Guardians of the green: USTR turns villagers into wildlife ambassadors

Raipur: A community-based eco-tourism initiative has been launched in the Udanti–Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR) in Gariaband, with local village leaders appointed as "goodwill ambassadors" to promote wildlife conservation while generating livelihood opportunities aimed at curbing migration from the region.Officials said joint efforts by the forest department and local communities over the past three years have led to a rise in sightings of rare wildlife in the reserve's southern landscape, including the Indian skimmer, the Indian giant squirrel, the Indian pangolin and the peregrine falcon—described as the world's fastest flying bird. With these species drawing visitors from far-off places, the department is now formalising a model that links conservation outcomes to local livelihoods.Under the programme, prominent community members will work closely with field staff to spread awareness about conservation and motivate interested youth—both men and women—to train as nature guides and safari guides. The guides will be registered through the tiger reserve's website, enabling tourists to book safaris and guides online. The department says this will expand local employment and help curb the outflow of residents who typically migrate to southern states for work.While the villagers expressed their support for forest conservation, they requested the administration to provide more employment-oriented projects in the region.The Indian Skimmer Tourism site at Kulhadighat will be led by Bansingh Shori, national president of the Kanwar Tribal Authority, with kayaking and gypsy facilities to be made available.At Hornbill village Odh, the Sloth Bear Tourism site will be coordinated by Leelesh Yadav and Rajubai Shori (Sarpanch), offering trekking, kayaking and accommodation at a target house.The Wild Buffalo Tourism initiative at Saheb Kachhar is coordinated by Roop Singh Markam, while Arjun Nayak manages the site at Pagesh. Both locations provide gypsy safari facilities.At Keyba, Dev Singh and Deepak Mandavi oversee Indian Giant Squirrel Tourism, which features eight cottages and two gypsies. Other specialised sites include Sloth Bear Tourism at Amanera under Arjun Shori, and Peregrine Falcon and Sloth Bear Tourism at Budgertippa, led by Kumari Bai Dhruv, president of the Laghu Van Upaj Samiti.Indagaon offers Sloth Bear and Gaur Tourism with Yashwant Markam as the coordinator. Indian Giant Squirrel Tourism is also available at Singhpur, coordinated by Sarpanch Madhav Markam, and at Bahigaon under Sarpanch Siyaram Mandavi. Tiger Tourism at Bharragaon is managed by Sukhram.Forest officials said the initiative is designed to ensure that the economic benefits of tourism remain within villages surrounding the reserve, reinforcing community support for protection of rare species while offering a local alternative to seasonal and long-term migration.Meanwhile, forest officers held a meeting of villagers at Kuljharighat on Saturday to discuss forest protection. The officials instructed the villagers to protect forests from fires, warning that any recurrence of such incidents would lead to a total ban on tendu leaf collection next year.The authorities urged the community to educate their members about the ill-effects of poaching. Villagers were cautioned against entering the forests with bows and arrows. Strict action will be taken against those found in the forest with the intent to hunt illegally. The officials sought cooperation from the villagers to work with forest personnel for the safety of wildlife.