The community living in the lush green forests of Vazhachal of Kerala, especially the Kadar tribe, is hard at work bringing back forests that have been overrun by invasive alien species. This tribal group that is closely associated with the forest is now and has been in the past making giant efforts to restore the land base of their existence.
The Kadar is a significant tribe that has been in one way the caretakers of the Western Ghats forests all along. They understand the general ecosystem of the area and are thus able to identify any slight changes in their environment largely due to generation wise experience. In the course of their field work they have seen the threat posed by invasive alien species like the Lantana camara and Senna spectabilis which have spread their dominance over their traditional biomes, out-competing indigenous vegetation and upsetting biodiversity equilibrium.
Lantana camara a neem shrub which was introduced in India in early 19th century is particularly damaging, invading the ground and forming impenetrable thorny thickets that native species cannot break through. In the same way, Senna spectabilis which was brought in as an ornamental plant has established itself in the forests and is changing the soil structure, and suppressing the native plant species. Of particular concern to the Kadar tribe whose economy and way of life depends largely on the forest products are threatened by these invasive species.
Consequently, the Kadar tribe has personally assumed the responsibility to remediate their natural forests as and when they are depleted. They work along with Kerala Forest Department and several non-governmental organizations to spur a community sensible project to eradicate illegitimate species and repopulate indigenous species. This project is not simply conservation: it is reclaiming that which was lost through imperialism and saying to the world, we have renewed our promise now to protect and preserve the beauty of this planet.
The methods for restoration involve first the identification and geographical mapping of the large infestations that would act as initial starting points for the species. Kadar community at this initial phase is perhaps the most involved due to their sharp observation and experience based approach that stems out of their indigenous ethos. To achieve goals, steps must be initiated where the target elements are recognized and the arduous process of eradicating invasive plants commences. This is done by helping to avoid the destruction of the ground and other plant cover as much as possible.
The next step, therefore, is to reintroduce the native plant species into the area. The Kadar tribe supported by local botanist developed nursery beds of indigenous species like bamboo, teak and several herbal plants. These nurseries play an important role of providing healthy saplings to replacement what has been removed by the cleared activities carried out for restoration purposes. The community does all it can to guarantee the new plants are protected and are degreed to grow and be healthy.
Awareness campaigns also form part of the ordeal for the Kadar tribe in the restoration efforts. The tribe organizes community collaborations with schools and local organizations in an effort to educate everyone regarding the need to protect native species of wildlife and the dangers of invasive species. In the course of workshops and field excursions, they introduce their experience and inspire consciousness of environmental protection among children.
The Solutions by the Kadar tribe aren’t limited to the recovery of the environment only. Through best practicing on the ways in which their environment can be controlled, they are also promoting pride and responsibility in the society. In fact their efforts have been receiving some support from various people thus proving the success of community based conservation.
However, the fight against the invasive species is still on. Some invasive species grow back due to their ability to prevail and thus constant asterism is needed to deter regrowth. The Kadar tribe continues to pursue their objectives; apart from using the scientific method of encapsulating the Aim of ecological restoration as the systematic process of bringing degraded land to a stable, natural state, they also apply the cyclical method to maintain and monitor the restored area.
Kadar Tribe of Vazhachal, Kerala
The Kadar tribe is a very small indigenous group living in Vazhachal in Kerala; they are famous for their great adaptability to the climate and topography of the forest and close relation with nature. The Kadar, literally translates to the ‘forest people,’ therefore, they have been living in the Western Ghats in South India for generations mainly depend on forest for their livelihood.
Lifestyle and Culture
Semi-nomadic lifestyles with hunting and gathering The Kadar tribe's traditional way of existence depends on the forest for its supplies.. They collect other products by visiting the forest like honey, medicinal plants and fruits, and also they depend on fishing and hunting. This closeness with nature has equipped them with a wealth of knowledge in the local vegetation and wildlife, thus are naturalist and foresters par excellence.
The Kadar people are a tiny population, and they are nomadic in nature and are found in numbers of hamlets or kudi which means a group of houses. They live in mud houses with thatched roofs of panic grass, bamboo and occasionally reeds and leaves sited within their locality. Several activities and decisions are central to the community, there are mutual cooperative values embraced by the community that uphold communal events and culture.
Language and Traditions
Kadar tribe uses a Dravidian language called ‘Kadari’ and it is different from normal language used in Kerala. Their stories, songs and myths are part of educational models which reflect history, culture and knowledge about the environment. Ceremonial activities are also very importance part of them and there are so many ceremonies involving the forest and its spirits.
Challenges and Resilience
Nonetheless, the existence of the Kadar tribe is fraught with quite a number of problems. They face a danger of losing their land through deforestation, degrading environment and intrusions by individuals into their ancestral territories. Moreover, the process of integration into the mainstream society makes the recipients surrender the practices of their distinctive culture.
But what easier said than done, the Kadar people have not lacked in their ability to survive against all these odds. Employment of community participation and partnership with the relevant environmental organizations has been credited for enabling them to own their destinies. Indeed, the Kadar tribe has taken the lead in this exercise involving regeneration of factories that were destroyed by the exotic species in order to show their concern towards their environment.
Conservation Efforts
A culminating result of such endeavours is the utility of the Kadar tribe in preservation and conservation has been acknowledged by many. These deficiencies have been supplemented by their expertise in sustainable forest management and other traditional ecological knowledge to conserve Western Ghats bio-tropes. The Kadar indigenous people provide their contribution to the protection of their land rights, the growth of trees in their regions, and the environment today they remain persistent in involvement in reforestation projects.
Indigenous peoples in the protection of nature
Native people irrespective of the countries they inhabit have the responsibility of preservation of the natural environment and sustenance of ecological conditions. This is particularly important given that their indigenous knowledge, cultural systems, and practices in resource use are critical in present day effort to conserve the environment and reduce on loss of diversity. Indigenous peoples who inhabit landscapes concurrently remain critical assets to sustainable development and conservation of the same.
Indigenous People and Interconnectedness
Among the important assets which indigenous people contribute to the protection of natures are extensive knowledge heritage networks. Animal behaviour, uses and management of resources, use of plants all of which are components of it, are result of learning that has taken several generations. In these societies, it is common for local populations, particularly those of the first nations, to do not own the land but rather are its beneficiaries.
For instance the Kayapo of the Brazilian Amazon and their highly developed knowledge of the Rainforest leads them to effectively and efficiently govern and preserve tens of thousands of hectares of this biome. They adopt and use practices such as using the appropriate methods of farming, intercropping and controlled burns, which help to enrich the soil, and help avert larger scale fires. The Kayapo’s main activity is the protection of such natural resources as plants and animals by avoiding the cutting of trees.
Guardians of Biodiversity
The lands are considered biologically diverse because they harbour a diverse population of plant and animal species. The Indigenous peoples work for this ecosystem and serve as guardians who protect the areas against conversion and the species therein. This is because their activities in hunting and fishing depend on cultural values cognate to sustainable use and minimal overexploitation.
In India, the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan has gained fame as people who do not harm any wild animal. The Bishnoi follow the policy laid by their Guru Jambheshwar in the 15th century and they strictly follow prohibition of killing trees and animals. Hence, their region has evolved into a birder, home to blackbuckles and chinkaras, which were considered endangered species in the wild. The Bishnoi’s action delivers the message that cultural or religious belief can form the basis of the effective conservation.
Ownership to the Terrestrial and Judicial Rights
These terrestrial claims and legal acknowledgment are critical for many indigenous individuals and tribes because protecting the nature require strong ground foundation. These areas are threatened with mining, logging, agriculture and infrastructure development among others. Attaining indigenous peoples rights to their ancestral domains is significant in preserving their areas from undesirable uses and preserving their protected territories.
Indigenous people of Yurok Tribe in California had been able to reclaim their territory that comprises important salmon breeding grounds in Klamath River. Yurok has perhaps shown best how the reacquisition of territory provides the population the capability to put into practice native preservation methods such as restoration of riverbanks and controlled burning to help bring back the ecosystem and support salmon. This particular case underlines the necessity of supporting indigenous peoples in their efforts to successfully regulate their territories.
Climate Change Mitigation
They significantly and actively participate in the issues resulting from climate change personally. They have traditional knowledge that can also be of immense support in present and future climate change agriculture and resilience. To cope with changing environment, indigenous communities apply; crop rotation, use of residual water, and cover crops among others.
The Maasai of East Africa are representative of the traditional nomadic livestock herders who guarantee sustainable grazing frequency depending on the amounts and quality of the rains. In addition to managing their lands not to be overgrazed, and with a rich variety of plants and animals, the Maasai thus enhance carbon stocks, and climate.
Business Alliances
Conserving indigenous knowledge content and incorporating it into the mainstream conservation framework is crucial towards realisation of sustainable development goals. For a long time, indigenous knowledge had not been valued, and decision-making processes were done without involving the indigenous communities which must change in future.
There is success in partnership that may be observed in the case of Indigenous Community Conservation Areas (ICCAs) – the Initiatives to support and acknowledge the conservation of Indigenous Communities. They successfully emphasize improved social conditions and equality related to the indigenous communities in addition to better conservation.