We Grow Forests, an initiative by a group of women, is working to reorganize cities and encourage appreciation of nature
Seven months ago, when people began to find solitude in nature during the epidemic, four women from Thiruvananthapuram decided to bring the forest to the city.
“The jungle is an obsession, an addiction” says Meryn Jacob. Merrin, Aparna Anand, Srilakshmi GS and Meera Asami started the We Grow Forest Foundation, an organization that conducts plantation campaigns, nature studies tours and raises awareness among corporates.
‘We Grow Forest’ team
With 19 years of experience in leadership positions in private and government organizations, Meera has led and supported women. “Our main objective is for green urban areas and we plan to do this by organizing related activities,” says management of trustee Aparna.
The 15-all-women outfits include residents from or around Thiruvananthapuram, two members from Chennai and one from Mumbai. Outside members will conduct foundation activities in their respective cities.
“We are negotiating with private landowners with small holdings of three to 10 cents [a tenth of an acre], In the city, to allow us to raise the forest on their land. Many are open to the idea, ”says Aparna. Calling them ‘urban recharging zones’, Srilakshmi explains that “these will be places where people can come and rejuvenate themselves. This is part of our urban forestry initiative.”
He recently campaigned to plant a small tree in Kanjirampara, where he planted mango-flowering plants.
‘We Grow Forest’ team in planting campaign
He said, “Cities have too many roads without a single tree.” When we see birds nesting at traffic signals, we realize the dire need of trees in urban areas.
Woods in the Woods was recently organized featuring a trip to the hill station Ponmudi with lush green tropical forest 50 km from Thiruvananthapuram. “It was like a study tour with a forest guide. We learned about habitat and also saw bare areas.
Meryn, who works as a community development officer for the organization, remembers the days when she went to the woods with her father to shoot bullets and watch peacocks. “The forest sustained us and we took care of her,” she says. In her new role, she organizes the events of Woman in the Woods, which manages interactions between forest communities and urban women who want to explore the forest.
An e-magazine related to her work was launched on International Women’s Day (8 March). It will feature conservationists, tree huggers, seed planting drives and the like. Creating ‘plant walls’ by defeating buildings and office interiors that make the surrounding environment “more breathable” and catching public seed ball events are some of his other planned activities.
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