At Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan’s Churu district, Forest Range Officer Umesh Bagotia has been closely involved in a long-term effort to restore and protect the sanctuary’s open grassland ecosystem. Rather than treating conservation as tree planting or a one-time clearance exercise, the approach focuses on controlling woody encroachment, restoring native vegetation, improving rainwater retention, creating complementary wetland habitat, carefully managing blackbuck and building stronger relationships with surrounding communities.
The sanctuary’s restoration has required repeated intervention because woody vegetation can regenerate after clearance, while native grass establishment is difficult in an arid landscape with limited and episodic rainfall. Contour bunding has been used to slow surface runoff and improve soil moisture, while seed balls and drone-based aerial dispersal have been used to encourage native grass regeneration.
An existing pond also demonstrated the importance of water availability for birds, leading to efforts to create additional wetland habitat without replacing the sanctuary’s primary grassland character. Wildlife management has included carefully planned blackbuck translocation using a boma technique, continuous observation and veterinary supervision, with the Wildlife Institute of India consulted on animal selection, capture, health, transport and post-release considerations. Alongside ecological restoration, awareness programmes, festivals and increasing visits by school and college students are being used to encourage local ownership of conservation.
Restoring What Makes A Grassland
For Bagotia, the central challenge at Tal Chhapar is not simply increasing vegetation but protecting the ecological character of an open grassland. Woody encroachment can gradually alter this landscape, reducing the open spaces that are important for blackbuck and grassland birds. Even native woody species can become a management concern when they spread into areas where an open grassland structure is ecologically important. Clearing them once, therefore, does not guarantee restoration.
Fresh regeneration can occur, making repeated management necessary. Bagotia explained that grasslands need to be understood at a larger landscape scale because fragmentation can affect animal movement, habitat availability and ecological processes. “Grasslands are naturally open ecosystems, and their ecological value is not simply the sum of many small patches,” he told Indian Masterminds. This thinking has shaped the restoration approach at Tal Chhapar, where the objective is to bring back the characteristic open structure rather than make the sanctuary appear greener through indiscriminate planting.
Earlier restoration efforts also provided important lessons. The team identified the use of non-native species and insufficient long-term planning as two problems that needed to be addressed. The focus consequently shifted towards native grassland vegetation, with weeds and woody growth removed where they were considered unsuitable for the ecosystem. The process was deliberately designed as ongoing management rather than a single restoration drive.
Water, Wetlands And Wildlife
Water management has been another crucial part of the restoration effort because Tal Chhapar receives limited rainfall, much of it in episodic spells. In such conditions, retaining available rainwater can be as important as the amount of rainfall itself. Contour bunding helps slow surface runoff, allowing more water to infiltrate the soil and remain available for vegetation for longer. This is particularly important when newly germinating native grasses are establishing their roots.
The restoration team has also used different methods to encourage grass regeneration, including seed balls and aerial dispersal through drones. Bagotia described the broader philosophy clearly: “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.” An existing pond provided another lesson. Although bird use was initially limited, birds were using the water, suggesting that reliable water sources could be valuable in an otherwise dry landscape. Additional wetland habitat was subsequently considered as a complementary resource for feeding, drinking and resting. Importantly, the intention was not to replace grassland with wetlands.
Tal Chhapar’s primary ecological identity remained that of a grassland ecosystem. Bagotia has also cautioned against attributing any increase in bird numbers solely to wetland intervention, since rainfall, seasonal variation, food availability and wider habitat restoration can all influence bird populations. Wildlife management has similarly required careful planning. Blackbuck are vulnerable to capture myopathy, meaning prolonged pursuit, restraint and handling can cause severe physiological stress. To reduce this risk, animals were guided into a controlled enclosure using a boma technique rather than being subjected to prolonged pursuit. Veterinary supervision was maintained, while the Wildlife Institute of India was consulted on several aspects of the translocation process.
Conservation Needs Communities Too
The restoration of Tal Chhapar extends beyond ecological interventions within the sanctuary. Bagotia’s approach also places importance on the people living around it, recognising that long-term conservation cannot depend solely on what happens inside protected boundaries. Awareness programmes and festivals have been used to build a stronger sense of ownership among local communities. This is particularly relevant for grasslands, which are sometimes misunderstood because they lack the dense tree cover associated with conventional ideas of a forest. An open landscape can be mistaken for degraded or empty land despite supporting a wide range of wildlife and ecological processes. School and college visits are increasingly creating opportunities to introduce younger generations to the sanctuary and its conservation needs.
Wildlife rescue calls from surrounding communities are another encouraging development, as people contacting the Forest Department when they find animals in distress can indicate a changing relationship between local residents and wildlife. Bagotia summed up this approach by saying, “A sanctuary cannot function as an isolated island surrounded by communities.” His wider message is that awareness should help people understand why Tal Chhapar matters, which species depend on it and how everyday actions can support conservation.
The larger lesson from the restoration is that a grassland should not be judged by how much greenery it contains. Its ecological value lies in its characteristic openness and the relationships between vegetation, water, wildlife and people. At Tal Chhapar, controlling woody encroachment, retaining rainwater, encouraging native grasses, managing wildlife responsibly and involving communities are therefore interconnected parts of the same long-term conservation effort.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Tal Chhapar’s story offers an important reminder that conservation is not always about adding more trees or making a landscape look greener. Different ecosystems have different needs, and protecting a grassland means understanding and respecting what makes that ecosystem function. The work associated with Umesh Bagotia shows the value of patience, repeated management, scientific consultation and community participation. It also highlights why wildlife conservation cannot be separated from people: local communities need to understand the value of the landscapes around them, while conservation programmes must recognise the realities of the people who live alongside wildlife.
A sustainable approach is one that creates space for wildlife, water, vegetation and communities to coexist rather than treating them as competing interests. As restoration continues, the experience at Tal Chhapar can contribute to a wider conversation about how India views and manages its grasslands.
If conservation begins with understanding an ecosystem rather than changing it to fit our expectations, can more communities find ways to protect nature while living alongside it?
Also Read: How Kerala’s Carbon & Whale Founders Are Turning Plastic Waste Into Furniture
