Few   days   ago   in   The   Billings Public    Library,    Lisa    Mills    of the      University      of      Montana brought       us       for       a       free photographic    journey    to    Asian elephant     country     to     discover how   tea   plantations   are   working to     create     solutions     for     the ongoing                 human/animal conflicts.   The   Project   is   young, only    2    years    old    but    already very    successful.    And    have    a wonderful   story   about   a   participant   from   the   Indian   side   who   gave his   property   for   the   wild   life.   The   government   of   India   remained indifferent    to    his    deed.    But    one    day    this    place    will    become    a national park and his grandchildren will be proud of him.   - What the impact of tea on elephants? Lisa    Mills:    There    are    several    things:    loss    of    habitat,    human- elephant    conflict,    poisoning,    ditch    hazards    and    obstacles    to movement,    electrocution.    For    example    electric    fencing,    if    not installed   properly   for   safety,   can   be   especially   dangerous   as   an electrocution   hazard   for   elephants.   The   electric   traps   can   make elephants   very   upset   and   they   can   react.   Attack   human   or   their property. -  How you can describe your mission? Lisa    Mills:     We    try    to    help    people    and    elephants    to    establish relationships   in   which   both   parties   are   in   safety.   We   have   the   team we   put   together.   if   some   of   the   owner   of   tea   plantation   wants   to   be elephant   friendly   we   go   to   them,   we   tell   them   about   the   standards that    we    develop    to    remove    some    things    like    electrocution    or potential   for   poisoning.   They   have   to   change   these.   They   have   to have  habit how available elephants move through. - Are they pretty receptive to these ideas? Lisa   Mills:   Yes,   because   the   getting   more   money   out   of   this.   We give   them      dollars   extra   per   kg   of   tea   they   sell   and   it   is   very   big deal   in   India.   Of   cause   we   control   that   they   keep   all   the   standards about   elephant   safety.   And   then   we   make   everything   in   way   that tea      money      goes      to community    in    the    area around   elephant   friendly plantation        to        help people      who      suffered from       human-elephant conflicts.        We        help restore     the     destroyed houses   with   this   money. And   also,   if   a   man   in   the family     died     during     a clash   with   an   elephant, then       we       financially support     his     wife     and children. For    information    on    how    to    become    a    Certified    Elephant Friendly     Tea     plantation     or     source     certified     tea     contact: lisa.mills@umontana.edu Also must visit https://elephantfriendlytea.wordpress.com Nota   Bene!   Asian   elephants   are   a   wide-ranging   species   with   an important   ecological   role. As   mega-herbivores,   elephants   feed   on   a large   variety   of   plants   and   disperse   seeds   throughout   the   forest   in their   waste,   also   known   as   dung. Asian   elephants   are   endangered, primarily    due    to    habitat    loss.    Despite    the    conversion    of    prime elephant    habitat    for    human    settlements    and    agricultural    uses, elephants   travel   along   ancient   migratory   routes.   In   Assam,   India, this   engrained   habit   brings   elephants   in   close   contact   with   people, especially      around      tea      plantations      and      their      surrounding communities.   Shrinking   habitat   in   the   region   leaves   elephants   with little   choice   for   alternative   routes   to   avoid   areas   of   ever-expanding human development.

Elephants

  Lisa Mills about Certified Elephant Friendly Tea