IFS officer Jagdish Bakan, the Director of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, turned the primary Indian to win UNESCO’s Michel Batisse Award for efficient biosphere reserve administration.

On the intersection of the southward extension of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean lies a ‘Biologists’ Paradise’. Boasting over 4,223 species of wildlife from the critically endangered Dugong dugon (sea cow) to the hawksbill sea turtles, the land lives as much as its title and is among the world’s richest marine numerous areas.

However The Gulf of Mannar prides itself on extra than simply this identification.

Within the current previous, it has turn into common as a benchmark for the native communities’ efforts in the direction of defending the indigenous species right here — corals, seahorses, crustaceans, whale sharks, inexperienced sea turtles, and humpback dolphins amongst others. It is very important be aware that this alteration of coronary heart of the locals comes after years of dependency on fishing as the primary livelihood.

What provoked this transformation? How did a land notorious for over-harvesting turn into one main conservation from the entrance? It’s unattainable to reply this with out mentioning the title of Indian Forest Service officer Jagdish Bakan.

“It was by no means an abnormal position,” he emphasises referring to his posting right here two years in the past.

The strategic location of the bay coupled with its position of being host to endangered species necessitated greater than patrolling the forest. Quickly after being posted right here, Bakan assumed the put up of director of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Belief (GOMBRT) — a Authorities physique that streamlines tasks associated to biodiversity conservation within the space. And since then change has adopted.

“My jurisdiction lies in Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi. I oversee the the Nationwide Park that contains 21 islands which runs from Rameswaram to Tuticorin Port. There are over 252 villages unfold throughout these areas,” notes Bakan. It’s right here that he has inspired the locals to go for different livelihoods, in flip decreasing their dependency on native wildlife. Along with this, he has been instrumental in creating inexperienced jobs, enterprise coral transplantation and mangrove planting in these areas.

Earlier this yr Bakan’s efforts have been globally recognised when he gained UNESCO’s Michel Batisse Award 2023. Although his case examine on ‘improvement of sustainable livelihood and community-based biodiversity conservation and surroundings safety’ was applauded by the world’s consultants, he emphasises that creating change isn’t an in a single day job.

Sowing the seeds of a biodiverse dream

The journey has been an unconventional one for Bakan. Throughout his time as a chemical engineer at Hindustan Petroleum, he was launched to the thought of civil providers. Bakan determined to review for the examination whereas pursuing his full-time job and the remainder is historical past.

However because the 2017 batch officer says, in hindsight, his data of chemistry has performed an amazing position in shaping his conservation efforts within the bay. “Some areas want scientific particulars analysed. For instance, in coral monitoring, we recurrently take temperature-salinity profiles and verify the air pollution ranges within the space. My chemical background helped me oversee this higher.”

When Bakan first began work within the space, he was laser-focused on averting the injury to indigenous wildlife. But when the native communities needed to be discouraged from over-harvesting, they wanted to have one other livelihood to show to.

This concept compelled Bakan to provide you with a system of micro-credit. “Every village has an eco-development neighborhood (EDC) beneath which there are 10 self-help teams (SHG) every,” he explains. “So in complete, we’ve got 2,700 of those SHGs which comprise round 36,000 villagers. That being mentioned, over 93 p.c of participation is of ladies. Via the micro-credit system, they interact in actions reminiscent of shell craft, palm craft, pickle making, tailoring, nursing, and so forth.”

One other exercise Bakan began within the space is getting ready containers from the leaves of the palm tree, that are then offered as packaging to native retailers. This can be a thriving mannequin, he provides. “Till final yr, we’ve got generated over 7,788 new jobs for the villagers this manner.”

He provides that they scaled the mannequin final yr and micro-credits distributed have been elevated by 50 p.c. Nonetheless, altering the mindsets of the neighborhood was a problem.

“Overharvesting was recognised a very long time again. Convincing the neighborhood that that is unhealthy has been a journey. As a result of what we try to vary isn’t just their mindsets but in addition their sources of livelihood. However we’ve got been seeing a shift of their perceptions. The locals now take pledges to guard the endangered sea cow, dolphins and extra at each assembly.”

A self-sustaining mannequin

What drives the folks of the world are the eco-tourism tasks.

“We certify the native youth in lifeguard coaching, boat driving, and so forth. Via this, we deployed over 58 folks for the six eco-tourism websites we’ve got created. 60 p.c of the earnings via eco-tourism are used for ecological restoration and wildlife safety. The remaining 40 p.c is given to the native villages. The folks of the village come collectively and resolve in the direction of which repairs and upkeep they want to channel these funds.”

Whereas the locals are inspired to decide on different livelihoods, Bakan additionally oversees the general well being of the ecosystem within the bay. Elaborating on the mangrove plantation, he says they managed to plant over 70,000 bushes. This yr we’re enterprise greater than 100 hectares of plantation.”

The affect of this mission has been evident, he provides. “We see them as catalysts in stopping pure disasters reminiscent of cyclones, tsunamis and coastal erosion. We’ve got seen the erosion price being much less within the space.”

Nonetheless, out of all of the difficult tasks Bakan has undertaken within the space, the one which’s had essentially the most magnetic maintain for him is coral transplantation.

“This can be a very scientific and really delicate course of. It’s an underwater course of and we’ve got to pick a particular space and depth. Then we’ve got to review the sedimentation cycle to see that the solar isn’t overlapping the transplantation space. Through the years, we’ve got standardised the methods.”

He provides that they get an annual progress of seven to 10 centimetres. Over 600 sq. metres of coral have been transplanted till 2022.

However what actually gave impetus to Bakan’s work is the Michel Batisse Award. He sees this not simply as a recognition of his service however as a stage for future tasks. The potential is now alive within the bay as Bakan says the scientific neighborhood is exhibiting a eager curiosity of their work. However what he hopes for, is for folks to watch and replicate their mannequin.

“An attention-grabbing mission that we’ve got undertaken is the plastic verify put up for which we’ve got been awarded the UNEP Setting Enforcement award,” he shares.

Elaborating on that he provides, “This can be a one-year-old verify put up mannequin. The 22 km coastal highway resulting in the final level of India in Rameswaram Island was once stuffed with plastic thrash. For a yr we’ve been checking all vacationer automobiles going alongside the highway, seizing the plastic and giving them eco-friendly choices. That is being carried out by the eco-development communities. Each 2 km, there may be somebody deployed. All of the plastic collected is given to the rural improvement division the place it’s shredded and used for highway building. Each month we acquire 4 tonnes of plastic.”

Because the bay enjoys a revival of its biodiversity, Bakan takes satisfaction in main the neighborhood in the direction of change. Because the mudflats and coral reefs are bathed within the glow of the setting solar, the efforts of the locals are seen in each sapling planted and in each turning tide.

Edited by Pranita Bhat