Reflections on a Successful Community Conservation Programme in Haryana, India.

In India, conservation of river ecosystems and its associated biodiversity is essential due to a growing human population and increased water demand. Conservation efforts at local scale may protect individual species from anthropogenic stressors and protect biodiversity. The present study is based on a community conservation programme in north India to protect river ecosystem and its surrounding faunal species. During December 2012, twenty two sites across the Thapana and Somb Rivers were sampled for in-river habitat characteristics and faunal species. In total, 12 fish, 5 mammalian, 2 reptilian, 5 odonate, 7 lepidopteran, and 79 avian species were recorded. Within community conserved sites, we found lower levels of riverine degradation and higher faunal diversity. Impacts to water quality, clearing of riparian vegetation and sand and boulder mining were the likely cause for degradation of riverine habitats and the loss of faunal species outside community conserved sites. This article highlights the importance of community conservation initiatives for the conservation of river ecosystems and associated biodiversity.