A tribal community takes charge against invasive alien species

Kadar tribe in Kerala collaborates with various agencies to restore natural forests degraded by invasive species, supporting local livelihoods.

In a first, the Kadar tribe of Vazhachal, Kerala, has taken on active restoration of natural forests degraded by invasive alien species.

This collaborative effort involving the Local Self-Governments department, MGNREGA,Scheduled Tribes Development department, WWF-India, and Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), marks a significant step towards freeing natural forests from degrading exotic species.

Supported by the WWF-India, the KFRI had undertaken the mapping of invasive plants in the Vazhachal and Parambikulam forest divisions. A total of 29 and 31 invasive species had been recorded in these divisions, according to T.V Sajeev, chief scientist, KFRI.

“By involving tribal community members in a participatory mapping process, we identified the most degraded areas for restoration,” he says. The spread of invasive plants has severely limited forage space for wildlife, including elephants, spotted deer, and gaur, leading to increased human-wildlife conflicts. Additionally, these invaders have diminished the availability of non-timber forest products, threatening the livelihoods of the indigenous communities.

With technical support from the KFRI, the tribal community has started the removal of invasive species such as Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata, Mimosa diplotricha, and Mikania micrantha.

The work will be followed up by planting of species such as Myristica beddomei, Canarium strictum, Garcinia gummi-gutta, Hydnocarpus pentandrus, Curcuma neilgherrensis, Acacia sinuate, Phyllanthus emblica, Entada rheedii, Desmodium gangeticum, Pseudarthria viscida and Sapindus trifoliate, all of which yield forest products usually collected by the community. Over the years, these plants had been displaced by the aggressive invasion of alien plants.

“This initiative not only supports the environment but also enhances the livelihoods of local tribal communities by increasing labour opportunities through the MGNREGA,” says K. Rijesh, ward member of Athirappilly grama panchayat.