Kohima: Nagaland officials and community leaders met at Hotel Acacia in Dimapur on September 3. They gathered to overhaul the state's biodiversity roadmap. The Nagaland State Biodiversity Board hosted the event alongside the Nagaland Community Conserved Areas Forum, The Nature Conservancy Centre, and the Foundation for Ecological Security.
Fifty-nine community leaders from 15 districts attended the meeting. NCCAF chairperson Heirang Lungalang led the session. APCCF Territorial Supongnukshi Ao served as chief guest. NSBB Member Secretary Sidramappa M Chalkapure also joined the discussions. The group debated land restoration, waterbody recovery, and sustainable resource use.
They want local voices heard. The board is revising the Nagaland State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan to match India's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2024 to 2030 and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The state released its first plan in 2005. It updated the document in May 2022 to include 12 targets aligned with Aichi standards.
Organizers are collecting community feedback to guide the next steps. Experts from The Nature Conservancy Centre and the Foundation for Ecological Security noted their commitment to grassroots projects. They stated they have been "working to strengthen community-led conservation efforts in Nagaland." The state plans two more sessions this month. These upcoming meetings will include staff from the Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, regional universities, and sectoral experts.
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