Episode 35: Conserving India's Tropical Forests with Dr. Kamaljit Bawa, Founder of ATREE

The Think Wildlife Podcast

India is amongst the most biodiverse countries in the world, with a plethora of habitats, including tropical forests, grasslands, arid deserts, mangroves, and deciduous mountain forests. However, while much of India’s megafauna species have recovered miraculously from the brink of extinction, a major issue looms large. That is the sustainable use of the country’s tropical forests. Reports suggested that between 250 - 300 million of India’s rural population rely on India’s forests for some form of sustenance. This can include bushmeat, fodder, bamboo, and a range of non-timber forest products. In fact, 70% of India’s rural population relies on fuelwood to meet their domestic energy needs.

In this episode, I interview Dr. Kamaljit Bawa to discuss the various forest management strategies in India and how forest conservation can be utilized to alleviate poverty. Dr. Bawa is the founder of the famed Ashoka Trust for Research in the Environment and Ecology. Beyond this, he has had a very decorated career. He is currently a distinguished professor of Biology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Science and the American Philosophical Society.

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