Grasslands are often mistaken for empty spaces. Their open horizons can make them look less important than dense forests. But for species such as the blackbuck and several grassland birds, that openness is the habitat they need to survive.
At Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan, protecting this open character has required much more than stopping tree cutting or planting new saplings. It has meant restoring the landscape itself.
Umesh Bagotia, RFO 2020, posted as RFO, O0 Tal Chhapar Wildlife Annexure-I Sanctuary, Churu, has been closely involved in this effort. His work has focused on restoring degraded grasslands, controlling woody growth, improving water retention, creating wetland habitat, managing wildlife and building greater awareness among local communities.
The approach has been simple in principle but intensive on the ground: understand the ecosystem first, identify what is damaging it, restore native habitat and continue managing it over the long term.
THE CHALLENGE OF KEEPING A GRASSLAND OPEN
One of the biggest challenges at Tal Chhapar has been woody encroachment. Both native woody species and invasive trees can gradually spread into grasslands when conditions allow.
This changes the character of an open ecosystem. It reduces the open spaces that are important for blackbuck and many grassland birds. More importantly, simply clearing the trees once is not enough. If the conditions continue to favour their regeneration, woody vegetation can return.
For this reason, restoration had to be viewed as a continuing process.
“Grasslands are naturally open ecosystems, and their ecological value is not simply the sum of many small patches. Fragmentation can affect movement, habitat availability and ecological processes. That is why restoration at Tal Chhapar needed to be approached at a larger landscape scale rather than as isolated patches,” Bagotia told Indian Masterminds.
The objective, therefore, was not merely to make the sanctuary look greener. It was to bring back the characteristic open grassland structure and the ecological processes associated with it.
LEARNING FROM FAILED RESTORATION EFFORTS
Before beginning another large restoration programme, the team first looked at why earlier efforts had not delivered the desired results.
Two issues stood out. The first was the use of non-native species. The second was the absence of sufficiently long-term planning.
This led to a change in restoration philosophy. Instead of introducing vegetation simply to increase greenery, the focus shifted towards native grassland vegetation.
Weeds and woody vegetation were removed where they were considered inappropriate for the grassland ecosystem. But again, this was not treated as a one-time exercise. Repeated management was necessary because cleared areas could witness fresh regeneration.
The next challenge was water.
MAKING EVERY DROP OF RAIN COUNT
Tal Chhapar receives little rainfall, and the rain it does receive is often episodic. In such an arid landscape, the amount of rain is only part of the story. Equally important is how much water remains available to the soil and vegetation.
Contour bunding became an important part of the restoration effort. These structures slow down surface runoff, allowing more water to infiltrate into the soil and remain available for longer.
This can make a major difference during grass regeneration. Newly germinating plants are particularly vulnerable and need enough moisture to establish roots.
Native grass regeneration was encouraged through several methods, including seed balls and aerial dispersal using drones. Multiple approaches were used because seed establishment can vary considerably across an arid landscape.
“The idea was to treat restoration as a process rather than a one-time activity—remove pressures, improve water retention, encourage native regeneration, and then continue monitoring and management,” Bagotia told Indian Masterminds.
A WETLAND WITHIN A GRASSLAND
Another interesting intervention emerged from something that was already present in the landscape.
An existing pond retained water for much of the year. Although bird use was initially limited, birds were clearly using it. This suggested that water availability was an important ecological resource in the otherwise dry landscape.
The idea followed: could additional wetland habitat provide more feeding, drinking and resting opportunities for birds?
The intention was never to replace grassland with wetlands. Tal Chhapar’s primary ecological identity remained that of a grassland ecosystem. The wetland was planned as a complementary habitat that could increase habitat diversity and provide additional resources.
Following the intervention, bird use increased noticeably. However, Bagotia cautions against automatically attributing the entire rise in bird numbers to the wetland. Rainfall, seasonal changes, food availability and wider habitat restoration can also influence bird populations.
A CAREFUL APPROACH TO BLACKBUCK TRANSLOCATION
Wildlife management at Tal Chhapar has also involved the difficult task of blackbuck translocation.
Blackbuck are particularly vulnerable to capture myopathy. Prolonged pursuit, restraint and handling can cause severe physiological stress. A conventional approach involving extended chasing or repeated immobilisation could therefore be risky.
The translocation was consequently planned carefully. Animals were kept under continuous observation, while a boma technique was used to guide them into a controlled enclosure and reduce prolonged pursuit.
Veterinary supervision remained an important part of the process. The Wildlife Institute of India was also consulted on issues related to animal selection, capture, health, transport and post-release considerations.
For Bagotia, the experience reinforced an important lesson: translocation is not simply about moving animals from one place to another. It is a population-management exercise in which every stage can influence the outcome.
CONSERVATION NEEDS PEOPLE TOO
Protecting a sanctuary cannot be limited to its boundaries. The surrounding community plays an important role in determining how successful conservation efforts will be in the long term.
At Tal Chhapar, awareness programmes and festivals have been used to build a sense of ownership among local people.
This is especially important for grasslands, which are often undervalued because they do not resemble traditional forests. An open landscape can be mistaken for degraded or empty land, even when it supports a rich variety of wildlife.
The message, therefore, has been to help people understand why Tal Chhapar matters, what species depend on it and why grassland management is necessary.
School and college students are increasingly visiting the sanctuary, creating an opportunity to build the next generation of conservation supporters.
Even wildlife rescue calls from surrounding communities provide an encouraging sign. When people contact the Forest Department after finding an animal in distress, it can indicate a changing relationship with wildlife.
“A sanctuary cannot function as an isolated island surrounded by communities. Awareness should help people understand why Tal Chhapar is important, what species depend on it and how their actions can support conservation,” Bagotia told Indian Masterminds.
RESTORATION AS A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT
The story of Tal Chhapar is ultimately not about a single plantation drive, a wetland or one successful wildlife operation. It is about changing the way a grassland landscape is managed.
Woody encroachment has to be controlled repeatedly. Rainwater has to be retained. Native grasses have to be encouraged. Wildlife interventions must be carefully planned. Communities need to understand the value of the ecosystem.
Together, these efforts can strengthen the ecological character of Tal Chhapar.
The larger lesson is equally important. Restoring a grassland is not about making it look like a forest. It is about allowing the grassland to remain what it naturally is—an open, functioning ecosystem where wildlife, water, vegetation and people can coexist.
At Tal Chhapar, this landscape-scale approach is helping turn restoration into a continuing conservation process rather than a one-time project.
