PIONEEREDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
When heatwaves intensify and monsoons grow harsher, IGF-India chose action over anxiety. Led by Sundeep Talwar—philanthropic advisor and CEO—its tree plantation drive has planted over six million trees in three years across six States. “When others debate, we’re on the ground—shovels in hand,” Talwar said.
IGF’s signature Miyawaki method creates dense, native, fast-growing micro-forests in urban plots. In Faridabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai, native and fruit-bearing species—lemon, guava, neem, pomegranate and more—are planted using 2–3-year-old saplings for higher survival. A DBS Bank–backed forest in Mumbai already hosts sparrows and yields fruit for local households—ecosystems that cool, clean and restore.
With BOSCH, Infosys, Pangea Econet Assets, Grow Trees and Imperial Auto’s CSR arm, projects range from roadside shade belts to agroforestry buffers. In Faridabad, a 10-kilometre green corridor lines factory roads. In Telangana, BOSCH-funded nurseries raised 90,000 saplings. In Jharkhand, mixed plantings of mango, guava and maize boost farm incomes. In Maharashtra, barren fields now retain moisture, while in Odisha, women’s groups earn livelihoods through sapling nurseries, IGF officials claimed.
For IGF, numbers matter—survival rates, soil gains, temperature dips—but people matter more. “The real metric is empowerment—communities owning their green legacy,” Talwar emphasised. Projects begin with local needs and end with community-led care, including school-based nursery training for children.
The result- cooler microclimates, revived groundwater and thriving biodiversity. IGF’s call is simple—trade complaints for commitments.
