Project Overview
Gadchiroli, in eastern Maharashtra, is one of India's most forested and least-developed districts. Its tropical dry deciduous forests — dominated by teak, mahua, and tendu — are home to tigers, elephants, pangolins, and brown bears, and provide critical livelihoods for the Gond and Madia-Gond indigenous communities through minor forest produce: bamboo, mahua flowers, tendu leaves, chironji, and honey.
F4F has been working in Gadchiroli since 2020. With over 50 full-time staff in the district — more than 30 of them from the local community — we protect and restore 200,000 hectares of forest through fire prevention, mixed-species planting, assisted natural regeneration, and community-led conservation. The current restoration phase, spanning 5,000 hectares over 2025–2026, is supported by a global technology company's sustainability fund.
The Challenge
Gadchiroli's forests face two compounding threats: recurring forest fires, often deliberately set during the mahua and tendu harvest seasons, which prevent natural regeneration; and unsustainable logging and resource extraction driven by a lack of alternative livelihoods. Satellite analysis shows that large portions of the intervention area have burnt at least 5 out of the last 7 years, severely suppressing forest recovery.
Our Intervention
Our integrated approach combines active fire prevention (fireline mapping, community patrol teams, early detection) with mixed-species reforestation (50+ native species), direct seeding, soil amendments, and the establishment of economic species that give communities a direct stake in healthy forests. All planting is designed in consultation with Gram Sabhas and follows Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) principles.
How We Work
Community Consultation & FPIC
Every intervention begins with deep community engagement. We work through existing Gram Sabha and Maha Gram Sabha structures, conduct baseline surveys, and implement Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) before any planting or fire prevention work begins. Species selection is co-designed with community elders.
Forest Fire Prevention
Using Google Earth Engine and Sentinel-2 satellite data, we map historical burn patterns to identify the highest-risk areas. We then establish firelines, train community patrol teams, and deploy early detection monitoring during the high-risk harvest season when fires are most frequently set.
Mixed-Species Restoration & Direct Seeding
Restoration plots receive a carefully designed mix of 50+ native species — including mahua, teak, chironji, amla, and bamboo — selected for ecological function, community livelihood value, and climate resilience. Direct seeding (seedballs) is used for resilient species like jamun, tamarind, and bamboo to reduce cost and improve coverage.
AI-Powered Monitoring
Drone orthorectified imagery, processed through F4F's in-house AI algorithms, tracks tree count, height, health, and species across all restoration plots. Baseline images are taken before planting; follow-up surveys at 6 months and annually thereafter. Camera traps and bioacoustics monitor faunal recovery.
Community Voice
"This forest is our home and our livelihood. When the fires come, we lose everything. Now we have a team working with us to protect it — and our children are learning why the forest matters."
Community member
Dhanora block, Gadchiroli
Biodiversity & Ecology
Gadchiroli's forests support remarkable biodiversity: tigers and elephants have recently returned to the area, alongside sambar deer, wild dogs, foxes, pangolins, and brown bears documented in forest department camera traps. The restoration program is monitored for faunal recovery through camera traps and bioacoustics, in collaboration with wildlife researchers. Floral biodiversity is tracked using drone-derived indices including Rao's Q diversity.
Key Species in the Project Area
Supporting Partners
- Gram Sabhas, Dhanora Block
- Forest Department, Maharashtra