Bangalore CMS VATAVARAN 2006
Environment and Wildlife Travelling Film Festival
6-8 October, 2006, Alliance Francaise de Bangalore, Vasanth Nagar, Bangalore

ATREE

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) was established in 1996 to help curtail the rapid degradation and loss of India's biological resources and natural ecosystems, and to address the environmental, social and economic dimensions of this decline. ATREE seeks to accomplish this goal by generating new knowledge, improving policy and governance related to biodiversity conservation, and incorporating environmental goals into mainstream society through conservation education and entrepreneurship that empowers citizens

Over the last decade, ATREE has emerged as a premier institution working on biodiversity conservation through interdisciplinary research and conservation projects. Working with its partners, ATREE has generated new knowledge, attempted to improve the economic well being of rural communities, and provided conservation education in schools and universities. The various projects have combined the principles of natural and social sciences to endorse sustainable development as the crucial counterpart to the conservation of biological diversity. These interventions have enhanced the capacity of governmental and non-governmental organizations to address environmental challenges, and framed conservation goals through policy analysis and research. The education and outreach projects have resulted in diverse platforms for work with rural and urban communities.

ATREE consists of an International Panel of Advisors and an equally distinguished Executive Board. The Board of Trustees and Executive Board oversee the management of activities and provide directions. With of staff strength of more than 100 persons, ATREE has emerged as one of the largest conservation organizations in the country.

ATREE'S PROGRAMMES

The research programmes in ATREE focus mainly on increasing the depth of our understanding of India's biodiversity with a multi-disciplinary approach. This is being achieved by researchers from a multitude of disciplines focussing on (i) conservation of biological diversity and promoting sustainable development, (ii) improving institutional and policy framework for protection of the environment, and (iii) strengthening the capacity of government and non-government organizations to using the best knowledge and data to solve environmental problems.

At present the work at ATREE is focused on conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity, particularly the impact of land use change and deforestation on ecosystem services, including water and climate, and agricultural productivity; social and economic drivers of land use change; mapping of biodiversity; enterprise based approach to conservation; conservation and management of forest genetic resources; and policy and action related to conservation and use of forests.