Can a complex and biologically diverse forest, once destroyed by human action, ever be brought back to its original state? When forests are in a relatively undisturbed state, it is best to leave them as they are rather than disturb them in the belief that they can be brought back or restored. Nevertheless, there are forests already degraded or destroyed where there is a strong case for restoration efforts, like here in the Anamalai hills.

In the 19th century, human activity impacted less than a fifth of the planet’s land area; a mere two hundred years later, we have brought more than 95% of earth’s landmass under our dominion. Trapped between shrunken, degraded habitats and human-occupied landscapes, wide-ranging animals like the Asian elephant have been pushed into conflict with people. Persecution by affected people and the decline of suitable habitats threaten the long-term survival of elephants. Understanding the ecological and behavioural adaptations of elephants to altered landscapes and the relationships between elephant activity, spatial configuration of human settlements along movement routes, and the effects of people on elephant behaviour are crucial for resolving conflicts and fostering coexistence.

The Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in India is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, likely to impact large-bodied, wide-ranging species such as hornbills, as well as endemic species with restricted ranges and specialised requirements. In this survey along the Western Ghats, we surveyed for four hornbill species that occur here: Malabar Pied Hornbill and Indian Grey Hornbill (endemic to Indian subcontinent), Malabar Grey Hornbill (endemic to Western Ghats), and the Great Hornbill. The survey recorded all bird species, with special attention to restricted-range species across the Western Ghats.

Forests—dense, verdant, endless—cloaking mile upon mile of misty mountains. Early explorers described jungles of the Western Ghats as impenetrable, evergreen repositories of abundant diversity. Little remains of these tropical rainforests today, except in the form of small patches embedded in a landscape of plantations, mines, dams, and other human creations. Such fragmentation of once contiguous habitats is one of the most serious conservation concerns of our time.

A fascinating tapestry of lofty trees clothed in epiphytes, thick lianas, and a dark and moist understorey tangle of ferns, shrubs, and herbs is typical to tropical rainforests. The diversity and profusion of plant life on earth probably attains its pinnacle of complexity in tropical rainforest ecosystems. Unfortunately, this unique ecosystem is imperilled by a variety of threats such as conversion to agriculture, logging for timber, and habitat fragmentation. Understanding these effects is a first step towards conservation of remnant rainforests. In addition, comparing degraded fragments with undisturbed areas provides vital information for ecological restoration.

The impact of invasive species on ecosystems is a major conservation issue, particularly in fragmented tropical forests due to associated disturbances. In the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot fragmented rainforests often adjoin coffee plantations. This study in the Anamalai hills assessed invasion by shade-tolerant coffee (Arabica and Robusta) and three light-demanding alien species (Chromolaena odorata, Lantana camara, and Maesopsis eminii).

This project aimed to document the strategies used by the forest-dwelling communities of the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary to understand their current lifestyle patterns in the forest, the history and drivers of change, socio-economic conditions, economic and livelihood status, their dependencies on forest, and resource requirements. It seeks to understand communities that live within or in close proximity to tropical rainforests in the sanctuary, with the following areas of concern (1) the nature, patterns, and variability of resource-use and extraction from within the rainforests, (2) the levels of community dependence on and linkages maintained with forests and markets, (3) demographic change and its repercussions on development objectives of human settlements and management of the sanctuary, and (4) aspects of ethnography, social identity, and cultural change.

Habitat alteration affects myriad plants and animals directly as well as by disrupting the complex systems of life. As the survival of one life-form may be linked to survival of others, it becomes important to study social organizations. In this study in the Anamalai Hills and Thattekad of southern Western Ghats, we looked at effects of land-use changes on tropical forest bird communities and mixed-species bird flocks.

How can one extend the reach of conservation into landscapes outside protected areas? Conservationists around the world are now working to extend conservation to such landscapes, especially lands under productive agriculture and plantations, by linking production with the market for products certified as coming from farms that follow sustainable and ecologically-friendly practices.