Action for Protection of Wild Animals (APOWA)

Work Areas

Main CEPA work areas

We are promoting Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness effectively at all levels to support the value of wetlands especially mangrove ecosystem.

Campaigns, projects have been undertaken with key partners to raise awareness, build community support, & promote stewardship approaches towards wetlands especially mangroves.

We raise community awareness of the important ecosystem services provided by mangroves wetlands, including their social, environmental, economic, and cultural values.

We have been improving the capacity and opportunities of community to participate in and contribute to using wetlands and mangroves wisely.

We have facilitating community based networks and multi-stakeholder participation in wetland management.

We have been promoting stewardship approaches and attitudes

towards mangrove wetlands.

World Wetlands Day has been celebrated each year with appropriate events and promotions and resource materials have been distributed.

Collaboration with the local media has helped to raise the values and benefits of wetlands.

Resource materials to support wetland CEPA actions continue to be produced, distributed.

A suitable land has been purchased to start a wetland center near Bhitarkanika Ramsar site.

We have been conducted various programmes such as exposure visit of school, colleges and university students to various mangrove ecosystems, conducted nature study camp for school students and teachers, organise various competitions such as art, debate , essay, quiz etc. among school students.

We have been facilitated researchers on scientific study on wetlands.

Preparing People’s Biodiversity Register special focus to wetland ecosystem.

Establish networking with various CBOs (Community Based Groups) working on wetland management in Odisha.

Top three successes

Community led Mangrove Eco-system management and Restoration: - Our initiative is unique, because greater community partnership ensures the sustainable management and restoration of mangroves, stability of food security, gender balanced Village Mangrove Councils and sustainability of other related development activities and thus contributes substantially towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal.

Olive Ridley Protection Programme:- Since 2009, APOWA has been working hand in hand with local community members to save the Olive Ridley sea turtles in Odisha. We have established successful models for community conservation and have developed strong alliances with key stakeholders. We work to secure environments in which both turtles—and the local community especially fishermen that depend upon them—can survive into the future.

Preparation of People’s Biodiversity Register- We have been successfully documenting all the species of biodiversity and it’s value for ecosystem of wetland areas around Bhitarkanika in partnership with local community members and other stakeholder.

Top three challenges

Management of Wildlife and Human Conflict in Coastal Areas of Odisha: - It was a challenging job to manage wildlife and human conflict in coastal areas Odisha due to dense human population and less or reducing habitat for wildlife.

Large Scale Mangrove Restoration- Although we have been successful in small scale mangrove restoration work. But our large scale mangrove restoration work was hampered due to fund crunch or lack of external support.

Provide alternative livelihood to dependence of people on wetlands- Repeated occurrence of climate change induced natural disasters has hampered this initiative.