As many of you are already aware, I am about to embark on another long adventure - this time to the Western Ghats rainforests of southwest India. For the next year, my girlfriend Erin and I will be living on an organic farm in rural Karnataka, perched in the mountains along the western coast (3500ft).

We are working for an NGO called WAPRED (Worldwide Association for the Protection and Restoration of Ecological Diversity), studying a) the effects of organic and conventional agriculture on rainforest biodiversity and b) the economic consequences for farmers. I will be managing the WAPRED eco-lodge - a place to accomodate tourists who come to learn about sustainable agriculture and experience our lush rainforest surroundings. I will also be deeply entrenched in our broad-scale biodiversity research, surveying wildlife and studying the ecology of the Karnataka rainforests. Erin is finishing up her master’s degree in Public Administration (International Development focus) - she’ll be working closely with Pranab Mukhopadhyay, a professor of environmental economics at the University of Goa. They will be working on a cost-benefit analysis of organic agricultural methods, developing marketing strategies for rural Indian farmers, and parsing out the economic value of the lost biodiversity associated with chemical-use agriculture.

The mountains of the Western Ghats boast some of the highest concentrations of biodiversity on Earth. At least 325 globally threatened species are found here, including unusually high endemism among amphibians, reptiles and plants. Unfortunately, the rainforests of this region are now heavily fragmented due to human activity; monoculture plantations of coffee, tea, rubber and other crops have replaced approximately 80% of the original forest cover, reducing suitable habitat for the region’s unique flora and fauna.

Greater insight into the ecological benefits of organic agriculture, especially in comparison to conventional agriculture, is essential if conservation efforts are to be effective in this heavily-cultivated region. Our research will also improve the scientific understanding of this vulnerable, poorly-studied region, providing greater incentive and justification for government agencies to increase protection of the remaining forests. On a local level, the development of a detailed ecological model will help landowners and agriculturists adjust their own management practices to reduce negative impact on birds, amphibians, inspects and native plants.

Stay tuned for updates throughout the year! 

Tags: biodiversity, farm, india, kodagu, mojo plantation, rainforest, rainforest retreat, research, wapred, western ghats

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 at 6:33 pm and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.