Enewsletter articles for Development of an Ecosystem Health Report Card for Bhitarkanika National Park, Odisha, India

Bhitarkanika report card kick off

IAN led a workshop in Bhubaneswar, India for the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management to begin the process of developing a report card for Bhitarkanika Conservation Area. More than 30 diverse stakeholders participated in conceptualizing the assessment area, choosing potential indicators, and carving a path forward for the project.

Bhitarkanika Conservation Area Report Card now available

The first-ever report card for the Bhitarkanika Conservation Area in Odisha, India is now available! The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), jointly with the Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project (OFSDP-II) and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, brought together over 40 local and regional experts and stakeholders in February 2019. Together the group chose ecosystem health indicators, thresholds and a reporting framework for Bhitarkanika Conservation Area.

Bhitarkanika Report Card captures current conditions within the conservation area, including the Eco Sensitive Zone, Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika National Park, Critically Vulnerable Coastal Area and the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary. Overall, Bhitarkanika is in good condition. Indicator scores were “excellent” in Maipura and Gahirmatha and “good” in Bhitarkanika, Dhamra, Brahmani and Mahanadi.