Between the Indian states of Jharkhand and Odisha lies the Dalma-Similipal Asian elephant corridor. Heavy mining activities and shifting crop cultivation have destroyed much of the corridor’s natural forests, which serve as a protective screen for migrating elephants and keep them away from farms. Elephants that once roamed free are now restricted to 15% of their original range — and their population has dropped by half.

The Priceless Planet Coalition project in India aims to connect these two protected areas by planting trees to increase the forest cover, thereby increasing the ecological integrity of the corridor and the area available for elephants to forage. All trees planted will be indigenous or naturalized species, which will support other key species in the area, like the endangered Royal Bengal tiger. Partner Grow-Trees, which has been operating for 13 years, will collaborate with local people, local gram panchayat (village governments) and the Forest Department to grow trees in the right places. This collaboration will ensure the long-term viability of the project.

Local people will grow the saplings in nurseries for six months and distribute them during the monsoon season. A year after planting, independent auditors will assess the trees’ survival, and the project’s management will shift over time to the local villages. The rights to the trees will lie with the local communities, who will be able to receive income from gathering and selling forest products, like fruits and traditional medicines. With that approach, Grow-Trees has planted more than 9 million trees and created more than 742,000 workdays for rural and tribal communities.

Nature of the terrain

Located on the periphery of the Dalma and Similipal forest ranges, the project areas have a temperate climate with an annual rainfall of 1,200-1,600 millimeters. Living within the path of the south-west monsoon, communities experience heavy rains during July and September. The site in East Singhbhum in Jharkhand state forms a part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, characterized by upland terrain with hills, plateaus, valleys and plains. The vegetation in this area is mostly dry and thorny on the rocky hill slopes. The site in the Mayurbhanj district in Odisha state is part of a north central plateau agroclimatic region. Located away from the coastal belt, the district experiences a subtropical climate with a hot summer and a cool winter with steady rain. The district contains lush green vegetation, a myriad of fauna and rich cultural heritage.