A community stewardship initiative took place in Bhitarkanika Mangroves, a Ramsar wetland in Odisha, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, including community members, students, teachers and government officials through a ‘Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness’ initiative by GIZ under the IKI BMUV Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection project, with the support of APOWA, a local NGO.
The initiative was two-fold: One focus was student and teacher engagement for mangrove conservation, wildlife conflict resolution, and role of schools in conservation efforts. This included engagement with forest officials and various experts on the significance of mangroves, safety during saltwater crocodile encounter and using creative storytelling for conservation. Students presented various street plays and a children book on Bhitarkanika, developed under the project, was also distributed. Another focus was engaging women Self-Help Group members on traditional knowledge and developing plans for women engagement in Bhitarkanika management.
This initiative helped outline the need for inclusive strategies, amplifying diverse voices and perspectives and underscored the importance of community stewardship in achieving sustainable conservation outcomes.
Date
Location
Odisha
Link to further materials
Contact Person
Name: Kirtiman Awasthi
Email: kirtiman.awasthi@giz.de
Position: Senior Advisor and Team Leader
Project name: Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection
