NBA Sanctions ₹82 Lakh for Red Sanders Conservation in Andhra Pradesh

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), headquartered in Chennai, has sanctioned ₹82 lakh to the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board (APBB) for the conservation of the endemic and highly threatened Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus). The initiative will raise one lakh saplings, to be supplied to farmers under the Trees Outside Forests (ToF) programme, thereby linking conservation efforts directly with livelihood support.

Funding Through Access and Benefit Sharing

The funds are being released under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (amended in 2023). ABS ensures that benefits derived from biological resources are shared equitably with local stakeholders, including communities, individuals, and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).

The ₹82 lakh has been drawn from the benefit-sharing contributions paid by users of Red Sanders, meaning the revenue generated from its utilisation is now being reinvested in conservation and community support. This amount is over and above any sale proceeds or direct financial returns already earned by stakeholders.

NBA officials said the sanction exemplifies how policy instruments can transform biodiversity protection into community-driven conservation action.

Why Red Sanders Matters

• Native Range: Red Sanders grows naturally in the Southern Eastern Ghats, particularly in the districts of Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.

• High Threat Levels: Its reddish timber is prized worldwide for its ornamental value and medicinal properties, leading to rampant smuggling and illegal trade.

• Legal Protection:

  • Listed under Schedule VI of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

  • Included in Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), which strictly regulates international trade.

• Cultural and Economic Value: The species has been traditionally valued in handicrafts, spiritual rituals, and Ayurvedic medicine, making it economically significant for local communities.

Past Investments in Protection

The NBA has already sanctioned ₹31.55 crore to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department over recent years for Red Sanders conservation. These funds were primarily directed towards forest protection, patrolling, and curbing smuggling.

The current funding of ₹82 lakh, however, takes a grassroots approach, directly involving local and tribal communities in:

• Nursery development and seedling care.

• Plantation drives under the ToF programme.

• Long-term monitoring and maintenance.

• Skill-building for conservation-linked livelihoods.

Empowering Communities and BMCs

This initiative is expected to strengthen Biodiversity Management Committees, ensuring that local and tribal communities act as custodians of biodiversity. The work will generate rural employment, build conservation-related skills, and enhance local stewardship over biological resources.

“This is more than conservation—it’s about linking people, policy, and ecology,” said an official, noting that community involvement reduces dependency on smuggling networks and incentivises legal, sustainable use.

Aligning With National and Global Goals

The move contributes directly to India’s National Biodiversity Targets and supports the country’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). By focusing on an endemic and endangered species, the initiative also reinforces India’s role in achieving the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which stresses equitable benefit-sharing and ecosystem restoration.

A Step Toward Sustainable Futures

With Red Sanders increasingly endangered due to illegal extraction, this initiative represents a shift from top-down enforcement to bottom-up conservation. By empowering farmers and communities to plant and care for Red Sanders, the NBA and APBB aim to ensure the species survives as a living heritage of the Eastern Ghats while also providing economic benefits to local people.