Скачать или смотреть Reclaiming Commons : Eradicating Lantana for Revival of Common lands

Nearly 4% (about 13 million hectares) of the India's landmass is infested with Lantana, an invasive species which degrades the soil and inhibits growth of all other vegetation. According to an estimate in 2001, invasive species caused damages worth $91 billion to agriculture and forestry in India.

The villages surrounding the Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh face serious Lantana invasion, on Common as well as farm lands. This video narrates the efforts of the communities of reclaiming their lands by removing Lantana and undertaking a phase wise restoration of their commons for improved fodder and fuel availability.

The efforts of the communities have born fruit with regeneration of native plant species leading to increased fodder availability for livestock, improved household incomes through NTFP collection and overall improvement in land productivity, both of Commons and Farmlands.

The FES Team in Mandla aims to take this effort to the other villages lying on the fringes of Kanha National Park for reviving the lands infested by Lantana, thereby not only strengthening the livelihoods of the communities but also improving the biodiversity of the region by allowing local flora and fauna to flourish.