The Agasthyamalai Community Conservation Centre (ACCC) was established in the foot hills of the Agasthyamalai in 2001 as one of several community based conservation centres (CCC) established by ATREE. The overall goal was to understand how ecosystems respond to natural and anthropogenic changes and what governing mechanisms and management regimes exists in the region to address specific biodiversity conservation issues. It was also to reach out to diverse group of local stakeholders, imbibe community knowledge and learnings, and stress the importance of the Agasthyamalai forests to a larger diverse community through research and outreach programs in and around the iconic Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR).
The geographical focus of ACCC is the eastern slopes of Agasthyamalai Hill range that is a source for many rivers that seamlessly merge to form the perennial Tamiraparani river which straddles the two districts of Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi in southern Tamil Nadu (Figure.1). River Tamiraparani is the lifeline that traverses through the parched and arid landscape (12,000km2) sustaining extensive paddy and banana agriculture, harbouring important social, cultural and biodiversity landmarks.
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