Tizu valley conservation network readies for 4.0 Chengu Festival: The journey so far
“Thirty years ago, our village area thrived with birds, animals, and fishes. I left for further studies, and upon my return after three decades, I was shocked to find not even a house sparrow in our village. It felt like walking in a deserted land, devoid of the once abundant wildlife,” recounted 52-year-old Ivan Zhimomi, the Founder, Team Leader, and CEO of Tizu Valley Biodiversity Conservation & Livelihood Network (TVBCLN), reflecting on the inspiration that led to the establishment of TVBCLN in 2014.
As Zhimomi wondered what had led to the loss of such rich flora and fauna, he realized that “modern” fishing and hunting techniques, including .22 air guns, scope, air guns, explosives, batteries, and generators, had severely depleted the entire ecosystem. “Our community adopted methods that ravaged aquatic resources and forest biodiversity. They showed no restraint even during spawning and breeding seasons, leading to the depletion of the ecology. Jhum cultivation destroyed our wildlife habitat, and our rivers became polluted with chemicals,” he tells Mokokchung Times.
53 villages in Zunheboto district to initiate Carbon Credit REDD+ Project
Distraught by these observations, Zhimomi said he was “lucky” to connect with two organizations— The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Nagaland State Biodiversity Board (NSBB).
“We initiated the preparation of a People’s Biodiversity Register and began writing articles on sustainable Jhum cultivation practices in Northeast India, with a specific focus on Nagaland.”
TERI collaborated to develop strategies for conserving not only Nagaland’s rich biodiversity but also the associated traditional knowledge. This collaboration birthed the Tizu Valley Biodiversity Conservation and Livelihood Network (TVBCLN) in 2014—an initiative by three villages: Ghukhuyi, Sukhai, and Kivikhu under the Satakha range in Zunheboto. These villages set aside a 15 sq. km parcel of land, known as a Community Conserved Area (CCA). The network was supported by TERI as the technical consultant and initiated by Satoyama Initiatives, Conservation International Japan.
How TVBCLN works
TVBCLN comprises the Gaon Buras (GBs) of all three villages as permanent members, along with the Village Council Chairman and VDB secretary, women hoho president, youth president, and student union president of all three villages as ex-officio members. The cohesive team, led by the team leader and supported by a secretary and an executive, collaboratively dedicates their efforts to safeguarding the Community Conserved Area (CCA).
According to Zhimomi, each village boasts a dedicated team of four volunteers equipped with trapping cameras, laptops, and binoculars, diligently monitoring the CCA. The village council and the network have established specific regulations governing hunting and fishing practices.
“Traditional fishing practices, such as river diversion, net casting, and the use of poison roots, traps, and snares, are allowed. Activities aligned with our traditions are permitted, but the use of chemicals, explosives, batteries, and generators etc., are strictly prohibited.”
Addressing rule violators, Zhimomi elaborated, “A fine of Rs 50,000 is imposed. Those who apprehend poachers or hunters violating the rules receive Rs 25,000, with the remainder allocated to the village council.”
These community efforts have yielded success. Zhimomi reported, “Within 2-3 years, birds and wildlife have returned, and populations are rapidly increasing. We never expected such positive progress in such a short period. The communities appreciate it and have inspired many other villages.”
From conservation to livelihood
In addition to the revival of wildlife and aquatic life, the initiative has helped villagers secure livelihoods. The youth have been trained as local tourist guides, now offering services in transportation, homestays, and hospitality development. Selected individuals from the community have undergone training as guides to identify birds and butterflies, providing them with livelihood opportunities as an incentive for their conservation efforts. This, in turn, contributes to the next step in conservation—ecotourism in the area.
“The current tourism inflow is relatively low; therefore, we organize biodiversity meets twice a year. During these events, we bring in experts from across India and around the world. Through these biodiversity meets, we have successfully documented a total of 222 bird species, 200 moth species, 31 reptile species, and 11 amphibian species,” explained Zhimomi.
Additionally, the Community Conserved Area (CCA) connecting the Satoi forest range and the Ghosu Bird Sanctuary harbors endangered and threatened faunal species, including the Blyth’s tragopan, fishing cat and the critically endangered Chinese pangolin. Other notable species include sambar and jungle cat. The Tizü River within the CCA supports several aquatic species listed on the IUCN Red List, such as katli, common snow trout etc.
Expanding horizons
“Our primary objective is to preserve biodiversity for future generations, with a mission targeting 2030, 2050, and 2080 rather than focusing solely on the present,” stated Zhimomi. However, he added that they are also currently working on expanding to other villages.
“With the support of Value Network Ventures (VNV) advisory, we aim to initiate the Carbon Credit REDD+ Project in Zunheboto district on a pilot basis. This project encompasses 53 villages in the Zunheboto district as of now,” Zhimomi informed.
“We have begun all the baseline work in collaboration with the community, with the support of VNV and TERI. This includes forest GPS mapping, completion of stakeholder consultation meetings, and submission of consent forms. Once Zunheboto’s Carbon-credit initiative is successful, our goal is to replicate it in all districts of Nagaland. Representatives from GIZ, a Germany-based organization, and VNV, a global Carbon credit developer organization will be joining this upcoming Chengu Festival,” Zhimomi added.
Preparation for 4.0 Chengu Festival underway
The network is also gearing up for the 4th edition of the Chengu Festival, scheduled to be held on 15 December 2023 in collaboration with the three village students’ unions in Sukhai village. The festival is named after a common bird and is dedicated to celebrating biodiversity.
“The festival’s concept revolves around creating awareness for biodiversity conservation. It will showcase culture and agricultural products, with the primary goal of encouraging guests to promote homestays and community-based ecotourism,” Zhimomi said.
Acknowledging the herculean task to turn such efforts to success, Zhimomi said, “It requires capacity building, consistent activities, and the creation of livelihood opportunities because we believe, ‘Conservation without livelihood is not conservation’.”
TVBCLN also aims to promote ecotourism, cultural tourism, and agricultural tourism and actively supports farmers’ markets, organize exposure visits for farmers to various places, including foreign countries, focus on habitat restoration for jhum lands, and engage in integrated farming. With the support of the Balipara Foundation, it also emphasizes agroforestry.
The journey of Tizu Valley from environmental decline to conservation success epitomizes the potential for change when communities unite with a common purpose. Through the TVBCLN, Nagaland’s rich biodiversity has not only been preserved but has also become a source of livelihood, a testament to the belief that “Conservation without livelihood is not conservation.”
