Kerala tops MoEFCC’s Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE)

The effective management practices followed in the National Parks (NP) and Protected Areas (PA) of Kerala have earned the State the top position in the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) conducted by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for the period 2020-2025. Kerala was the only State to secure a “Very Good” rating with a score of 76.22%.

Other Top Performers

Following Kerala, the states of Karnataka (74.24%), Punjab (71.74%), and Himachal Pradesh (71.36%) received a “Good” rating, as per the report. Among Union Territories, Chandigarh (85.16%) topped, while Ladakh (34.9%) was the only region categorized as “Poor”.

Highest-Scoring Individual Protected Areas

• Eravikulam National Park (ENP) in Kerala and Dachigam National Park in Jammu and Kashmir emerged as the highest-scoring individual protected areas, both with a score of 92.97%.
• Mathikettan Shola National Park in Kerala was recognized as one of the “Other Well-Managed Sites” with a score of 90.63%.

Kerala’s Rich Network of Protected Areas

Kerala boasts 21 protected areas, playing a vital role in biodiversity conservation. The ENP is among the 39 serial sites of the Western Ghats, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012 for its Outstanding Universal Value.

Ecological Significance of Eravikulam National Park (ENP)

• Spread over an area of 97 sq. km, ENP represents one of the largest contiguous Shola-grassland biomes in the high ranges of the southern Western Ghats.
• It is home to the endangered Nilgiri Tahr, one of the last surviving populations.
• The park hosts about 20 species of Strobilanthes, including the famous Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthianus), which blooms once every 12 years.

Mathikettan Shola National Park: A Critical Habitat

• Covering an area of 12.82 sq. km, Mathikettan Shola NP is an important part of an elephant corridor.
• It is the only known habitat of the rare Galaxy Frog, although the MEE assessment highlighted that systematic ecological monitoring is lacking for this species.

About the MEE Assessment

The MEE score is derived from a comprehensive assessment of various factors, including the performance and management practices of protected areas over time. A total of 438 National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries were evaluated during the 2020-2025 cycle.

(Source: TH)