EB-Project Nature, based at Soi Village of Basar, the HQ of Lepa Rada District of Arunachal Pradesh state, is a composite project on nature conservation involving spring-shed recharge, forest and bio-diversity conservation, wildlife protection and eco-tourism. The project activities include rainwater harvesting, forest regeneration and enrichment with native plants emphasizing on economic and fruit bearing, rare, endangered and threatened species and native orchids, wildlife protection and creation of nature trails.
The project was basically conceptualized in the year 2008-09 as a river and spring rejuvenation project considering rapid drying up of spring-shed areas leading to reduction in volume of three (3) numbers of rivers namely Kidi, Hie and Bam Hile and its tributaries in Basar. The cause of drying was found out to be shifting cultivation activities in many spring-sheds of the area which were critical for irrigation and potable water supply and hence drying process considered as long term threat to food and water security for the area. Spring rejuvenation through artificial recharge by means of harvesting rainwater was identified to solve the problem and a pilot project started in year 2011 at Soi, a village of small population of 357 individuals. The village was most vulnerable, reeling under acute shortage of potable water, especially during winter months as spring known as ‘Bolen’ ; the only source of water used to dry up. The water scarcity also led to abandonment of wetland paddy cultivation in the village. Hence, the aim of the pilot project was to develop a viable model of spring rejuvenation to be replicated in other villages of the area.
It was soon realized that simply digging recharge pits would not solve the problem permanently if protection of forest at spring-shed is not ensured. In the traditional land tenure system of Galo tribe of the state , individual or clan owns the forest land and use it for shifting cultivation from time to time. Hence the model needed inclusion of value-addition to the natural forest so that it gives back more return to the owners in lieu of shifting cultivation. The project focused on enhancing value of the forest with introduction of more number of wild native fruit bearing and economic plants with multiple objectives of conserving rare and endangered local plants securing food for wild life besides economic considerations. Simultaneously, introduction of native orchid species was added in the project activities to beautify the spring-shed forest for eco-tourism with additional objectives of conserving native orchids.
The project achieved its target of spring-shed rejuvenation in year 2017. Now the village gets potable water for drinking as well as irrigation water to revive abandoned paddy fields. At the same time 27 hectares of natural forest has been restored at the spring-shed area enriched with 24 species of native fruit bearing and other economic plants which is expected to yield additional returns for the people on maturity. The project has also established an orchid park in spring-shed forest and an orchidarium in nursery farm where 67 species of native orchids is conserved. Overall above 100 hectares of forests is protected under the project at different locations including some sacred grooves. The spring-shed forests has become home to wildlife like Barking Deer, Asiatic Black Bear, Asiatic Wild dog, wild boars, Porcupines, Civets, Martens, Squirrels, etc besides native birds like crested serpent eagle, paradise fly catchers, Khalij peasants, wild fowls, wood peckers and many others including seasonal visitors like Mountain Imperial Pigeons and Hornbills. Since 2019, the project site is opened for eco-tourism by becoming a part of Basar Confluence, a calendar festival of Tourism Department, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, organised by the apex community body called GRK (Gumin Rwgo Kwlaju).
The project model is now being scaled up in other villages of Basar by GRK. Government of Arunachal Pradesh has also announced special budget for rejuvenation of drying springs across the state based on the success model of the project. The task force on Jal Jeevan Mission, Government of India has also appreciated the project as one of the best practices.
The founder of this project is Shri Egam Basar who hails from neighboring Gori Village of Basar ; hence the name EB-Project Nature. The project does not depend on any government or external source of funding, solely looked after by the founder. His relatives, colleague officers and friends offer voluntary service in terms of advice and physical works from time to time, forming EB-Project Nature Team.
