News: A study published in the journal Ecosystems and People highlights the Soliga tribal community of the Biligiri Ranganaswamy Temple (BRT) Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka, as a successful example of community-based conservation, challenging the traditional fortress conservation model.

About the Study

• The study argues that excluding indigenous communities from protected areas ("fortress conservation") often leads to social distress without necessarily improving conservation outcomes.
• It highlights the Soligas' traditional ecological knowledge and their coexistence with wildlife over centuries.

Key Highlights

• Soligas have lived alongside tigers, elephants, and leopards while sustainably managing forests.
• They traditionally practiced small-scale shifting cultivation and controlled burning, which supported grassland regeneration and benefited herbivores and predators.
• Their cultural and spiritual practices are closely linked to the forest landscape.
• Researchers engaged with Soliga elders to co-develop conservation strategies through workshops and consultations.

Significance

• Demonstrates that community-led conservation can effectively protect biodiversity while safeguarding indigenous livelihoods.
• Supports integrating traditional ecological knowledge into forest and wildlife management.
• Contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by balancing conservation with community welfare.
• Challenges the exclusionary fortress conservation approach in protected areas.