In a step aimed at strengthening community-led wildlife protection, more than 20 members of Community Surveillance and Monitoring Teams (CSMTs) around Raimona National Park in Assam were provided field gear, including winter boots and rechargeable torches, on October 16.
The beneficiaries belong to six key villages surrounding the Central Range of the national park. They form the first CSMTs established under an initiative of the Legal and Advocacy Division (LAD) of Aaranyak to enhance community-based surveillance and support the Forest Department in protecting wildlife.
Serving as the first line of defence against wildlife-related crimes and illegal activities, the teams will monitor their respective areas while also spreading awareness about wildlife conservation, wildlife crime prevention and the importance of protecting biodiversity. The initiative seeks to encourage greater community participation and foster a stronger sense of responsibility toward the wildlife living in and around the park.
The programme received the support of the Divisional Forest Officer of Kachugaon Forest Division, Mustafa Ali Ahmed. It was attended by Central Range Officer Someswar Boro and Sanfan Range Officer Biswajit Basumatary of Raimona National Park.
The event was coordinated by Aaranyak’s Legal and Advocacy Division team, including Senior Project Officer Ivy Farheen Hussain, Project Officer Mizing Boro and Assistant Project Officer Bijeet Baro.
According to Aaranyak, the CSMT initiative is based on the belief that communities living around protected areas deserve security and support equal to that provided within the boundaries of the protected area itself.
