endangered landscapes

ENDANGERED LANDSCAPES

BY:N A M I T H A S C ( L A 5 1 4 )

K U M A R R A H U L V E R M A ( L A 5 2 2 )2 N D Y E A R , 4T H S E M E S T E R , D E P T T . O F L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T U R E , S C H O O L O F P L A N N I N G A N D A R C H I T E C T U R E : N E W D E L H I

WHY LANDSCAPES OF THE PAST ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE

M E T H O D O L O G Y

CONCLUSIONS

INTRODUCTION TO ENDANGERED LANDSCAPE

INDIAN LANDSCAPES WORTHY OF PROTECTION

THREATS TO VALUABLE

LANDSCAPES (GLOBAL &

CHANGE FACTORS)

CASE STUDY 1: TAL-TERAI ARC

LANDSCAPE

CONSERVATION ACROSS

LANDSCAPE

CASE STUDY 2:WESTERN GHATS

UNDERSTANDING THE TERM LANDSCAPE"Landscape"meansan area,asperceivedby people,whosecharacteris the result ofthe actionandinteractionof naturaland/or humanfactors.

Landscapeis not defined by its sizes but defined by an interacting mosaic ofecosystemsrelevant to somephenomenonunder consideration. Thuslandscapecanbecalledasanareaof landcontainingan interestingpattern of ecologicalprocesses.

Landscapesand their associatedecosystemsare shapedby complexand interrelatedbiological, geological and hydrological responses to both natural and culturalinfluences.

Source:http://www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/critical_regions/khangchendzonga_landscape/about_khangchendzonga/

KhangchendzongaLandscape

Source: The European Landscape Convention.

METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION


THREATS TO VALUABLE LANDSCAPES (GLOBAL CHANGE FACTORS)

THREATS TO VALUABLE LANDSCAPES (LOCAL CHANGE FACTORS)

CONSERVATION ACROSS LANDSCAPE

CASE STUDY 1: TAL-TERAI ARC LANDSCAPE


CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES

The constant relationship between thehumanandits habitat leadsto continuousprocessof landscapechange. Thismaybedue to cultural changesor environmentalchanges.

The cultural changessuch as populationincrease,growing social complexity andtechnological capacities constantlyalteringthe humanrelationshipwith theirenvironment.

The environmental itself can changesometimes independently. Eg. climatechange,sealevel rise and spreadof plantand animal diseases this again areinterlinkedby the humanactivities.

This changesrestructure the landscapegradually.

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An example of habitat fragmentationsourced from sunyjcc.edu

UNDERSTANDINGTHECHANGESINDUCEDIN LANDSCAPE

LANDSCAPE CHANGES OVER TIME

HISTORIC LANDSCAPE PRACTICESIn the earlier times,the landusesystemof the farmerswere relativelystableowingtothe practicesand beliefs evolvedto maintain some equilibrium with the landscapeandinvolvingconceptsof landscapeconservation.

INDUSTRIALERAPost industrial era differs form pre industrial era in terms of increasingability todestroythe environmentand showinglittle concerntowardsthe long term problemsthat mayoccur.

CONTEMPORARYTRENDSIncreasingurbanization,industrialization,intensive scientific farming and improvedcommunications are leading to cultural standardization and landscapehomogenization. but in manyplacesthe useof landscaperesourcesare determinedby the culturaland the landscapeheritagerooted in the distant past. Theperspectivelandscapeecologyin this casecanbeextremelyhelpful for landscapemanagement

The past can be extremelyhelpful to understand the present and to evaluatethemoderntrendsandthe impactsof the future policyproposalsespeciallythoseaimingto bring about the transitionto sustainablelandusepattern.

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DESIGNED LANDSCAPES

In any artificially created landscapes,human activities still do not override theecological processes. Rather they are channeled towards a culturally preferredoutcome which may not be stable or sustainablein the long run. The land usepracticeshavevery often been continuedto the vergeof ecologicalbreakdownandhaveresultedin transformationsin successionon the cultural landscapes

source: Bryn green and William Vos

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India has a widerange of ecosystemsand habitats,including forests,wetlands, grasslands,coasts, marshes anddeserts. Almost allthe major ecosystemtypes in the worldcanbe found in India.

It is one of the 17

countries andaccounts for aroundeight percent of thefaunaland11percentof the floralspecies.

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ENDANGERED LANDSCAPES INDIAN CONTEXT

ENDANGERED LANDSCAPES INDIA CONTEXT

Trans-Himalaya

this zone includes high altitude cold and arid mountain areas, including cold deserts. An extension of the Tibetan Plateau, this zone has sparse alpine steppe vegetation.

Himalaya Consisting of the entire Himalayan mountain range, has alpine and sub-alpine forests, grassy meadows and moist deciduous forests.

Desert This arid zone falls west of the Aravalihill range and comprises both the salt and sand deserts of northwestern India. This zone also includes large expanses of grasslands that support several endangered species

Semi-Arid This zone also has several lakes and marshlands. The grasses and palatable shrub layer of this zone support the highest wildlife biomass.

WesternGhats

Western Ghats is a mountain range running along the western coast of peninsular India, from Tapti River in the north to Kanyakumari in the south. This zone supports tropical evergreen forests

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ENDANGERED LANDSCAPES INDIA CONTEXT

DeccanPeninsula

This is the largest zone and it supports some of the finest forests in India

GangeticPlain

Flanking the river Ganga and its tributaries, the Gangetic Plain zone extends up to the Himalayan foothills in the north. .

Coasts The coastal zone covers beaches, mangroves, mud flats, coral reefs and marine angiosperm pastures. Sundarbans shared with Bangladesh is the largest contiguous mangrove area in the world.

North-East

Characterized by diverse habitats and long-term geological stability, the North-East zone is located at the junction of the Indian, Indo-Malayan and Indo-Chinese

fauna..

Islandsmoist forests and show high degree of endemism in flora and fauna. The Lakshadweep Islands having a biodiversity-rich reef lagoon system are also included in this zone.

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T W O K E Y L A N D S C A P E S - B I O D I V E R S I T Y H O T S P O T S

Eastern Himalayas

The Eastern Himalayas landscape is spread over India, Nepal, Bhutan and China.The landscape is considered an important centreof speciation of several plant families. It has wild relatives of many plants of economic importance, viz., rice, banana, tea, citrus plants, chilli, jute and sugarcane

Western Ghats

The Western Ghats is a mountain range that runs along the west coast of India. It has a number of forest ecosystems including the tropical wet evergreen, montane evergreen and moist deciduous forests. The Shola grasslands found in the higher reaches are unique to this landscape. The Western Ghats landscape is an important centreof speciation and endemism.

ENDANGERED LANDSCAPES INDIA CONTEXTMETHODOLOGY

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Climateisan important environmentalinfluenceon ecosystems.Climate strongly influencesthe kinds of organismsthat have adapted to eachecosystem.Global warming could force speciesto migrate to higher latitudes or higherelevationswheretemperaturesaremoreconduciveto their survival.Overall climate pattern changes,including changesin precipitation negativelyimpactbreedingandnestinghabits.Increasedrought in someareasand flooding in others,alter competitionpatternsin speciesandposeother problems.Forestedareas may become vulnerable to erosion if climate change leads toincreasesin heavyrainstorms.

SEALEVELRISE:

Coastalsea level rise will changeshoreline boundaries,ground water salinity,saturation level, tidal flat coverageand other coastalconditions that will affectwetlanddependentspecies.

Increasein sealevelalsosiftsthe forestboundaries.

RISING TEMPERATURES

GOBAL CHANGE FACTORS:

The key global Rising TemperaturesRising Sea Level

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RISEIN

TEMPERATURE

INCREASE INGREEN HOUSE

GASES

MELTING OF ICE

SEA LEVEL RISE

SINKING COAST

TSUNAMI & EARTHQUAKE

FLOOD

EXCESSIVE SUN

STROKE

LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY

FOREST FIRE

FOOD SCARCITY

SPREAD OF TROPICAL DISEASES

Location and Relief:Latitude & AltitiudeDistance from SeaDistribution of land and water

Air pressure and wind:Surface pressure and windUpper air circulationWestern Cyclones

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IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CHANGE FACTORS

THREATS

valuablelandscapefacesa rangeof direct and indirect threats. Themagnitudeof thesethreats is veryhigh, with asmanyasa third of all endemicspecies(faunalaswell asfloral) facingthe threat of extinction.

LOCAL CHANGE FACTORS:The 1) Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation; 2) Unsustainable use and overexploitation;3) Pollution; 4) Invasive alien species.

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These illustrations compare an area (A) that has

wildlife corridors linking habitat with an area (B)

where habitat is fragmented and has limited wildlife

corridors.

The habitat has been drastically

altered in many places due to sand mining.

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I D E N T I F Y I N G T H R E AT E N E D L A N D S C A P E S

All the land cannot be given equal priority for protection, managementandplanning.

Selectionof territory is important to usethe latest techniqueson environmentalmanagementin resourceandlanduse.

An universallyacceptedhierarchicalclassificationof landscapeson the basisofspecies,biotopes etc. are essentialto envisagethe areasof nature reservesorwildlife.

Finallyendangeredlandscapeare identified on the basisof a systemicinventoryof all regionalandnationallandscape.

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S U R V E Y

To facilitate researchinto the landscapetrends,particularlyto be able to predict thefuture of a landscapeandto substantiatethe threatsto the landscape.

Thuscompletelandscapesurveywould includethe following.

1. Awidelyacceptedtypologyof landscape.

2. Systematicinventoryof landscapefeatures.

3. Regularinventoryto monitor change.

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The inventories and multi temporal analysis need to be carried out.

L A N D S C A P E A P P R E C I AT I O N

Landscape appreciation is very subjective topic as the idea of beauty could not be the same as other.

The idea of beauty may be tall cliff for one while it could be countrysideforanother.

Thusthe evaluationof landscapesbecomeverydifficult.

Most of the people enjoy particular kind of landscapewhich givesthem morepleasure.

is why it is verydifficult to definehowever, there are certainqualitiesthathavebeenfoundto existin the landscapes.

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THEREARECERTAINQUALITIESTHATHAVEBEENFOUNDTOEXISTIN LANDSCAPESAND HAVE BEENUNIVERSALLYACCEPTEDTO CATEGORIZETHE LANDSCAPESWORTHYOFPROTECTION

Thecharacteristicslike coherence,culturalidentity,accessibility,safety,securityaredifficult to defineandmeasurebut extremelyimportant for evaluation.

Theother featuresarerarityanddiversitywhichhelpsin landscapeevaluation.

Diversity is the very key element in ecologicalevaluations,but despite of theglobaltrendstowardsspeciesand landscapeuniformity, highdiversity notnecessarilyimpart highvaluein landscape.

The criterions for diversity are genetic diversity, habitat diversity or regionallandscapediversity.

Ex: A grasslandmayhavea lesserbiodiversitythan a forest, it couldbe at loss. Thus,what is important is the mixtureof habitatswhich would then increasethe regionaldiversity.

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EVALUATION

The concept of endangered landscape is based on the approach which is very objective and based on the value judgements at different stages of the decision making process.

Evaluation is based on the two aspects.

1. Is there a threat or likelihood that the landscape may be threatened?2. Is the landscape worth conserving?

The landscape can be threatened by causes like modern agricultural practices involving great loss of features such as hedgerows or lowering of the water table due to drainage.

If the features like the count of species or the biodiversity is noted then the threats can be easily determined.

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Answers to this questions determine the landscape that need to probed into. These can help to determine which landscapes are most cherished and

where the slightest disturbance can be cause of concern.

EVALUATION METHODOLOGIES

MONETARY EVALUATION

Landscapeplannersarenot only interestedin the landscapeevaluationasa meansof comparingdifferent landscapewith oneanother in order to decideon prioritiesfor their protectionor to monitor change.

Comparingdifferent landscapeis done through number of sieve maps andnumber surfaceanalysistechniquesof Mc Harg(1969).

To ascertain the potential land uses which might most appropriately occupyparticularpieceof territory.

a. Agricultureb. Silviculturec. Hydrologicald. Recreationale. Wildlifef. Scenicvaluearecommonlycomparedin this process

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A common denominator is therefore required and this usually is the mischievousquantifiesi.e. money.

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AGRICULTURE, SILVICULTURE, HYDROLOGICAL, RECREATIONAL, WILDLIFE, SCENIC VALUEMONEY

Recent approaches attempt to use actual monitory measures or estimates.

Travel cost methods: calculate how much money is spent in reaching the site.

Contingent valuation method: uses market research to estimate how much people are willing to pay .

All these methods can give some idea of the actual use value.

Only contingent valuation can give estimates of the option value of the benefits of the environmental goods at some future time or for existence value.

Ex: some people may never see but still cherish.

EVALUATION METHODOLOGIES

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LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION

IN SITU EX SITU

Sacred plants Home

gardens

Seed banks Field gene banks Cryopreservation

Botanical gardens ArborataZoological gardens Aqueria

Protected Area Network

Sacred GroovesSacred lakes

Biosphere reserves

National ParksWildlife

sanctuaries

Terrestrial Marine

STEPS FOR CONSERVATION

PROTECTED AREA

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a protected area is :

defined area which is designated or regulated and managed to achieve specific conservation

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CATEGORIES OF PROTECTED AREAS IN INDIA

Unlike the IUCN classification India has its own nomenclature for protected areas:

National Park: This category accords the highest degree of protection to an area that has unique ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural or zoological significance, and is declared a National Park for the purpose of protecting, propagating or developing wildlife or its environment.

Wildlife Sanctuary: A Wildlife Sanctuary is an area with ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural or zoological significance, which is protected for the purpose of propagating or developing wildlife or its environment.

Conservation Reserve: This category of protected areas is declared in any area owned by the state government, particularly those adjacent to National Parks and Sanctuaries, and those that link one protected area with another for the purpose of protecting landscapes, seascapes, flora and fauna andtheir habitat. Conservation Reserves are declared after extensive prior consultations with local communities.

Community Reserve: These areas are declared by the state government on any private or community land, where an individual or community has volunteeredto conserve wildlife and its habitat for the purpose of protecting fauna, flora and traditional or cultural conservation values and practices.

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MANAGEMENTOFPROTECTEDAREASEachprotectedareain Indiaismanagedasper a managementplan.One of the approachesemphasizedin managementplanning is the adoption of acore-buffer strategy.Whilecoreareasarelargelyinviolate,coexistenceispromotedin buffer areas.

Thebuffer areaisa multiple-useareawith 2 objectives:1) Tosupplementhabitat for wild animalsthat spillover from the corearea2) To providesite specificecodevelopmentinputs for surroundingvillagesto reducetheir impacton the core.Connecting the protected areasto createnetwork so that habitat allowswildlife topassmoresafely.

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CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN INDIA OVER TIME

The notion of in India dates back to 300 BCE,for example,Arthashastra, an ancient Indian text, refers to Abhayaranyasor forest

refuges.

In the colonialera, severalwildlife-rich areaswere designatedasprotectedareas.Theseincluded

o VedanthangalBirdSanctuary(1858),o KazirangaNationalPark(1916),o Kanha(BanjarValley,1933) ando Corbett(HaileyNationalPark,1936).

At the time of independence, there wasno centrallegislationon protectedareas. TheWild BirdsandAnimalsProtectionAct,1912accordedsomeprotectionto the birdsandanimalsspecifiedin the Scheduleto the Act.

Initially,whenthe IndianConstitutioncameinto effect in 1950, little attention wasgivento detail out environmentprotection.

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In 1976, protection of forestsand wildlife found a placein the DirectivePrinciplesof the State Policy 'the Right to Life' has served the causeof environmentalprotection.

In 1980An important dimensionwasaddedto forest conservationin the form ofthe ForestConservationAct, to regulatethe diversionof forestlandfor non-forestpurposes.

In 1986 The National Environmental Protection Act, (Environment ImpactAssessmentNotification),makesit mandatoryto seekenvironmentalclearanceforinfrastructuraldevelopment.

2002 recently passed Biological Diversity Act, provides for conservation ofbiologicaldiversity,sustainableuseof its componentsand equitablesharingof benefitsarisingout ofthe useof biologicalresourcesincludingagrobiodiversity.

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CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN INDIA OVER TIME

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CASE STUDIES

1. TERAI ARC LANDSCAPE (TAL)

2. WESTERN GHATS

TAL-TERAI ARC LANDSCAPE

TheTerai-DuarSavannaEcoregionis spreadover the southernslopeof the Himalayaspreading across India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. In India and Nepal, theecoregionis representedby the TAL,a green necklacearound the foothills of theHimalayaalongthe border of the two countriesfrom the river Bagmatiin the easttothe Yamunain the west.

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It hassurvivingremnantsof alluvialgrasslandandforestecosystem.Thereare 13 existingProtectedAreas(PAs)that fall within this Terailandscapeinwhich9 protectedareasfalls underIndianboundary.In India, the landscaperepresentsthe upper Gangeticplain biogeographiczoneandthe vegetationismainlytropicalmoistanddry deciduoustype.Thelandscapeis alsohometo someof Asia'slargestandmostwell-knownwildlifesuch as tigers, elephantsand rhinos along with a large variety of other rare,endangeredandendemicwildlife species.

http:// www.wwfindia.org/about_wwf/critical_regions/terai_arc_landscape/about_terai_arc_landscape

ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT:METHODOLOGY

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Documents

endangered landscapes