Strategic Direction 1 

Community-Based Partnerships for Impact Assessment and Regulation of Tourism in Western Ghats
Address the threats that unregulated tourism development poses to natural ecosystems within the Mysore-Nilgiri Corridor by researching environmental impacts and promoting appropriate regulatory and management measures to mitigate negative effects. Build capacity to assess tourism impacts at the grassroots level, including by establishing community-based Tourism Impact Assessment Cells at two pilot sites and disseminating results to a wide range of stakeholders.

Amount	$50,000
Grant Term	01/10 - 12/12
Grantee	Equitable Tourism Options (EQUATIONS)

Conservation of the Periyar-Agasthiyamalai Corridor in the Southern Western Ghats: Knowledge Generation, Dissemination of Information and Capacity Building for Key Stakeholders
Facilitate the long-term conservation of biodiversity in the Periyar-Agasthyamalai Corridor, by completing a GIS-based database on critical habitat links in the corridor, placing it into the public domain in a variety of accessible formats, and using this information base to implement programs of capacity building for state forest department staff and awareness raising among other key stakeholders.

Amount	$79,998
Grant Term	01/10 - 06/11
Grantee	Asian Nature Conservation Foundation

Conservation Plan for Securing Selected Elephant Corridors in Southern Western Ghats
Facilitate the conservation of critical elephant corridors within the Mysore-Nilgiri Corridor by evaluating the current status of each corridor, assessing local communities’ dependence on them, monitoring usage by elephants and other animals and preparing plans for securing them. Fix signage along each corridor to inform people about their importance, advise them how to minimize impacts on elephants and warn drivers.

Amount	$45,000
Grant Term	12/09 - 05/11
Grantee	Wildlife Trust of India

Building a Grassroots Constituency to Conserve the River Moyar in the Mysore-Nilgiri Corridor
Build a constituency for conservation of riverine habitats along the River Moyar among local communities and create a basis for incorporating biodiversity values into local development planning by identifying and training local partners at the grassroots level, training and providing them with firsthand experience of biodiversity and socio-economic studies, and assisting them to develop "micro-plans" for conservation action.

Amount	$40,756
Grant Term	11/09 - 09/11
Grantee	Arulagam

Critical Links – Forging Community-Civil Society Partnerships to Enhance Connectivity in the Sahyadri-Konkan Corridor
Enhance ecological connectivity in the Sahyadri-Konkan Corridor by establishing a network of nongovernmental organizations to jointly develop and implement a plan of action for restoring connectivity, and use the "conservation agreements" approach to develop and implement innovative models for community-based conservation that create a steady stream of benefits for local people at Koyna and Chandoli wildlife sanctuaries and Amboli Reserve Forest.

Amount	$155,510
Grant Term	11/09 - 07/12
Grantee	Applied Environmental Research Foundation

Empowering Local Communities and Civil Society Organizations in Using Environmental Impact Assessment Process as a Conservation Tool in the Western Ghats
Empower local communities and civil society groups in the Western Ghats to address the negative environmental impacts of development projects by strengthening their capacity to engage in the EIA process; monitoring and challenging EIA reports; conducting alternative "Citizens’ EIAs;" responding to issues of urgent concern for communities and groups impacted by faulty EIAs; and establishing a network of interested groups.

Amount	$52,920
Grant Term	10/09 - 09/11
Grantee	Environics Trust

Hill Biodiversity and Indigenous People: The God of Small Ecosystems
Channel local interest in the biodiversity of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve toward addressing conservation issues through establishing a Nilgiris Natural History Society, implementing activities through the society with direct conservation benefits to local communities (including conservation awards, protection of sacred groves, nature interpretation sites and conservation villages) and developing a hub for outreach, training and extension in biodiversity conservation.

Amount	$199,845
Grant Term	10/09 - 09/11
Grantee	Keystone Foundation

Bridging the Shencottah Gap: How Payments for Ecosystem Services Can Restore Biodiversity Outside Protected Areas in India
Catalyze payments for ecosystem services mechanisms to strengthen ecological connectivity across the Shencottah Gap within the Periyar-Agastyamalai Corridor. Identify critical linkages for wildlife movement across the gap, and then target payments to private landholders and community groups to restore, enhance and secure wildlife habitats within them. Monitor the effectiveness of these mechanisms, leverage funding to ensure sustainability and promote replication elsewhere.

Amount	$499,443
Grant Term	10/09 - 09/12
Grantee	Foundation for Ecological Research, Advocacy and Learning

Fostering Sustainable Agriculture Practices for Conservation of Tropical Biodiversity in Plantation Landscapes of Western Ghats
Demonstrate a market-based approach to enhancing ecological connectivity while safeguarding agricultural production by introducing the Rainforest Alliance’s "Sustainable Agriculture Standard" into tea and coffee estates in the Anamalai and Mysore-Nilgiri corridors, raising awareness and promoting adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, and developing a set of local indicators that adapts the Sustainable Agriculture Standard to the context of the Western Ghats.

Amount	$200,000
Grant Term	10/09 - 09/11
Grantee	Nature Conservation Foundation ($115,300 grant), Rainforest Alliance ($84,700 grant)

Improving Protected Area Effectiveness through Enhanced Civil Society Support and Rigorous Monitoring of Wildlife Populations and Conservation Threats
Carry out rigorous scientific monitoring to assess the status of several species and levels of conservation threats in the Sahyadri-Konkan, Malnad-Kodagu and Mysore-Nilgiri corridors within Karnataka State. Involve and train civil society groups and the state forest department to enhance their technical capability to monitor and manage these areas in addition to providing critical management inputs.

Amount	$350,000
Grant Term	09/09 - 08/12
Grantee	Wildlife Conservation Society