Penchant for conservation: PTR rated 'excellent' in MEE

NAGPUR: The Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra, was ranked 8th among 51 tigers reserves in the fifth cycle of management effective evaluation 2022. With 90.91% score, PTR was rated as excellent, reports Vijay Pinjarkar. Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve ranked 14th with a score of 87.88%, Melghat Tiger Reserve (16th), Navegaon-Nagzira (20th), Sahyadri (27th) and Bor received (29th) - and were placed in the very good category.
The 741 sq km Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Maharashtra, has come out with flying colours and scored 8th rank among 51 tigers reserves in the fifth cycle of management effective evaluation (MEE) 2022. With 90.91%, PTR has been rated as excellent.

The criteria or indicators adopted for conducting the MEE using IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas Framework for assessing the management effectiveness of tiger reserves have been suitably adapted to Indian conditions. The MEE score of a tiger reserve, in addition to management, is dependent on the context and geographical location of that tiger reserve, reflecting upon the trends in its performance and management over a period of time.
Talking to TOI, a visibly delighted Pench field director A Sreelakshmi gave credit to the entire staff for the achievement. "MEE helped us in identifying the gaps in our conservation efforts and enabled us to adopt more effective strategies for better management. It was all teamwork," she said.
"Pench missed the rank to be among the top three tiger reserves in the country by just one mark. We would further work hard to do better," Sreelakshmi said.
Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) may be the most popular reserve with the highest number of tiger sightings, but it came in 14th with a score of 87.88%, Melghat Tiger Reserve got 16th rank with a score of 84.85%, Navegaon-Nagzira (NNTR) got 20th rank (83.33%), Sahyadri 27th rank (78.79%) and Bor received 29th rank with 78.03%. All these five reserves in the state were placed in the very good category. Little-known Bor performed better than popular Sundarbans, which was ranked 31st.
Joint secretary (forest) Ravikiran Govekar, who was earlier field director of Pench, Bor, and NNTR, said, "MEE focuses on long-term sustainability, management delivery, efficacy, special efforts taken to achieve the identified criteria and extent of following the norms of management set by NTCA, based on global standards."
"I think, for NNTR in 2016-18, we tried to follow the same strategy which we followed for Pench in 2018-2021. Innovative eco-restoration and carbon sequestration scheme, active rewilding of tiger program, securing healthy corridors, community empowerment through various means, tight ecotourism management, and most importantly, scientific population management of tigers and other wildlife must have been the key for Pench getting a high rating," said Govekar.
"We ensured keeping tiger population within the proper carrying capacity and there is hardly any human-wildlife conflict or unregulated tourism. I'm happy that hard work by everyone by all paid dividends," Govekar added.