This article has been published in partnership with CATCH Foundation.

“Dusty and lifeless” is how Rita Pravinbhai Sutri (53) used to describe her neighbourhood in Karelibaugh, Vadodara. As someone who loved passing her time at the window, Rita had come to detest the view — an undulating, barren landscape.

Then one day, things changed, when a tapestry of green greeted her instead. The reforestation efforts by the Ahmedabad-based CATCH Foundation along with CSR support, were finally yielding results.

Today, the canopy of trees in Karelibaugh gives way to cool breezes, providing Rita and the locals with a plethora of ways to spend their evenings. “Earlier, spending time outdoors wasn’t very enjoyable. In summer, the heat was harsh. But now, I spend much more time outside, going for walks, meeting neighbours, or simply relaxing near the greenery. The forest has made our neighbourhood feel alive,” she says.

The locals are particularly thrilled with their new forest, created by the CATCH Foundation, an NGO restoring the health of cities by growing dense urban forests to increase green cover. The greenery forecasts a cool summer, a relief as mercury levels across India soar.

These forests are a nod to the ‘green revolution’ that they set out to create, says Bharat Sisodia, Founder of CATCH Foundation, crediting the Miyawaki technique (a Japanese technique for creating dense, native forests in limited spaces) for inspiring their work. Acknowledging that an effort of this magnitude takes a village, Bharat says they draw on local wisdom and support from public and private stakeholders to flesh out their green goals.

“We customised the Miyawaki to suit needs in India and made it more comprehensive while adding a three-year maintenance and other necessary steps for improving the survival and growth of the plants,” he shares.

The foundation’s roots go back to 2014 when it started as a community-driven endeavour that began conducting cleanliness drives across cities. Since then, their mission has remained unchanged — to reintegrate forests into India’s urban chapters.

Resuscitating India’s barren lands

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