Siddappa is an ethnobotanist who has bridged science, policy and practice to achieve sustainable development in the tribal areas of the Western Ghats, while coordinating two Community Conservation Centres of ATREE in the Western and Eastern Ghats. Over a 27-year career, he has made tremendous contributions to sustainable resource use through long-term monitoring of forest resources such as honey bees, several non-timber forest products (NTFP), community and conservation, creation of livelihood opportunities, forest restoration, invasive species and management. He focuses on ecological, social and economic aspects of forest resource use, sustainable agriculture and participatory resource monitoring. He has trained over 10,000 indigenous harvesters on sustainable use of forest resources and created livelihood opportunities for local people through invasive species and NTFPs.