Thelivingearth

08/02/2024

We are honored to present our research paper entitled on "Community empowerment through biodiversity conservation by The Living Earth Tours: A Case of social entrepreneurship in Kerala" at the CESTour Conference 2024.

We are grateful for the opportunity provided by the " Birla Institute of Management Technology" and the "CESTour Erasmus+ programme of the European Union" to share insights on sustainable tourism practices in Kerala. The conference promises insightful discussions and forward-thinking solutions.

Our study highlights the transformative impact of social entrepreneurship in the preservation of biodiversity and the empowerment of local communities. It elucidates the grassroot level initiatives and their pivotal role in ensuring conservation based tourism.

Together, let's explore how community empowerment and biodiversity conservation can shape the future of sustainable tourism for all. 🌟


🌏✨

19/05/2022

When our country is planning to construct the second largest dam on the river Brahmaputra at a cost of 50,000 crores, to ensure water security, a large number of dams are being removed from the rivers in Europe to rectify their past mistake which disturbs the very foundation of ecological stability. Through this, ecological flow can be restored to enhance climate resilience and to restore a wide spectrum of biodiversity from eagles to otters. Dams fragment the river, deteriorate the water quality, alter the landscape along with species composition, affect migratory fish routes, and negatively impact the riverine biodiversity, resulting in coastal erosion and beach disappearance which in turn will affect the nesting grounds for turtles whose ecosystem services to the fishing sector is immeasurable, generate greenhouse gas emission, hinder nutrients distribution, etc.
The mere thought of this is seriously disturbing. Being the second most populated country whose dependency on monsoon is vital for ensuring food and water security, do we have the luxury to restore healthy, free-flowing rivers. Climate change has already impacted the timing and the intensity of rainfall and its repercussion can be witnessed in the form of extreme floods and droughts. At this juncture when climate change along with increasing population and rapid unsustainable development is choking our water and food security, do we have the luxury to stand with the short-term solution, or do we have a better strategy to address this crisis? Assuring food and water security is the basic responsibility of the government but what about the sustainability factor?
Good air to breathe, pure water to drink, and healthy food for consumption is our basic right as well as our privilege. Only a healthy, living earth can assure us that luxury.

The Centre has planned to build India's second-largest dam on the Brahmaputra river at Yingkiong in Arunachal Pradesh.

09/12/2021

Ministry of culture, Department of water resources and Wildlife Institute of India is celebrating Nadi Mahotsav and inviting you all to showcase your creative skills in the form of Vlogging/ blogging, Photography and Painting!
Come join us in the celebrations.

11/08/2021

Orchid friendly tourism, an innovative approach to Sustainable Tourism.

Training to tourism stakeholders to create orchid conservation centres in their properties. A status will be assigned based on performance and promoted through Living Earth Tours.

This workshop is exclusively for the selected Living Earth members based on their conviction and commitment for making this planet a better place to live in.

11/08/2021

Orchid friendly tourism, an innovative approach to Sustainable Tourism.

Training to tourism stakeholders to create orchid conservation centres in their properties. A status will be assigned based on performance and promoted through Living Earth Tours.

This workshop is exclusively for the selected Living Earth members based on their conviction and commitment for making this planet a better place to live in.

29/07/2021

According to the distribution of species, organism and ecosystem, India is divided into 10 biogeographic zones. Vegetation/ flora of any landscape is determined by it's topography and rainfall pattern. Accordingly, fauna has evolved or placed themselves in a suitable habitat. Rivers become the blood veins of that landscape, and their banks witnessed the evolution of human civilization, along with their culture and traditions. Everything is closely associated within the web of nature and their actions depend on varying seasons, natural resources and biodiversity around. Without understanding and preserving these ground matrix, we cant protect or preserve the culture and tradition of our communities. Therefore we have that responsibility, to conserve and restore that ground matrix, on which the very base of human foundation rest.

10/07/2021

Neela kurinji 2021. Even though this strobilanthes species is not kunthianus, it hardly resist the flow of crowd from all corners. After experiencing the nature of unmanaged crowd, had a doubt whether the species survive in this part of landscape where restrictions are limited. It was pouring when we started our journey, so never expected anything miraculous, only wish to meet a friend at Shanthanpan. Fortunately the weather turned really awesome when we reached the destination. So we decided to have a look at these rare phenomena of Nature.
Our happiness was short-lived when we saw people, irrespective of gender and age, coming down the mountain with hand full of uprooted strobilanthes plant. We had no other option other than to act but the sad part is that, the people who read and heard the news about Kurinji already knew its conservation importance but still want someone to impose on them strongly. Most of the people where from local communities or the friends of local communities. I was wondering whether an outsider can impose such restriction if we were there without Asish Varghese. Being a local, he was able to convince them without hurting their ego. Its more like a carrot and stick approach.
I always believed in local hero's of conservation rather than expecting a savior from outside to come and protect our precious biodiversity. We should be proud of what we have and should be able to preserve such wonders for our future generation to cherish and appreciate.
I would like to appreciate Vinayak Ayyakunnel and Sreejith V Nair for their timely and well needed support backup to Asish Varghese
#

#

Without the involvement and commitment of local communities, it's impossible to protect the biodiversity outside protected area network. A beautiful story of...

27/06/2021

02/05/2021

We had a beautiful world which teaches us to live in harmony for sustaining, not only human race but also the biodiversity all around. It's time to thank Nature for the wonderful climate, abundant oxygen supply, fresh water for our body and soul as well as n number of other services which form the base of human existence. These are not our rights but special privileges of being a part of it wonderful creations.

20/10/2020

Thelivingearth is an association of like minded people who take the responsibility of creating a better world through tourism. Rather than talk, we believe in impact, therefore we only associate with people who do climate friendly tourism and should be ready to take the responsibility of promoting sustainable tourism in that region. We believe in regional heros rather than one man show because each one of us is responsible for the well being of our Planet and it's biodiversity.

30/08/2020

The Living Earth wishes you a Very Happy Onam!

05/08/2020

Hey people!!! We have won Two Oscars! Oh, Not a joke.🤩

When you are into a service sector, what else will be an Oscar than being *“The People’s choice”*

Yes, we are happy & proud to share that two properties of thelivingearth has been awarded as *“Traveller’s Choice 2020” by TripAdvisor.* Thank you, TripAdvisor and People, to choose our properties!

Properties:
*Monsoon Retreat Eco stay, Thekkady,* for a Cherishing getaway admits the breezing natural spirit, yet not disturb the nature anyways.

*Wind Valley Homestay, Ramakelmedu,* for a convenient home away from home with authentic cuisines and beautiful scenic features.
And with no doubt, these properties meet up with the vision of Living Earth.

Living Earth, will always continue to deliver its best in the terms of services while meeting the terms of conservation through *Responsible Tourism* activities that connect the Local Community & *Community Centric Tourism* for the *Environmental & Economic* growth to enrich the *biodiversity*.

We Live in the Earth so that We Love the Earth!

@ India

01/08/2020

The Living Earth is elated to present "The Ancient Development Program", to revitalize the culture with the help of local communities. Responsible gives, gives you the opportunity not only to travel responsibly but also allows you to encourage art while supporting the artists to promote it for the future generation. And this program aspires to revive the local farms, artists, communities that are badly affected by COVID.

Get in to know the secrets of the ancient martial art of India, "Kalaripayattu" from its best warriors.

Get the hang of YOGA, to tame the mind by exploring the unexplored and untapped potential of the human mind and body.

Get the knack of Nature, the mother of all creation, and be a part of our Community-Oriented Conservation program. Assimilate and discover while contributing to quantifying the local Biodiversity for Biodiversity mapping.

Along with that, you will get an opportunity to revive your body with a healthy organic diet that too in the laps of nature.

21/07/2020

The Living Earth joined hands with India Biodiversity portal for mapping local Biodiversity of the living earth partners. Data will be collected with the help of community oriented Tourism. This will help us in promoting citizen science and also help us to use tourism as a effective tool for future conservation planning. Thanks to Hari Krishnan, Ravi Chellam and Thomas Vattakaven for making this portal possible.

Link: https://indiabiodiversity.org/group/The_Living_Earth/show

11/07/2020

05/07/2020

In the ushering Anthropocene, where Amazon has reached us as an open market strategy rather than the mighty river, the fate of biodiversity mirrors the trajectory of the latter: either compromise space with humans or get pushed to oblivion. Unprecedented human expansion has drastically sheared the range and imperilled the survival of biodiversity globally. India, although being home to 1.3 billion people, remains a biodiversity hotspot. Tension between humans and wildlife is high, as they fight for survival and space. Yet, miraculously India projectsoptimistic biodiversity scenarios e.g., a) 70% of the global tiger population is in India, b) the global Asiatic lion population survives only in India and it has been growing, c) elephants have been increasing although forests are declining, and d) probably the highest density of wild leopards in the world is found close to one of the busiest cities on this planet, Mumbai. What created this enigmatic piece of coexistence? And is it feasible to have a mix of humans and dangerous animals in close proximity?

In the ushering Anthropocene, where Amazon has reached us as an open market strategy rather than the mighty river, the fate of biodiversity mirrors the traje...

05/07/2020

What we need now is a working and collaboration for effective implementation of and . certification should be developed adding three more critical components along with Energy consumption and pollution treatment, that should be the ecosystem they preserve for storage or quantities of greenery preserved, valuation (how we learn to co exist with other species on earth) and how we link the economy to the and .

Then the most important question arise, why tourism need such certification and what are the benefits in terms of Monetary value as well as branding for adapting such practice. Who will accept and promote such valuation?

There comes the need of . In the era of climate change, individual effort can hardly address the impact. No doubt, organizations are already in place but their impact on lower strata or in most polluting countries are yet to be addressed. For that we need global commitment for accountable tourism practice...

04/07/2020

Special talk on endemic turtles of Western Ghats by Dr.Deepak Veerappan

For registration, please fill up the contact details in the below link. Meeting link will be send to the registered mail addresses.

https://surveyheart.com/form/5f001704ebb1c852ec9d248c

This is the webinar WhatsApp group, where the details of the webinar will be posted regularly. Please join: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Elqeb6bW5la6Ba3jOgbNn2

03/07/2020

Sleep or sleep-like behaviour has been observed in most animals examined, from invertebrates to mammals. Sleep is ecologically important as it makes the sleeping animal vulnerable to predators and heat loss. The evolution of sleep and its ecological context, however, remain poorly understood. Using Agama lizards, this young researcher assessed sleep site selection and their relevance in predator-avoidance. He further examine how conserved sleep sites are for lizards, with respect to habitat modification. Finally, he outline the likely relevance of sleep ecology as an evolutionary driver, its application to conservation, and other research directions.

Nitya Mohanty is an ecologist by training, has a doctorate in invasion biology, and is currently a Raman post-doctoral researcher at the Indian Institute of ...

02/07/2020

Eleventh webinar on theme " Befriending Biodiversity Conservation through tourism"

For registration, please fill up the contact details in the below link. Zoom link will be send to the registered mail addresses.

https://surveyheart.com/form/5efca6f7d801cb388467e50d

This is the webinar WhatsApp group, where the details of the webinar will be posted regularly. Please join: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Elqeb6bW5la6Ba3jOgbNn2

01/07/2020

This is actually a must watch session with Glenn Mandziuk, President and CEO of Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. A lesson to be learnt and replicated in each state...

The team of Living Earth is honoured to have the presence of Glenn Mandzuik and his team of TOTA for our webinar series “Befriending Bio diversity :Conservat...

28/06/2020

Prof. Geoff Lipman Co-Founder at The SUNx Program, President SUNx Malta will be our finale speaker on Climate Friendly Travel and Low Carbon with a link to the Paris 1.5 Trajectory on 1st of July, 2020. SUNx - Strong Universal Network - is a program of the EU based, not for profit Green Growth and Travelism Institute, and a legacy to the late Maurice Strong - Sustainable Development Pioneer

28/06/2020

Prof. Geoffrey Lipman Co-Founder at The SUNx Program, President SUNx Malta will be our finale speaker on Climate Friendly Travel and Low Carbon with a link to the Paris 1.5 Trajectory on 1st of July, 2020.

27/06/2020

Wonderful session with Ajay Desai

Mr. Ajay Desai - the panel speaker for our Webinar seminar on 20th June 2020 for our Webinar series “ Befriending Biodiversity: Conservation through Tourism”...

27/06/2020

Ninth webinar on theme " Befriending Biodiversity Conservation through tourism"

For registration, please fill up the contact details in the below link. Zoom link will be send to the registered mail addresses.

https://surveyheart.com/form/5ef5ea0b275e7c59c1264858

This is the webinar WhatsApp group, where the details of the webinar will be posted regularly.

Please join:

https://chat.whatsapp.com/Elqeb6bW5la6Ba3jOgbNn2

27/06/2020

Nishant is a researcher jointly based at the Department of Zoology (University of Oxford) and the Wildlife Institute of India. In Delhi, he tries to understand opportunistic animal responses to resources provided by humans, and how centuries of coexistence have tied urban ecology of commensals with religiously founded patronage and ritual animal feeding by people. He is currently interested in understanding the socio-economic impacts of scavenging ecosystem services provided by opportunistic commensals and how their biocultural links are vital for a sustainable urban future in South Asia.

Sustainable Urban Future in South Asia: A Birds Eye View of Human- Animal Convviality Nishant is a researcher jointly based at the Department of Zoology (Uni...