The village has been protecting an area of about 400 ha of dense tropical semi-evergreen forest on lower altitudes and subtropical on higher altitudes.

Upper Ngatan has around 50 households.

Predominantly, the maram (naga) communities reside in the area.

The protected forest was primarily a jhum (shifting cultivation) field where jhuming was heavily practiced. Because of large landholding per capita and less population, the jhum cycle (returning to the same field for cultivation) was very long (20-25 years). The long jhum cycle ensured a high regeneration of the forest.

The village had a traditional community reserved forest which was seen as a common property resource reserved for people to use in emergencies. But sustainable management aspects or conservation principles were not employed while extracting the resources. There were certain regulations but these were practically never enforced or implemented.

Due to these social and other pressures, the local forests and community reserves were severely depleted in most of the accessible areas, except deep ravines and other difficult areas. It is in this context that NERCORMP-IFAD* came to this village in 2004.

*North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project for Upland Areas (NERCORMP) is a Joint Project of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of India, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, North East Council, Shillong, Meghalaya.

During the resource mapping and land use planning exercise the community found that it was very important to have a certain portion of the forest as protected for future use as the forest resources are on the decline while the population is fast increasing.

Conservation efforts were made mainly by Community members and traditional village authority

Additionally, the Natural resource management group (NaRMG) was constituted by NERCORMP-IFAD from within the community. Hence the NERCORMP-IFAD helped revive the CCA.

Workshops conducted by (SEDCORMS) Senapati District Community Resource Management Society also provided crucial support with knowledge and training.

NERCORMP-IFAD constituted a natural resource management group (NaRMG) from within the community. Orientation and sensitization programs were organized, which included, the need for revitalization of the village reserved forest, new challenges faced by the community, need for economic development through increased conservation, among others. The NaRMG leaders also attended natural resource management (NRM) sensitization workshop conducted by Senapati District Community Resource Management Society (SEDCORMS), the project implementing agency of NERCORMP-IFAD in Senapati district.

The NaRMG and the traditional village authority constituted from amongst their members a reserve forest management committee (RFMC), which is empowered to settle forest-related disputes. The rules and regulations were framed on the basis of the customary laws and traditional practices, which are widely accepted by the community. It was decided that, if need be, the rules and regulations could be amended during the village annual meetings. The fines and penalties in this NaRMG are very low as compared to other NaRMGs because of fewer conflicts in this village. It was decided that, if need be, the rules and regulations could be amended during the village annual meetings.

1. The fines and penalties on the defaulters as per their resolution no. 2, dated 10/9/04 are:

a. Cutting of trees = Rs 500/-

b. Setting of fire = Rs. 500/-

c. Hunting of animals = Rs. 1000/-

The rules and regulations are pro-poor as they do allow poor families to collect honey, dead wood, mushroom, medicinal plants, and the collection of cane and rattan saplings for sale during the season.

The forest management committee may increase or decrease the fines depending on the degree of violation and the intention of the defaulter.

During the resource mapping and land use planning exercise the community found that it was very important to have a certain portion of the forest as protected for future use as the forest resources are on the decline while the population is fast increasing. The NaRMGs in consultation with the traditional village authority declared the following forests as reserve areas and designated them as

community conserved area (CCA):

• Community reserve forest at Ting Ngai Vai Pou

• 2. Cane or rattan germplasm reserve at Tommaina river bank

One major constraint is that such efforts of the communities are yet to have due legal recognition of the government.

Despite being a small village they have managed to protect their forests and prevented hunting in the protected area. An increase in wildlife especially deer, and birds within the last few years have also been noticed.

There is increasing recognition of their efforts from the neighboring villages, which is a great source of encouragement for the community.

Protection of forests and prevention of hunting, as per local rules and regulations.

Efforts of the communities are yet to have due legal recognition of the government. The communities also do not get any financial incentives for such efforts. The absence of these incentives could be one of the possible future reasons for their inability to expand the areas under conservation.