Administration
Trust deed | Trustees | Governing body | Executive Committee | Professionals | Generation and utilization of funds | Impacts of Periyar Foundation
Impacts of Periyar Foundation
Raise in Government revenue and logistics and technical support to Periyar Tiger Reserve:
By giving recoupable advances to the PTR management for the uninterrupted boat service in Periyar Lake, the Government revenue has risen from 78 Lakhs during 2004-05 to 172 lakhs during 2005-06 and 266 lakhs during 2006-07. The advances thus obtained were repaid as and when allotment from government was received subsequently. The Periyar Foundation also provides logistic as well as technical support to the Park management through various components of its activity.
Raise in Community Based Eco-Tourism (CBET) revenue:
CBET programmes are being implemented in Periyar Tiger Reserve, not only to provide livelihood support to local communities, but also they contribute towards government revenue and the Park Welfare Fund as part of their commitment for benefit sharing. These programmes are not finite in their conceptual frame work and demand fine tuning, improvement and strengthening constantly. They are not “products” but processes, programmes and experiences. The Periyar Foundation has contributed considerably to capacity buildings of local communities, fine tuning of the CBET programmes, conceptualizing and implementing new programmes thus opening doors to more livelihood opportunities, for protection and sustainable use of common property resource. The CBET has obtained an amount of Rs.116.40 lakhs in 2006-07, the maximum spin year with 13,632 participants as compared to Rs.76.16 lakhs and 10,623 participants in 2005-06 and 63.14 lakhs and 8,497 participants in 2004-05.
Overall revival of village eco-development committees:
The inception of Periyar Foundation has undoubtedly carried forward the process of eco-development beyond project period. Constant interventions by the trained professionals has resulted in the continuation and renewed micro plan activities of all the 72 EDCs as well as formation of new EDCs even across the boundaries and in the Periyar Landscape
The magic of capacity building:
The magic wand of training and capacity building for strengthening partnerships for conservation is evident from the effervescence and active participation of not only the EDC members but also the forest department staff and other institutions from India and abroad. Trainings imparted by Periyar Foundation are usually need based and group specific. They could range from simple field craft to crime investigation, to health management, to first aid, to livelihood planning, to landscape level management and census of large mammals. Each training programme imparted by Periyar Foundation is unique in its own way and encompasses all stakeholders of conservation including veterinary doctors, lawyers, panchayat members, tour operators, home stay owners, educational institutions, professional colleges, artists and cartoonists, journalists, universities, technocrats and corporate.