Plantation with Purpose through Community Integration

Humankind cannot be separated from nature. It is a bond that has existed since the pre-modern era and is extremely relevant even today. Our ‘Plantation with Purpose’ project concept is for the people (whose livelihoods are dependent on nature directly), at a local level (i.e. areas prone to climate and human-induced vulnerabilities), by global funding agencies and corporations that believe in the power of good deeds through CSR. In short, community participation is essential for the restoration process and will benefit both the locals and the environment.

Natural capital restoration with community participation involves a more holistic approach implying that sustainability needs to be viewed not only from a biophysical perspective but also from a livelihood angle in the social system. An integrated, natural and people-managed system is needed if natural capital reconstruction is to be meaningful.

With this in mind, we have developed Plantation with Purpose to ensure the inclusion, participation and interests of landholders in the region. By fostering a sense of stewardship for the planted saplings and the land itself, community members will be able to reap the benefits. Here is how we plan to go about doing so:

1. TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE: Adequate consideration must be given to native biodiversity and the rich traditional knowledge that the community possesses about the native flora and fauna. Our initial field surveys of the region included gathering Traditional Ecological Knowledge with help from the locals. Moving forward with the planting, this will ensure that the most appropriate species are chosen. It also allows the selection of important medicinal and/or religious plants species for the benefit of the community itself (post-sustainable harvest) and the continuation of traditional knowledge in the future.
2. LOCAL FACILITATORS AND SUPPORT: Given the large-scale 10 million tree plantation goal of this project, any envisioned development in the region cannot proceed without the participation of the community members. Over the last two years, we have had several field visits and talks with the local community regarding this project with the help of our local facilitator Mr Prakash Bhangrat. With his aid, we have been able to coordinate several meetings with local landholders. For each plantation site, we shall be coordinating with a local government contact (such as a Village Sarpanch) to address any concerns.

1. NUTRITIONAL SECURITY: Apart from being sold for sustainable income, the project’s Household Plantation for Food Security ‘purpose’ will provide an additional food source for the residents. They will be encouraged (and trained) to grow wild, local vegetable/fruits around the saplings.
2. GREEN COVER AS A CARBON SINK: Our reasoning behind the 10 Million Tree goal does have a basis to it. In 2019, we conducted an analysis based on secondary (and some primary) data for what the region’s greenhouse gas emissions would look like ten years down the line. This is what we found: Considering the current landscape cover and a mature tree’s carbon sequestration potential of 25kg per year, planting 10 million trees will sequester ~60% of the region’s emissions in 10 years*We will use the Volumetric Equations method to calculate and track the carbon sequestration potential of the saplings as they grow. It will be calculated based on tree growth metrics collected and input in VruskhSharad+ through our QR code tracking. These will be updated on the website and in our bi-annual reports. *Calculations done by implementation partner Terracon Ecotech Pvt. Ltd. (TEPL)
3. AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND HEALTH BENEFITS: As the regions of Shahapur and Murbad have grown over the years, so have the region’s emissions. Between 2002 and 2019, the region experienced an 8% and 6.4% rise in carbon dioxide and methane emissions, respectively.¹ This most likely might have come into effect due to the increase in road networks (and its resulting vehicular traffic), industrial setups in nearby areas, and a change in lifestyle patterns at the local level. According to the WHO exposure to air pollution causes ~7 million deaths a year.²In addition to sequestering carbon, trees are also a natural pollutant filter and clean the air around us. Roadside and highway plantations through the project are one way to address increasing vehicular air pollution in the region. It is crucial because air pollution is one of the biggest challenges we face today. To arrest these air pollutants via trees, plant taxonomists (at TEPL) have identified species with the best-suited morphological features for this natural air quality improvement.
4. BIODIVERSITY, FOREST AND SOIL CONSERVATION: Minerals and other essential nutrients, microbes, and fungal associations enter trees through the soil. Any unnecessary changes in the nutrient levels or microbe diversity would make soil lifeless. Ultimately, this large and dense network of roots ensures that nutrient and moisture levels are maintained to support the adjoining flora. Trees along streams help maintain the position of large rocks and boulders. In a river ecosystem, they also help conserve and protect the soil along riverbanks. Therefore, only tree species suitable for the landscape will be planted through careful selection by the ecology/biodiversity specialists and plant taxonomists at TEPL.
   Since 65% of the population in the two talukas depends on agriculture, rainfall and soil are important biotic components of the ecosystem. The planted saplings will compensate for vegetation loss, facilitate soil conservation, and other long-term ecological restoration and enhancement of the region. Species of ecological importance to the communities and local environment shall be planted, taking into consideration the need to protect native biodiversity, for afforestation and to establish wildlife corridors.
5. THE WATER CONUNDRUM: In 60% of the villages, local water sources have been substituted with water supply from distant perennial sources since the centralised water supply is irregular and not secure. Plantation in the catchment of waterbodies to reduce soil erosion and water loss through evaporation will increase water percolation in the ground. It will also increase the retention capacity and availability of water. Eventually, it will also help address water scarcity in the region and its resulting impact on other facets of daily life such as agriculture and people’s health.

At the end of the day, these Nature-based Solutions will come together to provide immediate income, set-up sustainable livelihood solutions for the future, provide additional food and nutritional security and rejuvenate the region. Join us to learn about #PlantationWithPurpose and how tree plantations offer so much more than just greening the planet.

ENBITECH’s and TEPL’s combined expertise and experience with tree inventorisation, sapling plantation and management, and ecological restoration has allowed for mainstreaming of ecology- and Nature-based solutions into development. You can learn more about ENBITECH here [link to ENBITECH about page] | Learn more about TEPL’s credentials here.