Forests are a pivotal natural resource which help in regulating water flow, to stow away
carbon content and also to preserve biodiversity. Forests also act as a yardstick to
measure the water and climate security and conserving them ensures the protection of
jungle biota and the ecosystem functions.
Forests act as a sink for carbon and
protecting them ensures better tackling of climatic changes . We are here to tell you
about how the deep jungle became the home to many animals and evolved as a story
for Sustainable Forestry.
Located at the foothills of the Western ghats and nestled in its hug, Coimbatore has, of
late, been featuring in the news for man-animal conflict. Animals especially elephants
intrude into the adjoining villages near the Western Ghats in search of food and water.
Whenever wild elephants strays into human habitats, the normal course of action is to
guide them way back to where they belong.But the reality is that they tend to harm the
humans or destroy the crops in the farm lands nearby. The most effective way to
regulate this is by providing water holes for the animals inside the forest.
Siruthuli joined hands with the Forest Department to identify a few check dams that that
had become dysfunctional due to heavy flow of water during the monsoon. Moreover
they were fully silted up making the water holes futile.The water spread area was fully
covered with overgrown shrubs making it difficult for the animals to access the water
hole. Further damaged surplus weir structures led to a situation where no water could
be stored.
Bosch came forward with financial support as a part of their CSR activity towards their ‘
Sustainable forest enhancement programme ‘. Six locations were prioritized as part of
Phase 1 of the initiative. Reconstructing the damaged check dams and desilting the
water impounding area gave them a fresh look. The monsoon that followed brought a
bountiful inflow and filled the water holes to the brim. It holds ample water for the wild
animals and also supports the growth of flora and fauna of the region.
