When the sun climbs over the Western Ghats, the forests of Wayanad turn from emerald havens into dry and dusty landscapes where every drop of water is precious. In Thariyode, deep within the Ladesmith Reserve Forest, the forest department has begun an intervention that merges care, strategy, and survival. 

Here, amidst the heat, the shadows of towering trees, and the distant calls of hornbills and elephants, the work is both physical and patient.

Teams have been building check dams across seasonal streams and constructing watchtowers at strategic points. These structures are not for tourists or display; they exist for life itself, guaranteeing that animals can survive the harshest months, when water becomes scarce, and movement across the landscape is dictated by thirst.

Sculpting........

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