20,000 Trees on the Front Lines: Combatting a Water Crisis with Amrit Mahal Community Forest in India

In the southwestern region of Karnataka, India, water sources are drying up at an alarming rate. A lack of rainfall in 2023, likely caused by global changes in climate patterns, officially qualified it as a drought year and made dwindling resources scarce. In the area, a 20% reduction in water supply to consumers has called for long-term sustainable solutions. Sri Dena Bhagat Guruji is a leader within the Amrit Mahal Community Forest. He sends the OFP team a video reporting from the ground in the village of Challakere Taluk, next to fields of green saplings awaiting plantation.

“The temperature stands at 40 degrees celsius. There is no shade, hardly any rain, and our groundwater reserves are scarce.” Heat seems to perspire through the camera as he wipes his brow. “Once there is rainfall, we are immediately ready to plant 20,000 saplings.”

Amrit Mahal Community Forest, in partnership with Medius Earth, has provided the 20,000 saplings that are set out in meticulous rows at the front lines of the drought, ready to go in the earth. These trees represent 17 different species, set to cover 180 acres of community land. The local communities have struggled in the grip of the water crisis, and reintroducing native tree species aims to improve ecosystem services, sequester carbon, retain water, clean the air, and generate local employment. The project is entirely community led and run, with members overseeing implementation, maintenance, and oversight.

With Open Forest Protocol, they will showcase high-quality implementation and impact measurement to attract carbon financing and further investment. Now that Amrit Mahal Community Forest has access to dMRV (digital measurement, reporting and verification) tools, the doors are wide open for ensuring that these 20,000 saplings make significant headway in transforming the landscape and livelihoods of local communities, from now into the future.

“We are excited to partner with OFP to apply digital MRV and blockchain technology to natural restoration projects, thus bringing unparalleled transparency and integrity. This will help us attract further investments in nature restoration and achieve a bigger impact, which is transformative for our communities.”

However, challenges that the Challekere Taluk community faces place an uphill battle in their path, drought aside. Attracting investments for project scale-up and training and upskilling the project workforce are their main concerns. View the measurement and reporting of the initial forest plot and visit the Amrit Mahal Community Forest on the OFP Atlas Explorer to see the current uploads and validation process as the project moves forward.

In the future, the community hopes to increase green cover and contribute to environmental sustainability through a successful agroforestry/afforestation project in the region, going beyond helping their local community to contribute to the grander climate goals of India. We commend their unwavering efforts and are honored to partner with this community on the front lines of the climate crisis.