OUR TEAM

Forest First is not possible without the support of its ecosystem. A core that consists of dedicated people like the Adivasis, and people with engineering, finance, entertainment, and management backgrounds. The common purpose that brings them together is to conserve our common heritage for present and future generations of human and more-than-human species.

The energy behind Forest First

Meera Chandran’s love for nature has been the driving force behind Forest First’s journey. While working at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), she and her husband, Rajesh, conserved over 150 species of Western Ghats in Wayanad at Ettaekkar (a joint property of 8 acres of private farm) transforming that invasive filled parcel into a biodiversity hotspot.This was the beginning of the native/RET conservation journey. Forest First Samithi expanded this to forest land restoration, sacred groves and private coffee estates.

In 2014, she quit her tech job to fully immerse in conservation. She carries 16+ years of experience in managing and delivering IT projects in TCS. Her dedication, knowledge and perseverance since has brought FFS together in a collectivised local action of forest land restoration.. She finds peace under large canopies of grandmother trees. The same trees who re-invigorate our vision of restoring degraded forests to their bio-diverse glory.

Meera has a degree in Electrical Engineering and Law. Leveraging her legal background, ​​Meera has worked on several policy matters pertaining to Forest and Environmental issues at the National Level.

Our Trustees

Our Lead Restorers

OUR SPECIALISTS

Our Funding Partners

Recognitions

The Mananthavady Block Haritha Samithi (Social Forestry wing of Kerala Forest Department) awarded Meera Chandran for 'Excellence in Senna eradication' in 2022 for the Forest Land Restoration work done at Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. This was an endorsement of the work from the prominent local organisation.

Media

Videos

Critical Habitat Restoration in Kerala
Forest and Us
Meera and her team make scientific moves to uproot the yellow horn | Wayanad
'Wherever it goes, it will sprout and spread' how to conquer the yellow-horned forest