grows, there is pressure on forest land for agriculture. “Another challenge for SVWC is to make people aware of the harmful effects of jhum (slash and burn) cultivation and encouraging them to adopt wet terrace cultivation and horticultural farming to reduce pressure,” Thong says.

The decade-long conservation initiative has paid rich dividends. A new species of legless amphibian, a caecilian called Ichthyophis Sendenyu, was discovered in Sendenyu in 2009 by a team of scientists that included Rachunliu G. Kamei, S.D. Biju, David J. Gower and Mark Wilkinson from Delhi University and Natural History Museum, London.

That became the third most popular National Geographic scientific discoveries, out of global 10 in 2012, ranking higher than the discovery of the Higgs Boson, the so-called god particle, which was ranked 7th.

“The local people’s effort in protecting biodiversity is commendable,” says Biju. “We hope to describe some more new amphibian species to science, especially frogs and caecilians in this region.”

While the hunting ban largely benefited the sambar, it has thrown open a new challenge for SVWC, that of managing the human-wildlife conflict.

Frequent crop-raiding by deer—and the sambar’s fondness for the Bhut Jolokia—is making farmers restless. They want to hunt again, while the village council is hard-pressed for funds to compensate for the losses that keep piling up.

Published at Live Mint on Dec 24 2013

Community conservation project at Sendenyu making strides towards protection & preservation of wildlife

Noticing the threat posed to the flora and fauna in their area, the community at Sendenyu, under Tseminyu Sub Division of Kohima District have responded by taking up initiatives of their own to preserve and protect the biological diversity in their area.

The story of the project, called the Sendenyu Community Biodiversity & Wildlife Conservation (SCBWCC) was briefed to Nagaland state Governor, PB Acharya during his recent visit to Sendenyu village in connection with the Rengma Students’ Union (RSU) conference.

The community project consists of Sendenyu village and its offshoot villages – Sedenyu New and Thongsiinyu.

The Sendenyu community conservation works began with the Sendenyu Village Council Biodiversity & Wildlife Conservation Act, 2001, wherein various rules and regulations for conservation were framed and enforced.

Also as part of the conservation effort, an area of about 20 square kilometers of village land has been demarcated as Village Community Biological and Wildlife Protected Area, with a vision to preserve and protect the rich and diverse natural heritage. All denizens of the Sendenyu community are directly the stakeholders of SCBWCC.

The area has been home to various birds that are normally found in evergreen sub-tropical wet climatic conditions. However, most of the animals have become extinct due to excessive hunting, lack of their natural food due to encroachment of their habitat by humans. Following enforcement of conservation in the Protected Area (PA) and other village community lands, today, many animals have returned – such as wild boars, barking deer, sambar, hog badgers, several packs of Indian wild dogs, bears, leopards, macaques, flying fox, flying squirrel, civet, slow loris, otter etc.

The area also has a host of amphibians and reptiles. A variety of bird species such as barbets, different woodpeckers, partridges and quails, pheasants, doves, pigeons, owls, cuckoos, bulbuls, flycatchers, bush-robins etc are found in the area.

As part of a long term strategy for sustainability of conservation, initially, farmers have been advised to do away with jhum cultivation (slash and burn) and to adopt more scientific, productive and eco-friendly farming such as horticulture and wet terrace cultivation.

As a result, more green coverage is maintained; thereby facilitating increase in organic soil carbon content and other nutrients in the soil, increase in moisture, retention, reduction in soil erosion etc.

Micro-check dams and water harvesting ponds have also been dug in the PA to recharge underground water and also to provide drinking water for wild animals.

Initially, the conservation works began with contributions from members and well wishers. The Nagaland State Government has also contributed to the success of the conservation project by providing LPG connections to the families whose land falls within the PA, contributed funds for construction of watch towers, part fencing of the PA, and honorarium pay for three forest guards.

Fines imposed by the village council on violation of conservation rules such as poaching, trapping, illegal collection of medicinal herbs range from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 50,000.

In an effort to document the rich biological diversity heritage, all the major landscapes, rivulets, lakes and ponds, natural spring sources, flora and fauna including wild edible fruits, medicinal plants, timber of commercial value, different species of bamboos, etc found within the land have been listed and are in the process of documentation.

The Sendenyu Community Biodiversity & Wildlife Conservation Committee believes that the sustainability of community conservation will depend on improving the economic livelihood of the community.

“Therefore, it is pertinent to promote eco-tourism, shift from primitive method to modern, scientific, eco-friendly farming and green village approach,” the Committee stated.

Published at Murong Express on December 22, 2015

Sendenyu receives award for conservation

The Sendenyu village’s community conservation efforts have caught attention from environmentalists outside the State as its Community Biodiversity & Wildlife Conservation Committee was honoured with the Annual Balipara Foundation Award 2016. The award was received by the chairman of the committee, G Thong, at a convention held under the aegis of Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics Forum 2016 in Guwahati on Wednesday.

“Alarmed by the rapidly disappearing floral and faunal populations within a span of a generation due to excessive hunting, logging and jhum cultivation, you have felt the need to take drastic steps to preserve and protect the biological diversity of your region. 

Conservation efforts and enforcement of rules in the village Protected Area and other community land have today resulted in the return of a diversity of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians that had once disappeared.

The success of the Sendenyu Community Biodiversity Reserve in Nagaland as a model worthy of replication across India is due to your vision to preserve and protect the rich biological diversity heritage of your community,” stated the citation that was given to the conservation committee.

The Sendenyu village, under Kohima district, conserves about 22 Sq Kms of the forest around the village. The village is said to impose bans on hunting periodically in the past. However in 2015, when a three-year ban expired, the village’s Community Biodiversity & Wildlife Conservation Committee called a public meeting with its three associate villages wherein it was decided that an indefinite ban on hunting in the village land would be imposed. Sendenyu’s avid efforts in conservation which spans for the last 15 years or so, reportedly saw a visible migration and increase in wildlife population in the neighbouring village areas where, until the recent past, were almost thought to have gone extinct.

Congratulating the people of Sendenyu for doing the state proud by their initiatives, Chief Conservator of Forests, Supongnukshi acknowledged the villagers in their involvement in conservation work and the results thereof since their declaration of the reserve.

“It is because of initiatives and examples like this that we see a lot of communities coming forward to preserve their forests and natural resources which is otherwise fast dwindling. We hope that in the near future all the villages in Nagaland will follow their exemplary work for the betterment of the community and posterity sake,” he said.

“I hope this award would just be the beginning of recognition of the tremendous efforts of the three associate villages around Sendenyu and many more awards and recognitions will follow,” says Sidramappa Chalkapure, the District Forest Officer of Kohima. The official is enthusiastic that the recognition will also give a big impetus for community conservation in Nagaland. He congratulated the Sendenyu villagers and village leaders for the recognition on behalf of the department of Environment, Forests & Climate Change.

The Balipara Foundation Awards were launched in 2013 to honour environmental crusaders (individuals and organizations) who are creating social, economic and environmental impacts protecting essential natural resources and restoring the pristine beauty of the eastern Himalayas.

The award comes with a citation, cash reward and support from the Balipara Foundation for future initiatives to conserve and preserve the natural heritage of the eastern Himalayas.

Published at Eastern Mirror on November 11, 2016

Amur falcon watch tower inaugurated at Pongching

Through joint initiative undertaken by Pongching village council, Pongching Baptist Church and Pongching students’ union, a watch tower for Amur Falcon was constructed and inaugurated by deputy commissioner Longleng Denngan Avennoho as chief guest at Pongching village on October 27.

A joint press release by president Pongching Students Union (PSU) Y. Nyenphong and vice president N. Joseph stated that DC had reminded the gathering on the importance of preservation of wildlife and biodiversity conservation, while highlighting the laws on protection of Amur Falcons enforced by the district administration.

Meanwhile, Pongching has extended invitation to interested visitors to the Amur Falcon roosting site, located at Yengchi-Ponghau area about 10 kms from district headquarter Longleng town. The inaugural programme was attended by village council, Church board members and student union office bearers of Pongching and neighbouring Mongtikang villages. Village council chairman N. Chonglang Phom gave the welcome address followed by a short speech on “boi-diversity conservation” by executive secretary PBCA Y. Nuklu Phom.

Published at Nagaland Post on 5 Nov. 2015

Pongching village turns guardian of Amur Falcons

Volunteers of Pongching Students’ Union have been protecting the Amur Falcons in its jurisdiction since 2012, but without any facilities, aid or support from any sources.

This year, through joint initiative of Pongching Village Council, Pongching Baptist Church and Pongching Students’ Union, a Watch Tower has been built, which was inaugurated on October 27. The Pongching people rejoiced the construction of the Watch Tower and awareness created regarding protection of the Falcons. However, the villagers lamented that though Nagaland government, concerned department and others have given full concentration towards other roosting sites in the State, Pongching village has not been given attention despite the villagers reporting to the concerned department personally and even through press release in the past years.

The villagers requested all the well-wishers to support them to protect the rare bird and specially requested the concerned department and stakeholders to intervene and initiate several necessary measures, developmental and promotional activities and awareness campaign through local involvement.

Currently, the site is looked after by the volunteers of Pongching Students’ Union and the Students’ Union of neighbouring Mongtikang Village. All stakeholders have been requested to co-operate and help them.

The villagers further invited all interested persons to visit the Amur Falcons roosting site at Pongching village, which is located at Yengchi-Ponghau area (covering Chitok, Shoyum areas), some 5Km from the village and 10Km from district headquarters Longleng.

There is temporary Rest House constructed near the Watch Tower and the best time to watch the birds is evening and morning hours. The Amur Falcons normally arrive at the roosting site in first week of October and they retreat towards the end of November. Compared to previous years, there have been huge increase in numbers of the Amur Falcons this year, the villagers said.

Published at Murong Express on November 4, 2015

Amur falcons in Nagaland

The migratory birds from Siberia spotted at Pangti, Wokha and Yaongyimchen, Longleng

The winged guests from Siberia are here once again keeping their rendezvous with Nagaland- and with all punctuality. Coincidentally, this year’s first batch of Amur falcons (Falco amurensis), en route to Africa, made their stopover at Pangti area, near Doyang in Wokha district on October 7, 2016, the same date of their arrival in 2015.

Pangti villagers reported the sighting of around 50-60 Amur falcons arriving in the wee hours of Friday morning. By Saturday, the migratory birds aggregated in their roosting areas at Pangti had increased to nearly a thousand or more, Zangthungo Shitri, president of Amur Falcon Roosting Area Union told The Morung Express on Saturday evening.

According to Zangthungo, in 2015, the Amur falcons had arrived Pangti on the same date-October 7.

“This is the beginning to mark the arrival of the million Amur falcons to roost here in Nagaland. Day by day, their numbers will increase. From the last week of October to second week of November is the best time for bird watching,” Zangthungo informed.

The migratory birds have also been sighted in Yaongyimchen village area under Longleng district. According to Y Nuklu Phom, Executive Secretary, Phom Baptist Church Association, several thousand of Amur falcon have arrived at the Yaongyimchen Community Biodiversity Conservation Area since two days back.

The villagers of Yaongyimchen, Alayong and Sanglu initiated this biodiversity conservation area in 2010 and the Amur Falcon has been reportedly roosting in this conservation area and nearby areas.

Yaongyimchen community members safeguarding the Amur falcons during their stay also noticed a strange phenomenon. Nuklu Phom said since the last three years some of the migratory birds have been staying back at the Community Biodiversity Conservation Area instead of continuing their journey to South Africa.

“Groups of these migratory birds were even spotted in the month of January, February, March this year around the biodiversity conservation area,” Nuklu Phom informed.

Besides, the area was also a witness of a rare “snow white Amur falcon” which was spotted by Dr R Suresh, a scientist from Department of Endangered Species Management, Wildlife Institute of India, and his team along with the community members of Yaongyimchen last year.

Over a million of Amur falcons come to Nagaland from Siberia en route to their final destination to Somalia, Kenya and South Africa. These migratory birds have one of the longest migration routes of all birds, doing up to 22,000 km in a year.

The Amur falcons are also known to roost in Niuland area in Dimapur and at Intangki National Park in Peren district. The first flock of the migratory birds was sighted at the national park in 2015.

Once infamous for the indiscriminate and widespread hunting of the Amur falcons, Nagaland, since 2013, has become synonymous with conservation of the migratory birds. With the gradual increase of community reserved forest areas, ornithologists observed that the roosting sites of the Amur falcons are increasing in the State.

Published at Murong Express on October 9, 2016

Yaongyimchen, Alayong and Sanglu villagers plant trees

Marking the World Environment Day, Yaongyimchen, Alayong and Sanglu villagers planted more than 3500 trees in a stretch of about 9 kilometres.

Deputy Commissioner of Longleng, Dennagan Avennoho also joined the plantation campaign. A short programme was conducted at Namba Point, Yaongyimchen, where the DC acknowledged that the Yaongyimchen Community Biodiversity Conservation Area which started in 2010 has become a district asset. Stating that the satellite tagging of two Amur Falcons, Phom and Longleng, have given the district an honour of finding a space in the global map, he appreciated the single handed initiatives of the Yaongyimchen villagers.

On the occasion, Yaongyimchen Village Council chairman, Yangpong Phom expressed gratitude to the community for their untiring contribution. “We haven’t received any support from any sector and so we should be proud that with our own initiatives, we could contribute for a better environment,” he stated.

Meanwhile, churches under the Phom Baptist Christian Association, Nyengching, Longleng observed Green Environment Sunday on June 4. The campaign started since 2010. The entire worship order including sermons, responsive reading, a play song, poems, prayers of repentance, and thanksgiving are prepared cradled around the occasion. PCCF Chief Wildlife Warden attended the Longleng Town Baptist Church for the occasion.

Published at Murong Express on June 7, 2017

‘Phom’and ‘Longleng’ take flight

Fitted with satellite transmitters Amur Falcons go up on world map of wildlife conservation

In yet another step for Nagaland State towards conservation of the winged visitors from Mongolia, two Amur Falcons named ‘Phom’ and ‘Longleng’ were fitted with satellite transmitters and released from Lemscahenlok biodiversity conservation area at Yaongyimchen village under Longleng District on Saturday.

“The two migratory birds from Mongolia will carry the message of the Phom region and Phom people on conservation to all corners of the world,” said Dr. R Suresh Kumar, a scientist with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) during the release of the birds.

Dr. Kumar said the world may never have heard of Longleng or of the Phom people, but the satellite tagging of the two Amur Falcons will now put them on the world map of wildlife conservation.

Besides, nine other Amur Falcons named Yingli, Chingmei (peace), Pongching, Mongtikang, Kompang, Liok, Lasa and Henko were tagged with rings and identification numbers and released on the day. This is the second satellite tagging of Amur Falcons from Nagaland after three Amur Falcons named Pangti, Naga and Wokha were satellite tagged in 2013 from Wokha district.

This conservation initiative of Yaongyimchen village is one of the big examples of how community involvement helps in conservation and protection of wildlife. Besides protecting the winged migratory birds, the village inhabitants do not hunt or kill any wildlife within their jurisdiction.

Lemscahenlok biodiversity conservation leading the way

Chairman of Lemscahenlok Society, who is also Executive Secretary of Longleng Baptist Churches Association, Nuklu Phom, said today’s successful tagging of the two migratory birds is an example of the community coming together, keeping their minds with one vision and working together.

Nuklu envisioned that Yaongyimchen has the potential to become a wildlife sanctuary. He said the village folk in the area have been carrying out conservation initiatives for more than six years without any help or assistance from any quarters.

The conservation efforts have borne fruit with not only the Amur Falcons coming to the biodiversity conservation area for roosting, but there are now more than 30 barking deers, 7 species of frogs, great Indian leopards, stags, sereows and other wildlife species living in the area.

Its neighboring villages namely Pongching, Mongtikang, Sanglu and Alayung have also joined hands with Yaongyimchen village in the conservation and protection of wildlife.

Only recently, more than 17 out of the 40 villages under Longleng district have declared in their citizens’ meetings to conserve forest and protect wildlife, Nuklu announced. “20-30 years from now Longleng district may become the biodiversity hotspot of the region,” he stated.

Chief Wildlife Warden, Department of Forest, Ecology, Environment and Wildlife, SP Tripathy while lauding the efforts of the Yaongyimchen village in the conservation of wildlife, said it is not only a contribution to India but to the whole world. It will also help in control of climate change, he added.

Tripathy also said this will also put Yaongyimchen village on the world map. The Chief Wildlife Warden suggested that the village make a community reserve project and submit it to him so that he can forward it to the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India.

Even though the Nagaland State Government does not have any funds to assist the village in their conservation efforts, Tripathy assured all possible help to promote the community reserve project with the GoI and at the same time make efforts to convert the area into an ecotourism spot.

You have to show the world the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity by a community

Hungarian Scientist Peter Fehervari, who is in Lemsachenlok along with his team on the invitation of the WII to satellite tag the Amur Falcons and study the birds said such conservation effort is really something to be proud of. “You have to show it to the world. This will teach the world the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity by a community,” Fehervari stated.

DFO Tuensang, Dr. Sentitula said the conservation initiative of the Yaongyimchen villagers is an example of social forestry and a sense of tribal identity which had always been a part of the Naga tribal life and culture, which has been lost in the present Naga context.

Early in the morning, a wildlife watch tower was also inaugurated. The Yaongyimchen village council took the initiative to build a four kilometer road up to the watch tower point. Short speeches were also delivered by DC Longleng, SP Longleng, President Phom People’s Council, president, APGO, and Samom Khelen Singh, Wildlife Warden Kiphire. Yaongyimchen Students’ Union presented a reading on ‘Our journey towards bio diversity conservation’ while Yaongyimchen Women Group presented a welcome song.

In an indication of how the Yaongyimchen villagers take the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity seriously, almost all the villagers locked their doors, left their daily chores and joined in the celebration of the success of their conservation efforts culminating with the tagging of the Amur Falcon at Nemba Point.

Published in Morung Express on October 30, 2016

Amur Falcon roost in Longleng district in Nagaland

The world's longest traveling migratory birds Amur Falcons, which are being roosted in Pangti area of Wokha district, now chosen another roosting place at Yaongyimchen Community Bio-Diversity Conservation Area in Longleng district as one of their roosting places in Nagaland.

According to a release from Hemant Kamdi, Wildlife Warden, Kiphire today said that the Yaongyimchen Community Bio-Diversity Conservation Area, which covers hundreds of hectares of forest area of Nyangchi, Awakung, Owa, Akchang, has been sheltering the Amur Falcons for the last few years.

However, 'there is a spectacular increase this year, perhaps 4 to 5 times more than the previous years,' it said.

The community, Kamdi said, believes that the sudden increase is because of the awareness created and also restriction imposed by the District Administration, Tuensang Forest Division and the Village Councils in their respective villages.

The Yaongyimchen and Alayong community deploy 6 volunteers every day to tour along the roosting site in the Area.

The note mentioned that through the community's initiatives, a watch tower has been built. The movement of the Amur Falcons can be viewed from two sites, the release said.

According to Kamdi, Yaongyimchen Community Bio-Diversity Conservation Area sheltered not less than couple of lakhs Amur Falcons this year. While there might be other food substance, he added, the Amur Falcons feed on flying termite which comes out from underneath the ground during the evening in the Area.

Further, it was mentioned that the initiatives towards conservation of forest and wildlife started in 2009 during the citizens' general meeting. And, in 2011 during its general session, the community reiterated the resolution adopted, and decided to make the conservation and preservation concept more relevant to the community.

After a Committee started sensitising the entire citizens to conceptualise community conservation and get the entire community practically involved, a consensus decision of the citizens resolved towards establishing Yaongyimchen Community Bio-Diversity Conservation Area, which was inaugurated on December 19, 2012, it added.

The Nagaland Forest Department has lauded the conservation initiatives by the community led by Reverend Nuklu, 'an example to replicate in greater part of Nagaland.'

Published at Webindia123 on Nov 17 2014