Archive · 5 Jun 2025
Green Deal: Protecting Forests and Empowering Farmers in Maharashtra
Imagine two friends who love trees and want to protect them.
They started a project in India where they pay people who own forests to keep the trees safe.
These landowners agree not to cut down the trees and in return, they get money.
This helps protect the forests, which are important for animals and the environment.
The friends also work with the local people, teaching them why it's important to protect the forests and helping them find other ways to make money from the trees, like selling fruits or medicine.
It's like a win-win: the forests stay healthy, and the people can still earn a living.
AERF, an NGO, helps conserve private forests in Maharashtra's Western Ghats by offering conservation agreements to landowners.
Landowners receive payments in exchange for preserving their forests, preventing logging and unsustainable practices.
The initiative, started in 2007-2008, has expanded to safeguard 13,000 acres of private forest land.
The project involves awareness meetings, legal agreements, and community involvement to build trust.
The program provides economic benefits to farmers while protecting biodiversity and forest resources.
- Who
- Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF), landowners, and farmers
- What
- Conserving private forests through conservation agreements.
- When
- Started in 2007-2008
- Where
- Maharashtra's Western Ghats
- Why
- To protect biodiversity and provide economic benefits to landowners.
- Organization
- Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF)
- Protected Land
- 13,000 acres
- Method
- Conservation Agreements
- Focus Areas
- Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts
- Agreement Duration
- 5-year legal agreements