Project 14 Trees

Barely 40-50 years ago, scattered hills in the region were covered with native trees and thick vegetation. Due to uncontrolled tree felling, cattle grazing, and grass burning, the same hilltops and slopes stand completely devoid of tree cover today.

In the last seven years, through a small-scale forestation initiative, we have successfully begun the transformation of ~80 acres of barren land into a thriving jungle. 

Our approach involves

• Planting native trees on ecologically devastated patches of land. Native trees require more years to grow but then sustain the local flora and fauna and create a thriving

and sustainable local ecosystem.

• Relying only on rainwater to support and sustain tree plantation. We dig a combination of rainwater storage and percolation ponds at strategically chosen spots. Some ponds store water around the year while others help increase groundwater level.
• Creating local jobs and promoting entrepreneurship as tribal workers from the area prepare saplings, dig pits, plant and water the trees, tag plants and make and place tree guards around planted saplings. 

Our early experiments have shown that urban citizens, village communities, tribal workers and corporates can join hands in taking concrete action towards undoing environmental damage, in creating employment, in supporting entrepreneurship and in building a sustainable future for the next generation.

Enthused by our early success, we are now aiming to expand our eco-restoration work in twelve neighbouring villages -- on the gram panchayat land, on the roadside and on the farmer’s barren (uncultivable) land.

Our mission is to undo damage to nature caused by humans, regrow forest on ecologically devastated patches of land, restore ecology, rebuild biodiversity and promote harmonious coexistence with nature. In the long term, we wish to create a grassroots, sustainable and replicable model for reforestation and continue expanding our efforts to other barren regions all over the world.