This report details my internship work that I did as part of my Master’s course. This internship, carried out under the ASPIRE initiative at the Agasthyamalai Community Conservation Centre (ACCC), explored the presence of birds in paddy fields and the influence of habitat features on their presence. The work involved field-based bird surveys, documentation of spatial elements within farms, and interactions with local farmers to understand how biodiversity is perceived and influenced by everyday agricultural practices.

The report outlines the broader context of the ASPIRE project and the specific objectives of the biodiversity-positive agriculture component. It details the sampling design, data collection process, spatial analysis tools used, and the engagement with farmers in the region. The experience highlighted the value of agricultural systems as multifunctional ecosystems that can simultaneously support production and biodiversity. It also reinforced the understanding that effective conservation in human-dominated landscapes requires explicit consideration of different values in society and should be context-dependent. By contributing baseline ecological observations and farmer insights, this internship supports ASPIRE’s broader vision of integrating biodiversity-positive cultivation practices into sustainable farming.