Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation organisation, has embarked on an initiative to establish Community Surveillance and Monitoring Teams (CSMTs) across the Northeast region. This community-driven approach aims to enhance efforts to prevent wildlife crimes, particularly in designated protected areas.
The Legal and Advocacy Division (LAD) of Aaranyak has successfully established CSMTs in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, specifically around the D’Ering Wildlife Sanctuary. These teams consist of local community members dedicated to protecting their surroundings from wildlife crimes. The formation of these teams involved extensive consultations with community members, local NGOs, social leaders, and forest officials.
Dr Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, a renowned conservation scientist and CEO of Aaranyak, stated, “By involving the community directly in surveillance and monitoring efforts, CSMTs empower locals to protect their natural resources, promote conservation, and deter illegal activities such as poaching and habitat destruction.”
The CSMT model is designed to be flexible and adaptable to different community structures. Supported by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Resilience Funds-Global Initiative, these teams will comprise various local stakeholders, including eco-development councils, student and youth organisations, local conservation NGOs, and Village Councils. Their activities, closely coordinated with Forest Departments, focus on the wildlife and protected areas they reside near.
Preliminary consultations for establishing CSMTs in western Mizoram around Dampa Tiger Reserve and parts of Manipur are already underway.
Inspired by Assam’s Village Defence Parties (VDPs), CSMTs, although not yet a legal entity, represent a significant step towards community collaboration in combating wildlife crimes and illegal wildlife trade in Northeast India. Dr Jimmy Borah, Senior Manager of LAD at Aaranyak, highlighted the community-based surveillance role of CSMTs, which includes monitoring local markets, overseeing visitors, and conducting awareness campaigns.
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CSMTs also maintain strong communication channels with forest and local enforcement officials to report any observed illegalities promptly. Additionally, they are trained to conduct social surveys to identify alternative livelihood opportunities and implement eco-tourism activities such as homestays, nature guiding, safari tours, and adventure guiding.
“The main goal of CSMTs will always be the deterrence of wildlife crimes in critical areas,” said Ivy Farheen Hussain, Senior Project Officer at Aaranyak. She emphasised the importance of protecting native species and preventing the region from becoming a transit route for exotic animal trade. “CSMTs will work on the ground level, giving us a greater opportunity to tackle these crimes directly.”
The operational CSMTs in eastern Arunachal Pradesh are already aiding their communities in eco-tourism and alternative livelihood activities, reducing dependency on protected forests and wildlife.
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