Battles in the wilderness

Books written by conservationists are few and far between despite the burgeoning field. Such books allow a peek at the trials and tribulations of one of the least-understood professions in India, that of an ecologist. And when a seasoned conservationist like Sanjay Gubbi writes for the popular audience, it is likely to be a book worth noting.

Mr Gubbi is one of a number of biologists in India who studies large carnivores such as tigers. However, he stands out because of his persistent and longstanding efforts to save forests in the Western Ghats of his home state Karnataka. His battles for wildlife are significant for another reason. In a situation where wildlife conservation has largely been seen as an elite hobby or even an imposition of Western ideals on Indian society, the role of the vernacular-speaking and locally rooted conservationist is significant. For he/she can much better grasp the political economy of wildlife and forests, and likely, connect better with the government.

Mr Gubbi’s book Second Nature is set in current times when wildlife is increasingly threatened by developmental activities, magnified by political negligence and public apathy. Roads and highways fragment forested landscapes into unviable patches. Endangered species such as tigers and elephants are knocked down by high-speed traffic and railways. Hydro-electric projects trespass into rivers disrupting their natural flows and impacting aquatic life.

Second Nature is a fascinating book that chronicles the tenacious battles Mr Gubbi and his team have fought to save some of the last remaining wilderness of the Western Ghats from further degradation and fragmentation. The author takes you into the curious world of politicians, bureaucrats and judges, where the fate of wild places can be decided, often just by the stroke of a pen.

Second Nature highlights the sheer difficulties of preserving nature in a fast developing nation, where both government and public see large infrastructure as one of the most critical aspects of development. The popular narrative pits wildlife against any kind of development, often in a false dichotomy. Can we do without widening highways? Don’t we need more ports for international trade? Seemingly, conservationists cry foul at every proposal of development today. Yet, as Mr Gubbi shows repeatedly in this book, such development inevitably carries ecological risks, that need to be taken cognisance of, in a situation where more and more habitats are in dire straits.

To his credit, Mr Gubbi succeeds in moving away from the popular discourse, by showing how reasonable middle-of-the-road solutions can be achieved that can allow wildlife to persist in a human-dominated landscape. Mr Gubbi explains the successful efforts in cases such as the decommissioning of the portions of road cutting through Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, or cancellation of licenses of thirteen small hydropower projects in ecologically sensitive areas. In a country where less than 6 per cent of the land is under legal protection, that too of a rather imperfect kind, it is necessary to ask how we can minimise such damage when big projects are undertaken.

Mr Gubbi takes pains to stress that such attempts can be successful only when conservationists are willing to get their hands dirty — by working and communicating closely with politicians, bureaucrats and civil society, and attempting to understand their points of view. Such interventions also need deep involvement of civil society and media and good public communication. Mr Gubbi stresses the need for high-quality data in order for scientists to explain issues clearly and in simple terms, a task that can be surprisingly difficult when one is in the courtroom or in a minister’s chamber.

Second Nature also shows the poor state of environmental governance in India. Our laws, considered comprehensive by any standards, do not necessarily translate into sound implementation. There are powerful stakeholders who stand to lose each time a development project is not cleared due to environmental concerns. Then legal lacunae are often exploited only to be countered by PILs in court, brought in

by wildlife lovers. Sadly, even court orders in favour of wildlife are only implemented when an influential politician or senior bureaucrat takes interest. This brings up the important question of how to make our environmental regulation foolproof. In the current climate of increasing dilution of environmental laws, these questions become more critical by the day.

Mr Gubbi’s book is an absorbing and informative read about the nitty-gritty of conservation in India. It is recommended for everyone concerned with studying or protecting wildlife in Asia.

The book highlights the sheer difficulties of preserving nature in a fast developing nation, where both government and public see large infrastructure as one of the most critical aspects of development

The reviewer is an ecologist working on forestry and biodiversity issues in South Asia. She is a founding member and Senior Fellow at the non-profit Centre for Ecology, Development and Research in Dehradun (CEDAR), Uttarakhand

SECOND NATURE

Saving Tiger Landscapes in the Twentyfirst Century

Sanjay Gubbi

Rainfed Books

126 pages

~599