INTERVENTION SUMMARY

Hornbill populations in the Papum Reserve Forest (PRF) in Arunachal Pradesh, India, were experiencing sharp declines due to several threats, including hunting and egg collection for human consumption and deforestation and subsequent abandonment by parents following human disturbances in Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR). This “Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme” was launched as a community-based initiative to address this problem The intervention was based on a “shared parenting” metaphor, where biological hornbill parents cared for their chicks; local (Nyishi) villagers physically monitored and protected the nests, and urban citizens financially supported these villagers by ‘adopting’ the nests they protect. The intervention began with nine villages near PTR, and each village appointed a trained local nest protector and one youth field coordinator. In its first season (2012), villagers located 28 nests, where 17 were active and 11 successfully fledged chicks (a 65% nesting success). The Great Hornbill showed the highest nesting success (87.5%), while Oriental Pied and Wreathed Hornbills had lower success due to fire damage, tree felling, and disturbance. In the second season (2013), 23 nests were found in these participating villages, with 12 active nests and a 91.6% success rate, indicating improvements in protection efforts. The intervention was promising in increasing the success rates of fledging hornbills, but with only two-years of assessment, its long-term success remains. uncertain.

INTERVENTION DETAILS

What was the problem?

Hornbill species populations were declining due to hunting and egg collection for human consumption by local communities, especially the Nyishi tribe, as well as deforestation or abandonment by parents following human disturbances in Papum Reserved Forest (PRF) in Arunachal Pradesh, India.

What was the Intervention and How was it Implemented?

Community Guardians: This intervention involved the creation and implementation of the “Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme”, a community-based conservation initiative that was designed to protect hornbill nests in the unprotected Papup Reserved Forest (PRF) outside the Pakke Tiger Reserve (PTR). The newly-created partnership between the Nature Conservation Foundation, Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, and the Ghora-Aabhe Society (council of Nyishi village headmen), ensured that the local community is engaged in all conservation efforts beyond formal Protected Areas. These efforts involved recruiting local villagers as guardians in the nine targeted villages, and nominating one “nest protector” (usually a Nyishi man and often a former hunted with deep knowledge about the forest) and one educated Nyishi youth who was appointed as a local field coordinator. Local “nest protectors” were then responsible for locating and observing nests of hornbills, and protecting them from anthropogenic risks of hunting and deforestation. These guardians were endorsed by village leaders and were provided payments for each nest protected, funding for which came from urban citizens who "adopted" these nests. (Increase the Risks - extent guardianship)

Community Awareness Raising: Additionally, both urban and rural communities worked to raise awareness and change the habits of community members, while also seeking to expand the program, sponsoring additional guardians, and seek further change in hunting and deforestation patterns. (Remove Excuses - alert conscience).

Was the Intervention Effective, Ineffective, or Promising?

The intervention was promising in increasing the success rates of fledging hornbills, but with only two-years of evaluation, its long-term success is uncertain. Although there was an increase in fledging in the reserve, from 65% to 91.6% in the PTR, the intervention did not account for alternative indicators that may have had an impact, nor did they consider other risks that could've modified its effectiveness. In 2012, of 17 active nests, 11 were successful, while in 2013, of the 12 active nests, also 11 were successful, which explains the increase in success rates. Nevertheless, former hornbill hunters became nest protectors, showing behavioral change among local Nyishi villagers, and the villagers were proactively involved in preventing threats, such as stopping tree felling and raising fire alerts. Ongoing challenges, however, persisted, including external threats, such as fire and logging, and habitat degradation and deforestation, which remained unresolved.

How do We Know?

The intervention was promising because, over a short period of time, there was encouraging evidence of the benefit, large-scale approval, and success of the program, and this can be attributed to the collaboration between the three partners. It also involved both local villagers (as observers) and urban citizens (as "adopting parents"), showing shared responsibility and involvement in protecting the species. With communities in the rural areas being accepting of the nest adoption program, as well as its expansion into new communities, it showed significant possible benefit.

Were Conservation Outcomes Measured?

Not measured.

ASSESSMENT

In the areas specifically targeted by the intervention, the direct threats to hornbill nests declined. From 2012 to 2013, the nesting success rate improved significantly.

The primary target actors of the Hornbill Nest Adoption Program were the Nyishi villagers living in and around the Papum Reserved Forest, specifically those who had historically hunted hornbills. The program directly engaged them as “nest protectors”, providing both training and stipends to safeguard hornbill nests. The theory of change of this intervention was that the new role of the former hunters who turned into “nest protectors” would transform them, as they were not only rewarded through incentives, but this role fostered a sense of ownership and pride, and their appointment was supported by the Ghora-Aabhe Society (village headmen council).

Before the implementation of this intervention, the researchers conducted over a decade-long nest monitoring (2003-2011) to assess nest success rate. They also gained a detailed understanding of the local socio-ecological dynamics, including forest use patterns, and village governances (which is, for example, how they identified the Ghora-Aabhe Society). These context-specific approaches directly informed the design and the location of the intervention which was tailored to the specific challenges and opportunities present in PRF and the surrounding Nyishi villages.

The intervention planning began in early 2011, while its full implementation started in January 2012, timed to align with the hornbill breeding season (January through August). Nest protectors were active for eight months during this breeding season. In terms of resources, each “nest protector” received equipment, such as binoculars, backpacks, raincoats, leech socks, and notebooks, as well as financial support to cover field costs and reward them for protecting each nest. Villagers also received training in nest monitoring, hornbill biology, data collection, and conservation techniques. The program was a tripartite collaboration among three organizations, including the Nature Conservation Foundation, the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, and the Ghora-Aabhe Society. The Nature Conservation Society was responsible for scientific leadership, training, and funding coordination, while The Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department provided the institutional support and legal coordination. The role of the Ghora-Aabhe Society was to mobilize village participation in village meetings, nominating the “nest protectors” and youth, and promoting compliance with conservation norms. The success of the implementation depended heavily on engaging the Nyishi villagers, especially former hunters, as “nest protectors”, as well as reinforcing the legitimacy of the efforts and the importance of conservation, which was achieved through the engagement of local village elders. These implementation efforts were not without their shared challenges. For instance, in the first year, four nest trees were lost due to forest fires and illegal tree felling. Some nest protectors failed to maintain regular observation or written records during the first season due to inexperience or logistical issues. Unmonitored villages saw continued nest destruction, suggesting possible displacement. Importantly, broader issues, such as continued deforestation, fuelwood extraction, and the lack of alternative livelihoods continued to threaten long-term conservation goals

Over the 2012-2013 period, $25,000 USD were raised through urban citizen donations, which were used to pay “nest protectors”, purchase necessary equipment, support a village welfare fund, and cover other project operational costs.

SCP COLUMNS

Extend guardianship
Alert conscience

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Citation

Rane and Datta (2015)

Year Range

2012-2013

Country

India

Landscape

Rainforest,Forest

Target Species

Hornbill

Problem type

Hunting, Deforestation, Egg theft

Source: Rane, A., & Datta, A. (2015). Protecting a hornbill haven: a community-based conservation initiative in Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India. Malayan Nature Journal, 67(2), 203-218.