Dimapur, February 14 (MExN): Nagaland forest department has nominated Amur Falcon conservation in Doyang for India Biodiversity Awards 2014, under “co-management category”. Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi has also nominated Nagaland forest department for the same award in recognition of the department’s outstanding efforts in conservation of the Amur Falcon, said M. Lokeswara Rao, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force in a press release. Nagaland Forest Protection has already been awarded Governor’s commendation certificate for conservation and safe passage of Amur Falcon on January 26, 2014.
The press release stated that Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in India announced the first India Biodiversity Awards in 2012.
MoEF and the UNDP in India had called for nominations for the award this year to recognise outstanding contributions toward governance models of biodiversity management. Two nominations in each of the following four categories will be selected for the Award:
Community stewardship – Community-led biodiversity management by autonomous community institutions including community conserved areas, sacred groves, species specific conservation efforts by civil society organizations and communities, etc.
Decentralized governance – Biodiversity management by local self-governments and local level statutory institutions including Panchayati Raj Institutions, Biodiversity Management Committees, institutions managing community forests under the Forest Rights Act, etc.
Co-management – Biodiversity management by joint forest management committees, eco-development committees and similar government-supported community institutions.
Protected Areas – Effective and innovative management practices by management agencies of protected areas, community reserves and conservation reserves.
Each of the four recipients of the India Biodiversity Awards will receive a cash prize of Rs 100,000 and the runners up will receive a cash prize of Rs 50,000 along with a citation.
The 20 long-listed nominations (five from each category) will be sent a detailed template, containing exhaustive KIAs, for a precise assessment of the respective governance models. In each category, the top three nominees will be shortlisted (12 in all) on the basis of marks for field validation. Finally, the technical committee would select two nominees under each category that would then be awarded the first prize and the runner-up prize for the best governance model under the respective category.
The eight finalists will be awarded cash, a memento, and citations at the India Biodiversity Awards ceremony to be held on May 22, 2014, which is also International Day for Biological Diversity. The outstanding cases of biodiversity governance will also find place or mention in a publication.
