Over 800,000 trees have been planted across the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Meghalaya, and Karnataka.
Bengaluru (India CSR): As part of its continued efforts to preserve biodiversity, Himalaya Wellness Company, one of India’s leading wellness brands, has partnered with the Society for Environment and Biodiversity Conservation (SEBC), to plant an additional 100,000 saplings of indigenous trees in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Through this initiative, Himalaya aims to preserve and maintain the biodiversity-rich forests of these regions.
These 100,000 saplings are in addition to the 800,000 planted since 2012, with over 89 tree species, including rare-endangered-threatened species. Along with bringing back the lost flora and fauna and setting up ecological balance, this afforestation program will help improve soil moisture locally over a period. Himalaya’s continued collaboration with SEBC reinforces its commitment to preserve the ecosystem and lead the mission towards a greener planet. This program also creates awareness among the local community about the landscape and provides them with employment. Some of the native saplings include Ashoka, Neem, Bamboo, Fig, Guggulu, Meshwak, Peepal, and Moringa.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr. KG Umesh, Director of Human Resources, Himalaya Wellness Company, says, “At the core of Himalaya is the belief to Care for Earth – the passion to preserve and protect the environment. We believe that investing in sustainable practices is important. Our aim is to plant a total of 1 million trees across India by the year 2023. We have been working towards this goal for over a decade through multiple biodiversity-related initiatives. There is significant scope for the intervention in tree planting and biodiversity conservation, and partnerships in this regard play a critical role.”
“Our continued partnership with Himalaya over the years is proof that Himalaya and SEBC share the same vision of building a sustainable and greener tomorrow. Apart from maintaining the green cover, this social forestry project also ensures that local communities gain the required benefits,” says Dr. Shrinath Kavade, President, SEBC.
The Western Ghats, known as one of the world’s eight biodiversity hotspots, house more than 1,500 endemic species of flowering plants and at least 500 unique species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. However, in the past few years, the Ghats have shrunk by 25% which is a significant concern. Hence, investing in sustainable practices is vital, and Himalaya has been addressing the need to safeguard biodiversity through its tree-planting initiative with the help of NGOs and universities.
(India CSR)
