Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) are a new conservation approach, separate from protected areas, where effective conservation of biodiversity is achieved mainly as a by-product of other management objectives. A wide variety of sites in India have the potential to become OECMs.

The publication provides the criteria and guidelines developed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), National Biodiversity Authority of India (NBA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to identify OECMs in India. A 14-category classification, clustered under three broad groups- terrestrial, waterbodies, and marine, has been developed by India, covering a broad spectrum of potential OECMs in India including unique agricultural systems, biodiversity parks, industrial estates, coastal waterbodies, and important marine biodiversity areas.

The MoEFCC, NBA and UNDP invite central and state departments, bilateral and multilateral funding agencies, civil society organisations, defence establishments, industry, academic and research institutes, and local communities to share information on local conservation initiatives, which could be identified as potential OECMs. In this regard, the booklet also extends guidance about the application procedure.