Kerala tops India’s park management evaluation, sets benchmark for biodiversity conservation

Kerala has been ranked as the best-performing state in the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) 2020–2025 of National Parks and Protected Areas, marking a significant achievement in India’s biodiversity conservation efforts. 

As per reports, the evaluation was conducted by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with Kerala emerging as the only state to secure a “Very Good” rating, recording a score of 76.22%.

Eravikulam National Park in Kerala, along with Dachigam National Park in Jammu & Kashmir, reportedly secured the highest scores in the country, each achieving an impressive 92.97% in the evaluation. Eravikulam, located in the Western Ghats, is known for its unique shola-grassland ecosystem, the endangered Nilgiri Tahr, and the rare Neelakurinji flowers that bloom once in 12 years.

As per reports, the MEE covered 438 protected areas across India, using 32 parameters under six categories aligned with global frameworks such as the IUCN and the World Commission on Protected Areas. Kerala’s consistent management practices across 21 protected areas reportedly helped it outperform other states, including Karnataka (74.24%), Punjab (71.74%), and Himachal Pradesh (71.36%), which received a “Good” rating.