Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve - Equitable Tourism Options

Location
Area (hectares)
Total
Core area(s)
Bufferzone(s)
Transition area(s) when given
Altitude (m. above sea level)
Year designated
Administrative authorities
552,000
124,000
357,400
70,600
+300 to +2,670
2000
Principal Chief Conservator of
Forests, (Wildlife ), & Chief Wildlife
Warden, Government of Karnataka,
Bangalore
Nilgiri is the first internationally deSignated biosphere reserve in India,
representing a unique and threatened ecosystem in the tropics within the
western Ghats system. It is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots and
provides habitat for the largest south Indian population of tigers, elephants
and other large Mammals. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve was the first
biosphere reserve in India established in the year 1986. It is located in
the Western Ghats and includes 2 of the 10 biogeographical provinces of
India. A wide range of ecosystems and species diversity are found in this
region. Thus, it was a natural choice for the premier biosphere reserve of
the country.
The inaugural session for the biosphere reserve was held on the State
Forest Service College Campus in Coimbatore. It was chaired by Mr.
Gokhale, president of the Indian National MAB Committee. After the
inauguration, copies of the UNESCO biosphere reserve certificate signed
by the Director General of UNESCO, Mr Koichiro Matsuura, were
presented to Chief Wildlife Wardens of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka -
Mr Sukhdev Thakur, Mr V K Sinha and Mr S K Chakravarti.
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve was established mainly to fulfill the following
objectives:
• To conserve in situ genetiC diversity of species
• To restore degraded ecosystems to their natural conditions
NitaKir;" : Fading Glory 2