Satpura-Melghat Landscape Restoration Initiative

Overview

The Satpura Melghat Landscape is part of the largest contiguous tiger habitat in the world and lies in the western part of the Satpura mountain ranges in Central India. It harbours a population of 149 (SE 17) tigers as estimated in 2022. The area is a fine example of a Satoyama landscape with a land use mosaic of natural forests, protected areas, private lands, farmlands and grasslands. Almost 50% of the population consists of tribal communities with high forest dependencies.

Therefore, considering the principles of Satoyama, this project aims to integrate biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in the multi-use landscape. This will involve community engagement, capacity building and site visits to develop a comprehensive plan for investment in the landscape and biodiversity conservation and management. Our team will map critical fault lines and degradation hotspots to classify the landscape and prepare specific plans. The plans will include strategies for encouraging the conservation of natural forests and promotion of sustainable cultivation of high-value crops, and value chain development to reduce the anthropogenic pressure on the forest. The project will also include piloting some approaches for sustainable livelihood development in consultation with the communities, especially women and other vulnerable groups. Iora has identified potential investors interested in the landscape, which will help to steer this initiative toward achieving its long-term goals.

Planned activities:

• Geo-spatial analysis and field validation
• Community profiling
• Biodiversity baseline
• Stakeholder consultations and mapping
• Value chain analysis
• Pilot livelihood interventions
• Landscape classification for planning specific interventions
• Planning biodiversity conservation interventions
• Planning grassland/ pastureland development
• Planning soil-moisture conservation
• Formulation of a landscape forum
• Development of biodiversity and landscape sustainability monitoring system