Environment, Forestry & Conservation

NIWAD is deeply committed to preserving ecological balance, protecting biodiversity, and promoting community-led natural resource management. Our environmental initiatives focus on empowering indigenous communities, restoring degraded landscapes, and building local capacities in sustainable forest use and conservation. In collaboration with key government bodies such as the Department of Forest and the Ministry of Environment and Forest, we have reached thousands of forest dwellers through impactful afforestation and eco-restoration projects.One of our earliest and most influential interventions was the Tamil Nadu Afforestation Project (TAP), implemented from 2007 to 2012 with funding support of ₹7,50,000 from the Department of Forest. The project directly benefited 4,800 forest-dependent individuals, primarily from tribal and marginalized communities. Through this initiative, NIWAD facilitated large-scale plantation drives, forest regeneration activities, and awareness programmes to promote sustainable use of forest resources. Community members were actively engaged in planting, protecting, and nurturing trees, fostering a sense of ownership over natural assets and contributing to long-term ecological sustainability.

Building on this foundation, NIWAD implemented the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project (TBGP) from 2016 to 2019 with an allocation of ₹6,00,000, supported by the Ministry of Environment and Forest. This project aimed to conserve biodiversity-rich zones, rejuvenate degraded forest areas, and strengthen the participation of local communities in forest governance. Reaching over 2,000 forest dwellers, the programme focused on promoting alternative livelihoods that reduce dependency on forest extraction, enhancing environmental awareness, and establishing village-level conservation committees.

Through these environment-focused initiatives, NIWAD continues to foster a strong connection between communities and nature—one that is rooted in stewardship, sustainability, and collective responsibility. By integrating afforestation with livelihood generation and capacity building, our efforts ensure that conservation is not only ecologically sound but also socially inclusive and economically viable.