Working with regional and national governments

Conservation work around the world is affected by government decisions at every level, and so we seek to support good decision-making.

During 2007 the new A Rocha India field study centre welcomed visitors from schools, colleges and other institutions in Bangalore City, teaching them about the Asian Elephant and other local wildlife and habitats

A Rocha India is working with Karnataka State Forest to protect the Asian Elephant, threatened by the loss and degradation of its natural habitat. The single largest population is found in the south, in the Government’s Elephant Reserve No. 7. Bannerghatta National Park forms part of Reserve No. 7 and covers an area of 104 km², situated about 20 km from the city of Bangalore. According to a recent census of the Karnataka State Forest Department, the area has around 56 elephants, living at a density of 0.54 animals per km². This is a high density, and it is not surprising that there is human-elephant conflict on the margins of the park, which is surrounded by human settlements. It is here that A Rocha India has a new field study centre, an ideal base for their long-term research (begun in 2004) aimed at decreasing the conflict between people and elephants. Following intensive studies of the herds’ structure and movements, and the patterns of conflict,the team is now testing chilli-tobacco barriers (used in many parts of Africa) and monitoring test plots in the most frequently raided villages, with initial encouraging results.

For the last five years A Rocha South Africa and the Msunduzi Municipality have been working towards the goal of environmental education programmes in Bisley Valley Nature Reserve. 2007 saw a series of pilot field visits by primary school groups taking part in A Rocha’s Phila Endalweni – Creation Alive! Wilderness Learning programmes and in 2008 A Rocha will become the Municipality's service provider for environmental education in Bisley Valley as well as other municipal reserves and protected areas around Pietermaritzburg.

For A Rocha Portugal, 2007 has been a significant year in the battle to save the Alvor Estuary from damaging development. A Rocha has been working closely with European, national and local government towards two principal objectives: effective enforcement of European environmental law as it applies to the estuary, and the development of an environmental management plan.

Marcial with representatives of ICNB and The League for the Protection of Nature, visiting the Alvor Estuary

Marcial Felgueiras of A Rocha Portugal with representatives of ICNB and The League for the Protection of Nature, visiting the Alvor Estuary

As a Natura 2000 site, land management activities should be strictly controlled so that they do not have negative impacts on the species and habitats for which the site is so designated. The ploughing up of valuable salt marsh, and partial destruction of a priority plant population (Camphor Thyme Thymus camphoratus), on the central peninsula of Quinta da Rocha, were therefore of utmost concern. A Rocha was first to respond, making available its detailed data on the location and extent of the habitats and species and where they had been destroyed, to the Portimão Council, Regional Development and Coordinating Commission of the Algarve (CCDR) and Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Biodiversity (ICNB). As they conducted their follow-up investigations, A Rocha also liaised with the European Commission’s Environment Directorate-General on progress.

The local council and ICNB were also present when A Rocha made a first presentation of its ideas for an integrated management plan for the area in November. Subsequent meetings have been held with ICNB to establish how an official plan can be developed through widespread consultation.

Originally published in the A Rocha International Review 2007-2008.