The project is to plant Indigenous, Medicinal, flowering, fruit bearing and Environment Friendly Tree varieties at the banks of River Vaigai, flowing near to the foot hills of Kodaikanal Hills in Tamilnadu, India. This Riparian Forest Promotion aims to conserve land and nature including wild animals and birds and also support the livelihood of farming communities living adjacent to River Vaigai.
The project aims planting of 1 million Trees.
The proposed project is to create a long term impact in bio-diversity conservation and livelihood along the banks of the Sacred River in Southern Tamilnadu, India through diversified Tree plantation.
River vaigai is a perennial river emerging from Southern Western ghats of Palani Hill ranges / Kodaikanal Hill Ranges , a recognized UNESCO heritage site. The river is much sacred and had inherited many famous Civilizations since the beginning of Human History. Rapid Urbanization and lack of focused conservation in past few decades had led to diminish of natural resources along the river banks of the River Vaigai, threating the Flora and Fauna population and in turn affecting the farming communities and the general communities in -Iarge and posing a great threat to global climate issues.
To help rejuvenation and improve the Watershed in the proposed area that extends between Rengapanayakkan patti (Batlagundu Block) to Vilampatti ( Nilakottai Block) of Kodaikanal Foot Hills in Dindigul District , Tamilnadu, India with an estimated coverage of 20000 hectares of waste/barren lands, community lands, individual farming lands and Schools, the project proposes to plant 1 million plants in upcoming years.
The project strategy include
1. Organizing Local Planters Club involving Students, Youth, Women, Farmers and Volunteers. 2. Creation of Awareness among the general public 3. Raising of Nursery involving the local communities 4. Identification of Sites as appropriate to the proposed plants 5. Planting of Trees and arrangement of local protection measures 6. Encouraging Organic compost and fertilizers usage with community involvement to conserve community 7. Involvement and Handing over the plantation to the local community for maintenance 8. Advocacy and Lobbying for local support from companies, service clubs and government organizations for sustained maintenance and prolonged continuity of the plantation of the program. 9. Creating a mass movement for sustained plantation and maintenance 10. Documentation of best practices and sharing the learning with donors and international communities.
The List of Varieties proposed first hand are
1. Neem 2. Jamun 3. Fig 4. Guava 5. Portia Tree 6. Manila Tamarind 7. Mango 8. Coconut 9.Cashew Nut 10. Lemon 11. Silk Cotton 12. Malabar Neem 13. Moringa 14. White Teak 15. Red Sandal 16. Teak 17. Mahagony 18. Indian Almond
The proposed varieties are chosen based on the local agro-climatic conditions, easy growth and maintenance, social acceptance , ability to contribute to the bio-diversity and conservation, help improve the ground water table, and help improve local livelihood and employment opportunities.
The Cost :
Average of Euro 2 per Tree towards Saplings, Plantation & Protection.
Total Trees Planned are 1 Million and Hence Total Project Cost is Euro 2 Million or $ 20,00,000
Other Details :
Project history :
ACTION FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION INDIA FOUNDATION TRUST ( Shortly known as ACT INDIA FOUNDATION/ACTIF Trust) since inception in 1995 has been working on various environment al conservation programs in Kodaikanal Block and an in other parts of Southern Western Ghats in Tamilnadu, India.
In recent past , our organization had started working with small and marginal farming communities at the bank of river Vaigai and at the place where 3 famous river meet in Batlagundu block of Dindigul District in Tamilnadu, India.
On the experience in working with farming communities in recent past and from experiences in the conservation programs over decades, this project is planned and proposed at the place where the 3 rivers meet at the main course of River Vaigai.
Country’s general context :
India's is one among the hugely populated countries in the world and ranks 2nd in Population after China. The increase of population from 30 crores by Independence to 130 crores in 21st century has posed huge threat/pressure to environment due to rapid urbanization, industrialization, depletion of water source and natural sources, decrease in flora and fauna and uncertain climate such a unforeseen droughts and floods and sea level raising in the past few decades.
Since the beginning of Human era, as humans started their civilization at the banks of rivers, this population and human needs had continuously exerted pressure to the environments around the river banks . This case in certain and true and on which the project proposed works on.
Regional context :
Tamilnadu in India is a fast growing State and with current population of nearly 8 crores and most of the cities and rural habitations are around the river banks present. The need of food security and livelihood, had led to exert pressure in local water bodies including rivers and has imposed threat to natural habitats and eco-systems. River Vaigai Originating in Southern Western Ghats of Dindigul District is one such that had depleted in recent past due to lack of targeted conservation practices and on which the proposed project builds on.
Land management practices :
Our Proposed Land Management practices include
1. Selection of Suitable planting site as appropriate to the proposed plants and in consultancy with local community for sustained management. 2. Remove competing vegetation from the site. 3. Create conditions that will enable the soil to catch and absorb as much rainfall as possible. 4. Provide good rooting conditions for the planting, including a sufficient volume of rootable soil. 5. Create conditions where danger from fire and pests is minimized. 6. Scientific plantation of plants including appropriate spacing, and protection and application of organic fertilizers and pesticides to prevent environmental pollution and land degradation. 7. Continued monitoring with local communities and relevant IT technologies to combat and mitigate threats to the land and plants.
Local communities involvement :
The proposed project is completely community centric and the project will involve local communities including students, youths, women, local associations, local elected body members, farmers, and local government organizations at levels right from planning, site selection, site preparation, planting, protection and management and profit sharing for enhanced promotion to the tree plantation program.
Planting season :
Nursery season: From January to January
Planting season: From March to September
Impacts and Benefits
The impact of the project can be stated both Social and Environmental. as below
1. Environmental Impact : The project helps conserve various flora and fauna with increased habitats to birds/animals and address issues like deforestation, erosion of soil, desertification , flooding, low rainfall, global warming and hence enhancing the beauty and balance of the environment.
2. Social : The project helps build assets to the local communities that help them improve their socio-economic condition by ensuring their nutritional status, opportunities to health remedies, creating local entrepreneurship and employment, reducing input costs in agricultural production and help building a long term local coalition of younger generation for sustained development.
How to visit the plantations :
ACT INDIA FOUNDATION has its Head Quarter, Just 0.5 Kms from the planting site and from where which the project personal will help the donors and supporter to visit the planting site. To reach the organization HQ International Airport is available at near by District Madurai in Tamilnadu, Just 60 kms from the HQ. And from Madurai, one can reach the HQ through Bus services or Taxi in a maximum of 2 hours.
