Centre for Ecological Service Management (CESM)

Introduction
The Centre for Ecological Services Management of (CESM) intends to be an interdisciplinary centre at the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal. It aims to address crucial policy issues associated with the complex relationship between ecological, social, economic, legal and institutional aspects of ecosystems management. Several initiatives have been taken by organizations on the issues of environment and development in south and south east Asia, but the number of professional organization working on the related issues on valuation and markets of ecosystem services is very small. CESM would specifically address this crucial gap. The Centre has been undertaking research, consultancy, teaching, training, writing activities as well as preparing data base on the values of ecosystem services, undertake ecological-economy modeling and develop and standardize techniques of valuation of ecosystem service and impact studies of degradation on improvement of such services on ecological services and social aspects. It also conducts seminars, round tables, policy discussion, workshops, dissemination workshops and training programmes on the important policy dimensions of the relationship between ecology, economy leading towards sustainable development at the regional, national and global levels. IIFM being a national institute, CESM intends to develop a close working relationship with policy makers in the government, NGOs, industry, exchange platforms and international organizations related to sustainable development to strengthen the think tank role of IIFM for environmental conservation. The centre also networks with national and international academic and professional organizations and promotes professional exchanges.

OBJECTIVE AND CORE ACTIVITIES

To conduct action and policy research for ecological services management and function as a think tank to generate an appreciation for ecological services, their physical assessment, valuation and establish payment mechanism for such services.
To collaborate with national and international organizations to mutually learn from each others expertise
To provide teaching inputs for various PG programmes of IIFM
To conduct short terms certificate courses and training programmes for participants from government, research organization, non-government organizations, corporate sector, civil society and legislature.
To provide platform for policy discussion amongst various stake holders through seminars, conferences, workshops and round tables.
To publish policy briefs, working papers and generate bibliographical references by collating activities undertaken by national and international organizations in the area of ecological services management.
To provide consulting services for analytical and policy inputs.
To evolve exchange programmes (visiting fellows/ researchers and students) and have Ph.D. positions

The centre has focus on Ecological services like water production and watershed conservation, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation and bio-prospecting, ecotourism and landscape conservation are being addressed for the forest, mangroves, water resources, wetlands, agroforestry and landscapes including grassland ecosystems mainly in Trans Himalayan and Himalayan region, Western Ghats, Eastern mangroves and Islands. The Areas of work of the Centre include Ecosystem services physical estimation, data generation, ecosystem modeling, estimation and valuation of carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, landscape beauty etc., environment and conservation finance, impact assessment, developing market for ecological services, issues relating to instruments for ecosystem service conservation like tradable permits, CDM, taxation and subsidies, ecological services and livelihood management, institutions and environmental governance process for sustainable management of economic services. The activities undertaken by the CESM since its establishment in 2007.

Contact Details of CESM:
Prof. Advait Edgaonkar - Chairperson,
Centre for Ecological Services Management (CESM)
Indian Institute of Forest Management,
(An Autonomous Institute under Ministry of Environment and Forests)
P.O. Box No. 357, Nehru Nagar, Bhopal-462003, Madhya Pradesh

Members: Prof. Dhanya Bhasker, Prof. Ashish David & Dr.Manish Mishra

Completed Projects

Strengthening Capacity to Alleviate Poverty through Ecosystem Services (SCAPES) – Putting Methodological Development into Practice in India" (2008-2010) : funded by NERC and DFID.
CNRM Institutions and Poverty Reduction in Gujarat And Madhya Pradesh" funded by Shastri Millennial Development Goals Research Grant (2009-2011) executed by the UBC, Canada, GIDR & DSC, Ahmedabad & IIFM, Bhopal.
Toolkit for valuation of Regulating Services from Ecosystems (2008-2010)-with University of Liverpool: funded by UNEP.
Analyzing Forest Carbon Accounts for Sustainable Policy Options with Special Reference to Livelihood Issues (2010-2012) funded by Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council, DST, New Delhi and modeling support: International Institute for Applied System Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria
Estimating economic values and analyzing institutional & legal frameworks for claiming REDD+ and Ecotourism benefits for Protected Area- Ramsar Wetlands: Exploration through Loktak and Hokersar Wetlands (2010-11)
Forest Ecosystem Investment for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation in India and Rewarding Co-benefits of Forest Carbon (2011-12) with Dr. Robert Constanza funded by Fulbright Nehru Environmental Leadership Program, 2011-12 fellowship awarded by United States International Education Foundation, Washington DC, USA
Modifying/updating guidelines for cost-benefit analysis for forest diversion (2012-13) funded by Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India

Ongoing Projects

High Conservation Value Forests: An Instrument for Effective Forest Fiscal Federalism in India (2013-14) funded by the Fourteenth Finance Commission of India

Completed Projects

Developing Mechanism for Compensating States for Managing Large Geographical Areas Under Forest (2008-09) funded by the Thirteenth Finance Commission of India
Valuation and Accounting of Ecosystem Services from Forests of Himachal Pradesh (2010-2013) funded by Himachal Pradesh Forest Department
Capacity-building national planning for food security (2011-13) funded by United Nations Environment Programme
Recalculation of rates of Net Present Value for different class/category of forests (2012-13) funded by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India

Ongoing Projects

Economic valuation of tiger reserves of India (2013-14) funded by National Tiger Conservation Authority, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India
CBD-HLP funded by CBD Secretariat through WCMC, Cambridge, U.K.

Upcoming Projects

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) India Study – IIFM as the National Host Institution (2011-2016) for MoEF

Economics of Biodiversity : The Economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity (TEEB)'s Efforts in Recognizing the Value of Biodiversity, 13th October, 2009, WWF, New Delhi with GIST, New Delhi and IIT, Mumbai
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity-Emerging Messages for National Planners at Sustainable Development and Policy Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan during SDPI's 12th Sustainable Development Conference on 22nd December 2009.
TEEB for National planning to reduce poverty at ADB conference on The Environments of the Poor in the Context of Climate Change and the Green Economy: Making Sustainable Development Strategies Inclusive, 24 November 2010 in New Delhi.
Launch workshop "stakeholder consultations On Conservation and sustainable use of Biodiversity & the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity In India with MoEF, GIST and IIT-B ; February, 2011
One day Stakeholder consultation workshop on valuing Hokersar Wetlands Ecosystem Services at Srinagar, funded by MoEF on 14.07.2011
One day Stakeholder consultation workshop on Forest Ecosystem Services Valuation Methodology at Shimla, funded by HPFD Project on 21.10.2011
Two day expert consultation workshop on India TEEB Study, funded by GIZ and DFID on September 15-16, 2011
Two day workshop on Economic Valuation and Accounting of Forest Resources for IFS Officers, funded by MoEF, GOI, New Delhi on January 30-31, 2012
Two half-day workshops with forest department and user-agencies on Recalculation of Net Present Value of forest diversion on 18-19 March 2013
One day workshop on Group Convergence Method on Recalculation of Net Present Value of forest diversion with various stakeholders such as forest department, user-agencies, research organizations, NGOs and funding agencies on 26 April 2013
Half-day Roundtable on Modifying/updating guidelines for cost-benefit analysis of forest diversion with various stakeholders such as forest department, user-agencies, research organizations, NGOs and funding agencies on 7th August 2013

Attended

Attended a training programme on Ecosystem Credit Accounting System, Training 2012 on Streams Functional Credit Calculation at Willamette Partnership, Hillsboro during 19-20 April 2012

Organised

Environmental Statistics & Natural Resource Accounting for ISS Officers, sponsored by National Academy of Statistical Analysis held on September 12-16, 2011
Training programme on Economic Valuation and Accounting for the Officers of IAS, IPS, IRS and IFS, funded by MoEF, GOI, New Delhi on January 23-25, 2012
One day Training for IFS Officers Probationers on Natural Resource Accounting of Forest Resources funded by MoEF, GOI, New Delhi on February 6, 2012
One day Training for IFS Officers Probationers on Natural Resource Accounting of Forest Resources funded by MoEF, GOI, New Delhi on February 6, 2012
Environmental Statistics & Natural Resource Accounting for ISS Officers, sponsored by National Academy of Statistical Analysis in July 2013

Proposed

Training programme on Economic Valuation and Accounting for the Officers of IAS, IPS, IRS and IFS, funded by MoEF, GOI, New Delhi propose to be held in 2013
One day Training for IFS Officers Probationers on Natural Resource Accounting of Forest Resources funded by MoEF, GOI, New Delhi propose to be held in 2013
One day Training for IFS Officers Probationers on Natural Resource Accounting of Forest Resources funded by MoEF, GOI, New Delhi propose to be held in 2013

Articles, Papers, Book Chapters

Chapters in "The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity" (TEEB), funded by UNEP, DEFRA, European Union, Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety : Core Team Member, TEEB D1 and Contributing Author for chapters on Valuation and payment for Ecosystem services in TEEB D0 and TEEB D1 respectively (2009-2010).
Climate Change Mitigation through REDD plus, Community Funds and People's Participation: a case study to highlight the current status of community funds in Harda district of MP. Community Forestry. 2010,
Climate Change Mitigation through JFM in India. Yojna, June 2010.
Nuts and Bolts of REDD+ in India. Indian Forester, February, 2011.
Guidance Manual for the Valuation of Regulating Services with University of Liverpool, UK-(2009-10)
Does internalizing the regulating services alter the poverty-ecosystem dynamics: Evidences from poverty hotspot of South Asia –December 2010
Desired Institutional and Legal Framework for Payment for Ecosystem Services in India
Change for Better, India State of Forest Report 2009; DTE
Valuing ecosystem services of wetlands – a tool for effective policy formulation and poverty alleviation (2011) – forthcoming
Economics of REDD+ as a Mitigative Strategy for Climate Change in Madhya Pradesh – forthcoming
REDD+: Carbon Market Solutions for Conserving Forests – forthcoming
Economic Valuation of Biodiversity Conservation and its Integration in Policy Assessment – forthcoming.
Estimating REDD+ and forest carbon sequestration benefits and Developing Mechanisms for Incentivizing JFM communities in Central Indian Forests of Madhya Pradesh—forthcoming
Arun K. Bansal, MadhuVerma, Rajesh Kumar, SwapanMehra, PriyankaBatra. November 2012. REDD+ Manual for Practitioners, IIFM, Bhopal
M. Verma, R. Jalan, S. Mehra, P. Batra, C. Khanna And G. Shahi 2013. Integrating ecotourism and REDD Plus mechanisms in protected area management Edited by Amitabh Kundu & Michael von Hauff. Manak Publications Pvt Ltd. in book on Climate Change and NRM in India

Reports

Developing Mechanism for Compensating States for Managing Large Geographical Areas Under Forest (2008-09) funded by the Thirteenth Finance Commission of India
Valuation and Accounting of Ecosystem Services from Forests of Himachal Pradesh (2010-2013) funded by Himachal Pradesh Forest Department
Capacity-building national planning for food security (2011-13) funded by United Nations Environment Programme
Recalculation of rates of Net Present Value for different class/category of forests (2012-13) funded by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India
Forest Ecosystem Investment for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation in India and Rewarding Co-benefits of Forest Carbon (2011-12) with Dr. Robert Constanza funded by Fulbright Nehru Environmental Leadership Program, 2011-12 fellowship awarded by United States International Education Foundation, Washington DC, US

Economic Valuation of Tiger Reserves in India: A VALUE+ Approach	Commissioned by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the study is an attempt to inform all concerned stakeholders about the benefits of tiger reserves that accrue beyond a tiger reserve boundary apart from in situ conservation gains. The study has derived economic value of 25 ecosystem services from six representative tiger reserves to highlight their contribution to the economy and society. It also found that large proportions of benefits from tiger reserves are intangible, and hence often unaccounted for in national income accounting and policy debates.
High Conservation Value Forests: an instrument for effective forest fiscal federalism	Commissioned by the XIV FINANCE Commission of India, the study made the case for higher incentives/ compensation for forest-rich states in India. It may be noted that for the first time, the XIV Finance Commission of India has included the parameter for forest cover in the devolution formula itself. This will provide unprecedented incentives for states to maintain and enhance their forest cover.
Recalculation of NPV rates for different class/category of forests	Commissioned by the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, the study has provided a more detailed matrix of NPV rates which now includes value of economic losses from 12 ecosystem services due to forest diversion.

Regional Research To Inform The High Level Panel On Global Assessment OF Resources For Implementing The Strategic Plan For Biodiversity 2011-2020

Economic Valuation of Bhoj Wetlands for Sustainable Use

Change: For The Better
India State of Forest Report 2009

Desired Institutional And Legal Environment For Implementing Pes Mechanisms In India

Ecosystem Valuation and Accounting of Himachal Forests

Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Forest Governance
A Scoping Study from Uttarakhand

Valuation of Forest Ecosystem Services in Uttarakhand
Himalayas

High Conservation Value Forests an instrument for effective forest fiscal federalism in India

Framework for forest resource accounting: factoring in the intangibles

Guidance Manual for the Valuation of Regulating Services

NUTS AND BOLTS FOR INDIA'S REDD+ CALCULUS

Integrated Modelling of Solid Waste in India