The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) is part of the Western and Eastern Ghats chain of mountains of the Indian peninsula, with a total area of 5520 km2 spread across the three southern states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Keystone Foundation’s work in biodiversity conservation and restoration started in the Nilgiri plateau but has spread to different corners of the biosphere reserve, covering different altitudes, topography and forest types. Of the 285 endemics in the Western Ghats, 156 (55%) are in the NBR. Over the last 3 decades Keystone’s work on Flora has forayed into nursery management, restoration, documentation of various plants’ species and developing of field guides and research into specific species, as well as defining and developing a sustainable, inclusive and participatory conservation model through programmes like Barefoot Ecologists, Seed Keepers, Village Elders and Indigenous Women for Conservation, nature education at village schools, citizen science with indigenous people and village-level nurseries for restoration of native habitats. This collection contains notes, reports, publications, posters, photos, videos and other knowledge materials from the various projects and engagements with indigenous and local communities on this subject.
Visit the Institutional Pathways Exhibit on Forests and Biodiversity for the detailed origin story related to this work. View the media items on this subject below.
