Winners of 2010 TOFT Wildlife Tourism Awards

The judges commented: Kartikeya is an exceptionally gifted naturalist and biologist, one in which any lodge would be privileged to have. Even though he is quietly spoken, he is often assigned as the guide to special visitors to the Tajsafaris lodge from where he operates.

Many of his endorsements come from experts in various fields of wildlife from across the globe, but also more tellingly, from lodge competitors in Bandavgrah. He is also a wildlife researcher, whose acclaimed research was on the desert wolves of Rajasthan.

Visitors endorsed his continued attention to details in the field when guiding. If he does not know the answer – he always finds out and tells the guest later.

Judges Comments: Rajesh is his own man and is a forceful representative for the park and his community. He is tenacious in seeking the truth of what is happening in ‘his’ park, taking the authorities in court in one poaching cover up in 2000. He won the case and was reinstated as a guide. This tenacity apart, he is a very good naturalist, well liked amongst his colleagues, always leads by example, is knowledgeable and still by the gate each day to take visitors through the park. He is today the embodiment of what a park guide should be.

Ritish and Minakshi pioneered a great approach to their lodge, with their simplistic, personally run mud hut and tented camp over eight year ago. The whole concept of design, wildlife friendliness and involvement with their local community can be seen and felt as soon as you come into camp.

Their ecofriendly practice are visible and the difference can be seen instantly. 90% of staff are local, from the next door village just a few hundred metres away, and so too many of the guides and naturalists who they employ. The camp which was barren land in 2002, now attracts more than 200 species of birds and endangered species. So good is the birdlife that they even have a popular bird hide. Elephants and tigers often move in and around the camp. Only natural lighting and lanterns are used at night. A lot of nature walking is done, and the owners are perpetually engaged in raising funds for conservation or raising key issues with parks or other bodies. Guests come as clients but leave as part of camp's family and return many times back to the camp. They received TOFT’s Outstanding PUG rating for ecological, economical and social sustainability.

If all lodges where this good and this ecologically sensitive and well managed, India would have unbeatable wildlife tourism business.

Judges comment. We were looking for a Tiger Reserve of Wildlife Sanctuary that can be an inspiration to others in the way that it had used tourism and tourism activities to effect better conservation measures, enhanced wildlife viewing experiences and supported local communities. Satpura National Park, is in the process of doing this.

The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has laid down a high ‘value’ - low impact template for this reserve, formulated in MP’s Wildlife (Protection) Rules, which reflect their long term commitment to this concept .Its aim is not to become a Tiger centric reserve, but instead offer longer elephant based sorties, excellent walks opportunities carried out by trained local guides trained by a private operator and done within the park boundaries. Furthermore ecofriendly waterborne activities like kayaking are starting. A pioneering Public/Private partnership agreement has also been established whereby a number of jeeps have been donated to the park for tourists use with revenue accruing to the park and the local community, but these vehicles can be used in the downtimes and off season for anti poaching roles.

If the Park authorities can work with tourism in such a proactive way, offer a range of wildlife watching activities and imbue responsible practices and operations from the very start of Satpura’s growth as visitor destination, then Satpura has a good chance of avoiding the high volume/high impact scenarios we see in most other parks today.

We must encourage such mutually beneficial working partnerships between conservation and tourism and hence we have given them a Highly Commended Award.

Judges comments: Help Tourism is a fascinating ecotourism business, with both private and NGO aspirations. It supported community owned tourism lodges in many places including Manas National Park with the Bodo tribal leaders. Since 1992 their efforts have reaped rewards and now include such lodges and carefully constructed itineraries in Assam, North Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh. Furthermore they are a unique business, both lodge and tour operators, operating in the conservation and community space, in off the beaten track and more remote regions. This award would highlight their team’s excellent approach to private sector's partnership with a dedicated mission, in its key destinations. www.helptourism.com

Judges Comments. Increasingly Indian agents are reacting to the demands of worldwide nature travellers to ensure more responsible and insightful itineraries, with top experts. These three companies have taken measurable steps to effect such an approach as ‘middlemen’, developing insightful relations with lodge owners and service providers that go beyond mere cost, but also demanding and then offering new and more ecofriendly nature and community based experiences for their clients to enjoy.

Judges comments: This is an superb example of a private business setting up real ecotourism enterprise in a Himalayan Wildlife Sanctuary, in which the mountain village communities have a real stakehold in the community rest homes that are carefully designed, built and services by each village community. The effect on these pretty villages has been extraordinary - an end to youth migration, responsible job creation and better and more sustainable income sources. The result is a complete turn in the wildlife and birdlife in the sanctuary. They carried 600 visitors on treks last year. www.villageways.com