A team of non-profit groups, led by Forest First Samithi (FFS) is seeking to raise INR 2 lakhs to work on restoring a stretch of about 5 kilometres of Kadanur Pole (tributary of Cauvery), a stream originating in the Brahmagiri range of the Western Ghats in Coorg. This stream is a known habitat of the Asian Small Clawed Otter, a mammal protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act, and flows close to Virajpet town in South Coorg.
The restoration work involves the following:
– Planting approximately 1,000 native tree saplings of diverse riverine species (including species such as Madhuca neriifolia, Bamboo, Ochlandra travancorica, Hydnocarpus pentandra ). The cost of planting includes plant fencing and payment for maintenance services for a period of 2 years to one field staff.
– Engaging with the local community to address two issues that are damaging the river habitat: sand mining and unrestricted waste dumping.
– Forming protection groups that will monitor the planted saplings and replace those that have been damaged.
Project timeline:
Dec 2019 through Oct 2020
Breakdown of Year 1 costs:
| Planting material of diversity of species | 80,000 |
| Sapling transport | 20,000 |
| Labour costs of planting & fencing | 75,000 |
| Conveyance | 15,000 |
| Organising community meetings | 10,000 |
| Total Year 1 | INR 2,00,000 |
The groups/NGOs involved in the exercise:
- Forest First Samithi : A non profit with over 10 years of experience conserving diversity of over 150 tree species of Western Ghats. FFS has experience in eco restoration of sacred groves and diversity planting in coffee estates.
- Nityata River Otter Conservancy : A volunteer group that has been involved in otter conservation along the Cauvery, and specifically in Kodagu, for 5 years.
- The Environment and Health Foundation (India) was established by Col CP Muthanna in 1998 with the objective of carrying out active work in the fields of Environment and Public Health. It has taken up the matter of ground water contamination with the Kodagu District administration and has experience in rain water harvesting and has conducted awareness programs on medical waste management.
- Kodagu Model Forest Trust : KMFT is part of International Model Forest Network (IMFN) and is a key community partner of Forest First at Kodagu for forest land restoration (FLR) and sacred groves eco restoration.
Please note that we can only receive INR and not any international currency.
Updates to donors will be provided once in 6 months at least, with photographs and survival/mortality assessment done on the ground.
