Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

• Civil unrest (Forced evacuation of Park staff)
• Illegal activities (Poaching and logging, Illegal cultivation)
• Crop production
• Financial resources (Slow release of funds)
• Invasive/alien terrestrial species
• Impact of tourism/visitor/recreation (Uncontrolled infrastructure development by local tourism groups)
• Military training (Attempts by paramilitary group to set up base camps in the property)
• Land conversion
• Water infrastructure

As of 2008, the property benefited from the UNF-funded World Heritage India programme. Project interventions include: enhancing management effectiveness and building staff capacity; increasing the involvement of local communities in the management of the property and promoting their sustainable development; and raising awareness through communication and advocacy

On 28 December 2018, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/338/documents/, and which provided updates on issues previously raised by the Committee, as follows:

• There has been no rhino poaching reported within the property since the last incident in April 2016, and the total number of rhino within the property has increased to 36. However, one tiger was killed outside the property in July 2017, followed by the arrest of poachers and confiscation of the animal’s body parts. The establishment of Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) which provide livelihood support to local villagers and intensification of patrolling have helped prevent poaching;
• A number of measures were undertaken to improve morale and develop capacity of front-line staff and other stakeholders, including a training programme on monitoring the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India in February 2018;
• Some areas within the property have been re-encroached for growing paddy rice due to lack of surveillance staff. Deployment of the Territorial Army has been proposed to effectively deal with encroachment;
• The joint IUCN-KfW (German Development Bank) funded livelihood support programme targeting households depending on the property’s non-timber forest products continues around the property. The programme has enhanced women’s participation in the management of the property, and their average cash earning has increased tenfold over the last two years;
• Two workshops on grassland management were organized in November 2017 and February 2018 respectively to develop a framework for scientific, sustainable habitat management protocol including the use of fire. A consortium to monitor grasslands was formed by NGOs and experts who participated in the workshops;
• A study on invasive plant species (2014-2018) revealed that about 20% of the grasslands are severely affected by two invasive plant species, Chromolaena odorata and Mikania micrantha, and uprooting was identified as the most effective method to control those plants;
• Transboundary cooperation with the State Party of Bhutan has been intensified, and synchronized patrolling with Royal Manas National Park was conducted along the Indo-Bhutan border for the first time in 2018;
• Funding for the property has been increased and diversified.

In response to third party reports, the World Heritage Centre sent a letter to the State Party on 23 July 2018, requesting to verify the information regarding illegal encroachment in Bhuyanpara range of the property. A response by the State Party remains pending at the time of writing of this report.

It is noted with appreciation that the State Party has intensified anti-poaching efforts in cooperation with other stakeholders and that no rhino poaching has been recorded within the property since April 2016. Nonetheless, the killing of a tiger near the property indicates that poaching remains a persistent threat and it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to maintain its anti-poaching efforts. The on-going activities to boost morale and capacity of front-line staff as well as EDC members are important to achieve this.

The persistent problem of illegal encroachment in Bhuyanpara range is of utmost concern. In spite of previous efforts to evict the illegal occupants in 2016, as reported at the World Heritage Committee’s 41st session, third party reports indicate that encroachers returned, have already occupied 22 km² and started constructing houses in the area. It is regrettable that a State Party response to the World Heritage Centre letter requesting clarification and comments of the third party information about the illegal encroachment in Bhuyanpara range was not available at the time of reporting. This growing problem needs to be addressed quickly, not only through law enforcement but also by stepping up efforts to identify long-term solutions to improve local livelihoods. The efforts through the joint IUCN-KfW funded livelihood support programme are encouraging in this respect. It is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to allocate appropriate financial and human resources for surveillance while stepping up efforts to provide alternative livelihoods for surrounding communities, thereby providing incentives not to encroach on the property.

Proliferation of invasive plant species, notably Chromolaena odorata and Mikania micrantha, which are replacing native grass species at an alarming rate is another serious concern. The initiative to develop a science-based protocol for grassland management in collaboration with experts as well as the establishment of monitoring teams is appreciated. Following the results of a pilot study, which identified uprooting as the best control method, it is now important to prepare an Action Plan for control measures across the property and identify funding for its implementation in order to protect the grassland ecosystem from those invasive species. It would be crucial to continue monitoring trends in order to assess the longer-term effectiveness of these measures.

Intensified transboundary cooperation with the State Party of Bhutan in the field of management of the property and the neighbouring Royal Manas National Park is welcomed. However, it is of utmost concern that the State Party of Bhutan has not yet provided information on the status of the Mangdechhu hydro-electric project nor submitted a copy of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) despite repeated requests by the Committee since 2012 (Decision 36 COM 7B.10). It is recalled that this hydropower project could severely affect the OUV of the property. It is therefore recommended that the Committee reiterate its request to the State Party of Bhutan to urgently submit a copy of the EIA and to provide an update on the project to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and to consult with the State Party of India regarding the assessment of potential impacts of this project on the OUV of the property.