Activities

Wetland conservation, being the thrust area of activity of SAFE, draws the major efforts and attention. High altitude wetlands, watersheds and fresh water lakes of Eastern Himalayan terrains were the work fields for SAFE to begin with. Grus nigricolis, the Black Necked Cranes of Tibet, which migrate to the Eastern Himalayan valleys and wetlands of Bhutan in November, are currently under threat of anthropogenic stress owing to economic development, industrialization and electrification programmes in eastern Bhutan. SAFE is still working towards the restoration of habitat ecology of the winter roosting ground of these Red Listed birds. It also undertook studies on drying high altitude lakes of this area and proposed measures for ecological restoration. Even the glacial Lakes of Eastern Himalayas those are reportedly spawning due to global climate change, posing a potent threat of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood, has been taken up by SAFE for a risk assessment study in collaboration with other international organizations for better flood mitigation and damage control. Similarly, in the lower watershed of rivers of Himalayan origin and their floodplains along the border areas of Nepal, India and Bhutan, the work of conserving these wetlands for sustainable development of the waterlogged area is presently vested with SAFE. It has been mobilizing its persistent efforts towards community based sustainable environmental development in these countries of South East Asia. Currently, it is also working towards implementation of low-cost agro-technology to encourage ecofriendly practices and propagation of alternate farming options to save overexploitation of natural resources and habitat damage. Further down in Sundarbans that are the world's greatest accreting delta of the Ganga-Brahmaputra river system, where the mangrove vegetation hosting a great biodiversity is at stake owing to anthropogenic stress, SAFE is involved in coastal conservation through an integrated community based approach. Scientists of SAFE has also extended its support in Biodiversity Indexing and Environmental Impact Assessment Studies as well for Landslide Damages and hazard management to Royal Government of Bhutan and has worked in collaboration with Asian Development Bank for assessing impacts of Mini Hydel Power Plants on the ‘Run off River' on watershed management, in Bhutan Nepal and India. The Indian chapter of SAFE aspires to be a watch dog of environmental conservation in South East Asia and is under oath to develop awareness and conscious Eco-citizenship. It is also planning to extend its programmed efforts for school children, rural community, economic incentive schemes to motivate ecofriendly agro-practices and in advocating occupational eco-friendly environment.

Our Achivements

SAFE and its scientific team had successfully completed a number of projects and disseminated the results and breakthroughs in environmental research with local stakeholders, administrators and international scientific communities. Some of these are as under;

 a) Ecological Restoration of High altitude fresh water lakes of eastern Himalayas

 b) Studies on Regeneration problems and in-vitro propagation of some endemic broad leave species of Eastern Himalayas

 c) Ecophysiological studies and conservation biology of some rare plants of ethnobotanical importance

 d) EIA scheme for landslide damages and landslide forecast techniques in eastern Bhutan

 e) Community based alternate agro-practices for non-timber forest products in India and Bhutan

 f) Community based coastal ecology management in India , Bhutan and Bangladesh

SAFE has been supported and sponsored by a number of international organization and agencies which includes Bhutan Trust Fund for Conservation of Nature, Royal Society for Protection of Nature, British Ecological Society, International Lake Environment Committee, Society for Experimental Biology UK, International Society for Conservation Biology and also from UNEP and UNFPA. SAFE is gratis member of International Impact Assessment Association, USA, Conservation International, USA, Society for Wetlands International, USA and International Disaster Reduction Committee Switzerland. Members of SAFE have been recipient of Research Excellency Award in Natural Resource Management from Government of Bhutan, International Scientists Award from FAO (UN) and International Society for Wetland Scientists (USA), and Travel Grant Awards from Shiga and Ibaraki Prefectures of government of Japan. Recently the prestigious Kasumiguara International Award 2003 for conservation of Lakes and Wetlands conferred by ILEC, Japan and IAGLR, USA in Chicago has been a great achievement for SAFE. Award of Gratis membership from International Society of Wetland Scientists and International Society for conservation Biology, USA and invitation of SAFE members to UNESCO-ORI workshop in UN University, Japan are also recognitions of the commendable work SAFE is carrying out in third world developing countries overcoming immense resource constraints

 i. Current activity priority: Conservation of floodplain wetlands and restoration of coastal habitats.

 ii. Size of staff : Total 14 (This includes 2 paid office staffs, 3 Research assistants, 6 Research Executives and 3 Programme Directors)

 ii. Total Members: General 58, Students 36.

Recent Activities and Achievements of SAFE: 2004 to 2009