The forests of India are home to rich biodiversity. They also provide connectivity that helps the maintenance of healthy gene pools. The development of linear infrastructure often impedes this connectivity. Roads, railways, canals, and electric power lines are essential for developing human habitations but tend to crisscross landscapes that are otherwise safe havens for wildlife. WWF-India, along with government bodies, has been trying to mitigate this challenge by establishing measures to reduce incidents of conflict between wild animals and linear infrastructure.
Supported by USAID and executed by WWF-India, Asia’s Linear Infrastructure safeGuarding Nature (ALIGN) has been consulting with stakeholders to set up linear infrastructure mitigation measures based on policies adopted under global standards. It aims to engage stakeholders, including the government and community members, to set up processes so that humans and wildlife can co-exist in shared spaces.
India has many sites where linear infrastructure overlapping with forests poses unique challenges. This photo story from Valmiki Tiger Reserve is the first in a series, which will showcase the conservation challenges poses by linear infrastructure and some possible ways to address them.
© Somreet Bhattacharya/WWF-India
Situated in the Gangetic Plains bio-geographic zone, the Valmiki National Park forms the easternmost limit of the Himalayan Terai forests in India. Bihar’s only tiger reserve shares a border with Nepal and is flanked by the flowing waters of the Gandak River. The distinctive features of Valmiki’s terrain comprise the Someshwar Hill Range with its sharp ridges, steep slopes, and diverse soil compositions.
© Somreet Bhattacharya/WWF-India
Home to tigers and elephants, the Valmiki National Park plans to expand its habitat for the one-horned rhinoceros. This forest gained recognition for its exceptional increase in tiger population over the past 13 years, earning the prestigious Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CATS) recognition.
Rivers and lush greenery form the lifeline of Valmiki’s ecosystem, nurturing a rich biodiversity. These landscapes also offer sources of livelihood for the communities who live along the fringes of this forest.
© Somreet Bhattacharya/WWF-India
Located in the catchment of the Gandak River, the forest is fragmented by vast agricultural expanses that dominate human-inhabited areas. Diverse communities call this place home. These people have always lived in an eco-friendly way. Their way of life, from living arrangements to livelihoods, crafts, and traditions, revolves around preserving the balance of their natural environment.
© Somreet Bhattacharya/WWF-India
The roads and railways established along inter-state and international borders intersect the already fragmented forest corridors, heightening conflicts between humans and wildlife. This intrusion disrupts Valmiki’s natural habitat, which is essential for the well-being of wildlife populations.
© Somreet Bhattacharya/WWF-India
The East Central Railway Zone and a thoroughfare road that connects Madanpur in Bihar to Uttar Pradesh pass parallely and through the forest of the Valmiki National Park. These have seen deaths of wildlife creatures, especially leopards which live in these fragmented forests.
© Aakash Panwar/WWF-India
Within the ALIGN initiative, WWF-India is engaging in discussions with stakeholders to establish safeguards for linear infrastructure. Similar approaches, including the use of signages and collaborations with the Railways, have demonstrated effective outcomes in other ecologically significant areas within the Terai region.