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CREDAI plans to undertake reforestation drive across 1 lakh acres over five years
CREDAI president Shekhar Patel on Feb 7 said the reforestation drive will be undertaken through its CSR Foundation and will cover 50000 acres in Nashik district
Real estate developers’ apex body, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI), on February 7, announced plans to undertake a reforestation drive across 1 lakh acres of land in India over the next five years. The initiative will be implemented through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Foundation and nationwide network, driven by a combination of local and state-level chapters.
“The plan is to undertake reforestation across 1 lakh acres in different parts of the country, with a significant portion, around 50,000 acres, planned in Nashik district, the birthplace of CREDAI nearly 30 years ago,” said Shekhar Patel, president of CREDAI National.
“For the current year, the organisation plans to begin work on around 6,000 acres. Nearly 60% of the saplings will be native species, aimed at restoring local biodiversity and improving soil and water balance, while another 20% will comprise herbal and medicinal varieties, creating potential long-term value for local communities,” Patel said.
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He said that CREDAI is initiating the second phase of its flagship ecological reforestation drive across degraded stretches of the Western Ghats, commencing with the restoration of 350 acres of land.
CREDAI’s reforestation initiative, launched last year, aims to plant nearly 2 million saplings across 25 villages and approximately 9,000 acres of degraded forest land in Maharashtra, commencing in Nashik. The initiative encompassed awareness programmes and the promotion of sustainable development practices.
It was implemented in collaboration with the Raah Foundation and district authorities in Maharashtra. The organisation had signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the District Collector of Nashik to align the programme with the Government of Maharashtra’s regreening priorities and community-based forest management frameworks.
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To date, more than 3,500 acres have been restored through native-species plantings, supported by soil preparation, trenching, mulching, moisture-conservation, and water-harvesting interventions. Plantations proceed at approximately 200 saplings per acre, with multi-year survival monitoring, third-party audits, and active community participation in plantation, protection, and long-term stewardship. This delivers sustained ecological regeneration, groundwater recharge, improved soil health, and enduring livelihood benefits for local communities, Credai said in a statement.
According to Patel, besides the Nashik district, other regions such as Gurugram and several emerging growth centres are also expected to see reforestation drives led by respective CREDAI chapters. The organisation estimates that nearly 25,000 acres could be covered within the first two years, subject to coordination with state authorities and local bodies.
