Environment and Ecology

CEDAR is currently collaborating with academic institutions (such as Kumaun University, Nainital; HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar) various NGOs, (HIMCON, New Delhi; PSI, Dehradun; CHIRAG, Nainital; and HGVS, Gangolihat).

Governing Board

1. Prof. S.P. Singh, FNA
Former Vice Chancellor, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar
Advisor, Planning Commission
Govt. of Uttarakhand

2. Prof. B.K. Joshi
Former Vice Chancellor, Kumaun University, Nainital
Director, Doon Library, Dehradun

3. Dr. Ravi Chopra
Director Peoples Science Institute
Dehradun

4. Mr. Kanai Lall
Founder Chairperson Central Himalayan Rural Action Group ( CHIRAG) 

5. Dr. Rajesh Thadani (Secretary)
(Ex-Officio) Executive Director Centre for Ecology Development and Research (CEDAR)

Research Advisory Board

1. Dr. Margaret D. Lowman, Director of Environmental Initiatives, New College of Florida, USA

2 Dr. Graeme P. Berlyn, E.H. Harriman Professor, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, Connecticut, USA

3. Dr. P.S. Roy, Dean Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun

4. Dr. Rajendra Dobhal, Director, U-COST, Dehradun

5. Dr. R.P. Singh, Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Forestry, Kumaun University, Nainital

6. Dr. Ankila Hiremath, Regional Director, ATREE, New Delhi

7. Dr. Malavika Chauhan, Executive Director, Himmotthan Society, Dehradun

Projects

The projects of CEDAR can be grouped under three broad themes - ecology, livelihoods, and policy research. These include

Ongoing Projects

Livelihoods Strategy Workshop for North East India

CEDAR helped facilitate workshops and consultative meetings with various stakeholders in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland during February-March, 2010 to develop thematic/sectoral and individual state strategic plan. These workshops, led and organised by the North East Initiative of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust were attended by 72 influential participants from the state governments, research institutions, non-government organizations and civil society. These were organized in the state capitals of Kohima, Itanagar and Aizawl. On the basis of the workshop and meetings held in these places, the Government organisations and Non-Government Organisations developed in-depth understanding on dimensions of rural livelihood issues and also identified and designed the effective interventions for rural livelihood issues of the North-East India, The strategies developed from these workshops are being used by the North East Initiative (NEI) of SRTT.

Development Programme Effectiveness and Sustainability Index (PEAS)

CEDAR obtained a Small grant from Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) to develop a sustainability index that would enable evaluators to assess projects being supported by SRTT at the stages of proposal submission and project completion. One of the objectives of the PEAS is to help provide, in a simple and quick manner, comparable data for different projects, which can help evaluate projects and improve project design. The project stages involve assessing current development indices, preparing an index keeping in mind the specific needs of SRTT, sharing the index with regional offices and partner organizations of SRTT, running a pilot in field areas of different partner organizations, and disseminating findings of the pilot and a finalized index.

Analysing opportunities for carbon trading and multiple benefits for the Uttarakhand

CEDAR has recieved a grant from Himmotthan society to analyse REDD policy, practice and implementation and disseminate lessons learnt to state and national audience. Our goal is to generate knowledge and identify cross linkages which can help reduce forest emissions in a way that they are effective and feasible and that generate co-benefits such as poverty alleviation.

Completed Projects

Determining the Impact of Fodder Program under IFLDP (Integrated Fodder and Livestock Development Program) on Livelihoods and Forests of Uttarakhand Himalayas

CEDAR has assisted Himmotthan Society to determine the impact of IFLDP on both the lives of local people and on ecosystem recovery. This exercise was based largely on surveys to monitor the impact on women’s drudgery, monitoring of grass production and milk production, and forest sampling to determine growth rates of trees in forests subject to chronic disturbances. While this was a mid-term assessment it yielded valuable information on ways and means to enhance the IFLDP programme in the years to come.

To study the growth and survival of bamboo plantations in different parts Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand Bamboo and Fiber Development Board has undertaken major plantation programs in emerging as a major source of raw material for several processed products primarily due to its fast growth, wide spread occurrence and its multiple uses.

UBFDB has undertaken plantations in five forest divisions of Uttarakhand. These forest divisions are Dehradun, Terai Central, Terai West, Lansdowne forest division and Nainital forest division. The UBFDB has established extensive nurseries and undertaken plantations in different areas of Uttarakhand. The total plantations carried out by the board since 2006-07 to2009 is close to15,000 ha in 20 forest divisions The present project aimed to provide scientific assistance to the UBFDB in collecting information essentially on growth parameters and survival rates of bamboo plantations in undertaken by UBFDB in different parts of the state. The study focused on different species of bamboo.

Everything is connected to everything else.

Everything must go somewhere.

Nature knows best.

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

If you don't put something in the ecology, it's not there."

- Barry Commoner's