IUCN SSC Western Ghats Plant Specialist Group

I am keen to understand the interactions between people and nature which contribute towards maintaining sustainability and resilience in the ecosystem. I use interdisciplinary approaches of ecological monitoring and participatory ethnographic methods. My specific areas of research have been (a) ecology of non timber forest products ranging from wild honey to plant products and the impact of harvesting practices on the dynamics of forests (b) traditional ecological knowledge and management systems of forest users and their implications for conservation (c) land use changes and ecological restoration for biodiversity management. I am keen to see the mainstreaming of conservation action especially in the context of India where poverty alleviation often gets priority over conservation needs. Mentoring students and non scholars to understand conservation issues within the paradigm of balancing conservation and livelihoods is my area of focus in communication. I have a PhD in Botany from the University of Hawaii and a Masters in Ecology from the Salim Ali School of Ecology Pondicherry University India. I am part of the governing body of the Nilgiri Natural History Society which aims to mainstream conservation through civil society action.