Foundation for Ecological Security (FES)
Spread across diverse ecological and social geographies, FES works towards conservation of nature and natural resources through collective action of local communities. The crux of FES efforts lie in locating forests and other natural resources within the prevailing economic, social and ecological dynamics in rural landscapes. Globally, FES hopes to see an increasing influence on two fundamental issues in governing shared natural resources a socio-ecological systems approach and a Commons paradigm, which together could have far reaching impact on world views on development.
In India, FES has played a pioneering role in furthering the concept of Commons as an effective instrument of local governance, as economic assets for the poor and for the viability of adjoining farmlands. It has also highlighted that by strengthening the institutional dimension, the collective action spins off from effectively managing natural resources to other spheres of village life such as education, health and access to economic opportunities.
The three fundamental dimensions or cornerstones of FES are:
- Ecological Restoration
- Commons and Community Institutions
- Rural Livelihoods
As on September 2018, FES works with 16,600 village institutions in 31 districts across eight states, and assists the village communities in protecting 5.91 million acres of common lands including revenue wastelands, degraded forest lands and Panchayat grazing lands, positively impacting 9.14 million rural people across 8 states of India. We support Panchayats and their subcommittees, Village Forest Committees, Gramya Jungle Committees, Water Users Associations and Watershed Committees in order to improve the governance of natural resources. Regardless of the form of the institution, FES strives for universal membership and an equal access of women and poor in decision making.