Buffer zone for Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve declared

Maharashtra has finally declared an area of 1241.27 sq km as a Buffer Zone of Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve for the purpose of ensuring that the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) or core has adequate area for dispersal of tigers and other species as well as promoting co-existence between wildlife and humans.

The notification issued by the Revenue and Forests Department, dated September 7, has been welcomed by wildlife activists. The process had been going on for two to three years now and will prove to be a major catalyst in wildlife conservation as well as livelihood of villages falling in this buffer zone.

“This is a big relief! With the buffer zone being declared, the wildlife management plan will be applicable to the buffer area as well as to people from the 186 villages that fall in the zone, who will be a part of the eco development committee, which will make them a part of various schemes and initiatives to help reduce their dependence on the forest,” said Prafulla Bhamburkar, Wildlife expert and central India adviser of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) adding that the buffer includes area from both Bhandara and Gondia District.

Bhamburkar said that the part of the newly declared buffer zone that is with the Territorial and Forest Development Conservation of Maharashtra (FDCM) at present, will soon be handed over to the wildlife department and all activities including teak plantation and felling will be stopped.

Currently of the total 1241.27 sq km declared as buffer zone, 648.68 sq.km is forest area and 592.59 sq.km falls under non-forest area. Wildlife conservationist and director of The Corbett Foundation (TCF), Kedar Gore, shared that the move will go a long way in effective protection of critical tiger habitat. “Wildlife department will now ensure that the buffer is managed efficiently and there will be habitat improvement that will lead to increase in prey base for tigers that leave the core and move towards the buffer. Also the tigers in the buffer zone of Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger reserve will have better protection,” he said.

Gore further added, “The forest department will need to sensitize the villegers that the villages that fall in the buffer zone will not be uprooted since there are several miscreants with vested interests who begin spreading rumours to cause discontent. ”

A senior forest official said that this was a long pending move. “While there is no doubt that this will help in wildlife conservation since buffer helps in creating vital tiger corridors, one should not forget the positive impact of this on the community. Eco tourism activities can be arranged to help the local villagers along with schemes to benefit them,” said the official.