Satpuda Foundation (SF) is one of the leading NGOs working in central India working for community development and wildlife conservation for the last 22 years. SF operates in Melghat, Pench (Maharashtra), Pench (Madhya Pradesh-MP), Satpuda Tiger Reserve-MP, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), and Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) of Satpuda Landscape. SF is presently implementing its conservation model in around 115 buffer villages of these six tiger reserves.
Satpuda Foundation has crafted a comprehensive, holistic approach to conservation. The Foundation’s strategy includes:
- Grassroots conservation activities including soil and water conservation, organising community anti-poaching patrols, providing assistance in fighting forest fires.
- Addressing human-wildlife conflict by spreading awareness among the local community, explaining the reasons for conflict and outlining preventive measures
A Satpuda Foundation team member speaking to the community about forest fire prevention
- Education as a tool to promote conservation by conducting programmes targeted at both village children and adults
- Assisting communities in basic public hygiene and village cleanliness and provide them free medical treatment and medicines
- Organising of skill-development programmes to enable unemployed villagers and women’s self-help groups to set up small businesses/trades to reduce dependence on forests for livelihood
A community member who was trained in spice powder preparation as an alternative livelihood option, pictured here with her machine
SF’s Landscape Monitoring Unit work:
Since the SLTP was started in 2004, the tiger and the prey population has continuously increased. However, the entire landscape is threatened due to a number of rapid infrastructure and development projects. Hence it is necessary to regularly keep track of ongoing and proposed infrastructure projects and use the existing administrative/policy frameworks to keep the destruction away from the contiguous tiger landscape. It also involves suggesting mitigation measures if some projects are unavoidable and implementing them on the ground in collaboration with several infrastructure agencies, universities and locals.
Satpuda Foundation team members participating in conservation discussions with the forest department and other stakeholders
Previously, SF has been appointed as a member of the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife and National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) SF and has raised the issue of negative impact of linear infrastructure projects on tiger/elephant/wildlife corridors which resulted in to decision to undertake mitigation measures on linear infrastructure projects in Maharashtra.
SF is presently extending support to irrigation department (to adopt mitigation measures on canals), National Highway Authority (NHAI), Indian Railways (IR), Maharashtra Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) (for mitigation measures on the expressway ) and Public Works Department (PWD).