Bird sanctuary moots biodiversity campaign

A biodiversity campaign on wheels may roll out of Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary located within the city if its draft management plan is approved.

The plan envisions a mobile campaign focusing on the conservation of nature and related aspects. The ecological significance of mangroves, a speciality of the bird sanctuary, can be highlighted. The vehicle campaign will cover educational institutions in the district, said E.A. Jaison, a wildlife expert who was instrumental in the preparation of the plan. The formation of an Eco Development Committee (EDC) as in other protected areas of the country has also been mooted.

The EDCs in most of the protected areas, which are formed by incorporating the representatives of the people who are dependent on the forest, manage conservation and protection activities besides running the eco-tourism programmes.

However, in Mangalavanam, there are no such populations. The draft management plan suggests formation of an EDC by drawing people from the nearby areas, he said.

Zoning

The plan has also suggested zoning for the sanctuary. The area where the office structure is located and adjacent areas would be marked as tourism zone, leaving aside the area with thick vegetation as the core. The absence of zonation was earlier pointed out by the authorities.

The zonation of the sanctuary was necessary to protect the core area from further damage and destruction, Dr. Jaison, a former scientist of the Kerala Forest Research Institute, said.