The Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Fellowship Programme

The Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Fellowship Programme aims to support individuals who are deeply committed to efforts in conserving biodiversity, protecting habitats, and keeping in check the exploitation of nature and natural resources. Registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950, the Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Trust supports activities that contribute to sustaining and enhancing India’s Ecological Security, particularly its basic life support systems, through protecting, restoring and enriching India’s natural ecosystems including conservation of the endangered and endemic species as well as restoration of fragile ecosystems. The fellowship programme would be administered by the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES).

About the Fellowship

The Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Fellowship programme would support initiatives that contribute to sustaining and enhancing India’s ecological security by protecting, restoring and enriching India’s forest cover, conserving endemic and endangered plant and animal species and their habitats, and restoring fragile ecosystems. The activities that would receive support under the programme will be action-oriented and could include efforts which:

1. Conserve and restore landscapes, habitats, species and natural resources.
2. Highlight the ecological significance of lesser known biodiversity and biodiversity-rich areas.
3. Conserve critical wildlife habitats and ecologically sensitive areas from interventions that could potentially have an adverse effect on the environment, communities and their livelihoods.
4. Promote judicious land-use practises in human dominated landscapes; promote innovative approaches towards environmental problems, concerns and environmental decision-making.
5. Work for the improvement of environmental governance
6. Mobilise public opinion for better environmental legislation and effective implementation.

Initiatives that seek to highlight and revitalize key ecological processes, conserve endemic and endangered biodiversity and their habitats; and address specific threats to ecosystems and landscapes will especially be encouraged through the Fellowship Programme. Proposals that have an explicitly stated geographic and thematic focus stand a better chance of being selected for the Fellowship Programme.

The Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Fellowship Programme will be open to Indian citizens with relevant experience. Individuals employed or associated with an organisation may also apply. The fellowship will be for a maximum period of two years and selected Fellows will receive an allowance, up to Rs. 2.5 lakhs per annum, the exact amount depending on the Fellow’s plan of action and budget proposed.

The Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Fellows may be required to attend periodic events, workshops and visit the work of the other Fellows to share their experiences, and garner support for their work. The selected Fellows should be open to guidance and assistance from a peer organization or individual.

Application Details

Applications are open until 31st October 2012.

Applications may be emailed to the matthaifellowships@fes.org.in. Hard copies may be mailed by post to: Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Fellowship, C/o, Foundation for Ecological Security, A-1 Madhuram Park, Near Shrinathji Society, Ganesh Crossing, Anand – 388 001, Gujarat. Each application received would be duly acknowledged.

Applications should include:

1. A proposal (within 2000 words) that clearly articulates the problem, analysis and proposed course of action, a tentative time-frame, a tentative budget and a section on links/references, if any. Importantly,, the applicants should not only explain how they would spend the two years, but also what they hope to achieve through the fellowship.
2. Curriculum vitae of the applicant. The CV should also include three references (other than relatives) and their complete mailing address with phone number, email and skype address (if available).
3. A letter of support from the organisation and a brief outline of the organization including its aims, legal status, governance, and staff size in case the applicant is employed/ associated with an organization. A copy of the annual report and financial statements of the organisation may be enclosed.

A selection committee will conduct an initial screening of the proposals received. Shortlisted applicants would then be invited for personal interviews in December 2012.

For more information, please write to: matthaifellowships@fes.org.in