FOUNDATION AND FDA Parambikulam is home of four indigenous communities residing in six tribal settlements with 296 families and total population of 1254 individuals. Till the year 2000, the people in the settlements were solely dependent on the timber operations in the plantations of the reserve. Ban on timber extraction for commercial purpose from the Protected Areas by the order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court resulted in large scale unemployment among the local tribal communities which in turn increased over-exploitation of natural forests for non-timber forest produces, fishing in the reservoirs, collection of firewood, small scale poaching etc.  Adding to this was the unregulated tourism activities and consequent damages to the natural ecosystem through uncontrolled use of vehicles inside the reserve, large scale dumping of plastic wastes, garbage and mineral water bottles, disturbance to wildlife and destruction of habitat by fire. Forest Development Agency, Parambikulam is a society constituted from this background for implementing various developmental programs for the inhabitants of Parambikulam. It was registered under the Societies’ Registration Act, 1955, during October 2002. Parambikulam FDA consists of 8 Eco-Development Committees, namely 1. Sungam EDC 2. Kadavu EDC 3. Anjam Colony EDC 4. Kuriyarkutty EDC 5. Poopara EDC 6. Earthdam EDC 7. Naturalists’ EDC 8. Watchers’ EDC Of which the first 6 are EDC’s that include all inhabitants of the respective Tribal Hamlet (from which the EDC derives its name). The remaining two are professional EDCs, which is constituted by people who are working in that particular designation for the Tiger Reserve. All these EDCs together include all the indigenous residents of these Forests. The Tourism activities presently being undertaken here are completely run by the Parambikulam FDA, which in extension means the local communities. In addition to Tourism, the Parambikulam Eco-Village and Eco-shops are also run the EDC members. When Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in 2013, as per Section 38 X of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundation (PaTCoF) was established as a non-profit organization working under Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in 2014. As per the Act, many of the activities which were already being carried out by Parambikulam FDA were amalgamated with PaTCoF and thus receiving statutory support. In the present arrangement Parambikulam Forest Development Agency (FDA) manages the Ecotourism and Eco-Developmental initiatives of Parambikulam Tiger Reserve while PaTCoF is engaged in Wildlife Monitoring, Research, Capacity Development, Species Survey and other scientific/technical aspects related to managing the Tiger Reserve Objectives of Parambikulam FDA and PaTCoF Facilitate and support management of Tiger Reserve for conservation of Tiger and biodiversity. Facilitate ecological, economic, social and cultural development of the communities living inside the tiger reserve. Provide sustainable and assured employment opportunities to the indigenous communities year-round. Involve the forest dependent community in the execution of developmental programmes and make the functioning fully participatory. Creating a funnel mechanism through which assistance under various schemes of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India and other sources would flow. Liaising with other Government Departments and Agencies to develop and implement eco-friendly village development programmes. To create an effective mechanism in order to ensure that this becomes a medium for other departments to reach beneficiaries as well. Providing effective monitoring, evaluation and supervision of the schemes implemented by member EDCs Undertaking such activities as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the objects of the Society. Facilitating the creation of/or maintenance of, such assets as may be necessary for fulfilling the above said objectives. Soliciting technical, financial, social, legal and other support required for the activities of the Foundation for achieving the above said objectives. Augmenting and mobilising financial resources including recycling of entry and such other fees received in a tiger reserve, to foster stake-holder development and eco-tourism. Supporting research, environmental education and training in the above related fields. Glimpse of the Activities of Parambikulam FDA and PaTCoF In the Resources tab, Annual Reports of PaTCoF can be downloaded which contains the detailed list of activities undertaken by the Foundation over the years.