Habitats Trust signs MoU with UP to conserve wildlife

Lucknow, May 31 The Habitats Trust, founded by HCL Technologies Chair Roshni Nadar Malhotra, has signed an MoU with the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department (UPFD) to help augment wildlife and natural habitats conservation efforts in the state.

According to an official release, the Trust will support UPFD in crucial areas such as filling gaps in conservation research in the forest areas, scientific restoration of degraded habitats, providing mobility infrastructure such as patrolling vehicle and boats, and support with behaviour psychology and mental health assistance for the forest department personnel as well as communities living in forest areas.

Uttar Pradesh is home to rich biodiversity and houses three tiger reserves, Dudhwa, Pilibhit and Amangarh, 27 wildlife sanctuaries, and the highest number of RAMSAR Wetland sites (10 out of 49) in India.

All these protected areas cover close to 6,450 sq.km, a vast area for the forest department to guard and protect.

Wildlife residing in these natural habitats in the state face many threats from high human population on forest edges leading to man-animal conflict, fragmentation of habitat, poaching and logging from the long porous border with Nepal, resource extraction in rivers, annual flood cycles that heavily impact human and wildlife.

The above has led to serious threats to the already endangered wild species that inhabit the state's forests.

Some of these include the Bengal tiger, leopards, Indian wolf, Indian one-horned rhinoceros, swamp deer and the Asian elephants, among many others.

As part of the MoU signed by Rushikesh Chavan, Head of The Habitats Trust, and Mamta Sanjeev Dubey, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and HoD, UPFD, the Habitats Trust will support the Department with conservation efforts across the state.

It will especially focus on the terai arc of North Eastern Uttar Pradesh of Pilibhit, Dudhwa and surrounding forests, and wetland habitats of Pilibhit, Etawah, Mainpuri and other districts.

Sanjaya Singh, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, UPFD, said: "For long term sustainable and impactful biodiversity conservation, it is important that all stakeholders come together for the cause. We look forward to working with The Habitats Trust closely on various issues including grasslands and wetland conservation in the state of Uttar Pradesh and hope that this will result in long-term impact."