Achievements

 EBR has purchased some private tea plantation land that is surrounded by an area that comprises the core zone of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Much of this land purchase is being made possible from a project supported by IUCN-NL under its SPN programme. The land management project is being supported by Both Ends foundation, Netherlands, under the professional guidance of the Keystone Foundation, Nilgiris.

 EBR field centre produced 4238 seedlings belong to 27 trees, shrubs and liana species. Mostly these are early-success ional species and fast growing species. Fifteen grass species were established in the grass nursery. These native grasses are highly occupied in the adjacent forest land and surrounding areas of the forest. Inside the nursery we also maintain the grass nursery includes fifteen indigenous grass species. Signages were setup for each species with botanical names and toda traditional names in the nursery.

 The EBR centre has recorded 250 plant species (along with their Toda traditional names) that are being used by the Toda people for various cultural and medicinal uses. This is part of an ongoing study..

 The EBR centre maintains 300 shola species as herbarium specimens, photographs and also documents the traditional ecological knowledge of the Toda people.

 A project has been undertaken to enumerate and study the sacred buffalo herds of the Todas. This breed is also endemic to the Nilgiris.

 We have assessed the tiger-human conflict in and around different Toda hamlets. We have begun by giving buffaloes as compensation towards losses due to tiger attacks.

Future Plans

 Ex-situ and In-situ conservation of Rare, Endangered and Threatened species (RET) in EBR field station

 Restoration and reforestation of shola, grassland and swamps habitat

 To demonstrate and preserve the cultural and medicinal uses of plants by Todas at EBR field station

 To create job opportunities for indigenous people and to provide for their economic empowerment in terms of jobs, handicrafts, organic cultivation, afforestation and NTFP etc.,

 To create awareness for local people, tribes and school students towards conserving shola forests and wildlife.

 To formulate eco-clubs at various Toda hamlets and other rural villages by planting and conserving indigenous species

 To form night-schools at various Toda hamlets, so as to teach traditional knowledge to the younger generation with the help of elders.

 To conserve genetic diversity and help breed the endangered Toda buffaloes.