Sangeeth is a Product Manager in the energy sector, exploring Nature Based Solutions to achieve zero carbon emissions, both for corporates and countries. He leads the Forests By Heartfulness initiative, helping with strategy, industry outreach, and collaboration with other NGOs.

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Sangeeth Parvatham

<h4
 id="h-sangeeth-parvatam-is-the-program-manager-at-forests-by-heartfulness-brenda-neth-interviews-him-about-the-development-of-the-programs-and-the-conservation-that-is-developing-at-the-grassroots-level-as-a-result"
 >
 SANGEETH PARVATAM
 is the Program Manager at Forests By Heartfulness.
 BRENDA NETH
 interviews him about the development of the programs, and the
 conservation that is developing at the grassroots level as a
 result.
 </h4>

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 Q: What are some of the successes at Kanha Shanti Vanam that led to
 the creation of the Forests By Heartfulness (FBH) initiative? What are
 some of the lessons learned?
 

 
 SP: Kanha
 Shanti Vanam has been transformed during the last 7 years as a result of
 several interventions backed by a combination of science and intuition
 guided by spiritual practice.
 

 
 For example, one initiative is the ex-situ conservation of critically
 endangered species, like Syzygiumtravancoricum, with only 15 trees
 spotted in the wild. Most of the conservation of these rare and
 endangered species was done without erecting steel or concrete
 structures, by providing the right natural conditions using shade-giving
 plants, rain guns, and lots of loving care.
 

 
 Another successful initiative was the translocation of hundreds of adult
 trees identified for felling during various road and housing
 developments in Hyderabad and other parts of the country. The survival
 rate has been astounding, given that tree translocation is fraught with
 many challenges.
 

 
 But these initiatives are resource-intensive activities that can only be
 accomplished by committed teams, funding, and a lot of care.
 

 
 I have personally learned the importance of involving the local
 community. Any project that is designed to benefit the community, can
 eventually become the community’s, with FBH acting as a conduit or
 facilitator.
 

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 Q: Does FBH use the principles of permaculture, which was one of the
 key reasons for your involvement in the first place?
 

 
 SP: Yes, we
 have applied some of the core values of permaculture, like Earth Care,
 People Care, and Fair Share, but our work also includes other aspects
 like species conservation, landscaping, creating meditative spaces, etc.
 I am a lover of permaculture principles for supporting ecosystems, food
 supply, and soil regeneration, but the main objective of FBH is
 conservation.
 

 
 Q: You have shared a list of 231 species, the majority of which are
 trees that are currently being grown in 18 FBH nurseries across India.
 How do you determine which trees to grow in which nurseries, and where
 to plant them?
 

 
 SP: Thanks
 to its latitudinal and longitudinal spread, India is one of the 12
 mega-biodiversity countries in the world. The Indian subcontinent can be
 broadly classified into 8 distinct floristic zones: the Western
 Himalayas, the Eastern Himalayas, Assam, the Indus plain, the Gangetic
 plain, the Deccan, Malabar, and the Andamans. The species in these zones
 are not mutually exclusive, there are overlaps. When setting up the
 nurseries, species are carefully selected with the guidance of
 conservation experts from forestry, botany, and climate science, to
 match the zones of the nurseries, and efforts are taken to grow the
 saplings native to the zone.
 

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 Q: How is the land acquired for the plantation efforts? I understand
 there are three types of plantations. Will you tell us about
 them?
 

 
 SP: FBH
 looks for public spaces for plantation efforts to benefit the local
 communities. These include educational institutions, village common
 lands, industrial zones for greening, temple lands, etc. Plantation is
 only done after written approvals are obtained from the landholding
 authorities. The land rights, the plantations, and the produce always
 belong to the communities, not to FBH. We only create spaces of
 conservation by planting trees and eventually handing them over to the
 communities.
 

 
 The type of plantation depends on the end-goal of the project. Is it to
 provide fruit and medicinal plants for the local community? Is it to
 enhance biodiversity and wildlife? Is it to create a microclimate and
 raise the local water table? Is it to sequester carbon from the
 atmosphere? None of these goals are mutually exclusive, as you can
 imagine.
 

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 We primarily do block plantation, avenue plantation, and Hearty culture
 Dense Forest (HDF) creation. HDF is our proprietary methodology to
 create thriving mini forests within a short period of time. HDF is
 characterized by the choice of species selected, the placement of
 species based on their eventual canopy and height, and extensive use of
 activated biochar for soil remediation.
 

 
 Q: What is biochar?
 

 
 SP: Biochar
 is made by burning twigs, branches, leaves, paddy husk, crop residue,
 etc. in the absence of oxygen. The process is called pyrolysis. It can
 be done in small-scale boilers or by burning in mud pits. The resultant
 product is a dark pellet of super light material that can crumble in
 your hands. Pellets are activated by soaking them in fluids with high
 microbial content, such as nutrient-rich liquids, and the resultant
 product is activated biochar. This is then put in the holes before
 planting saplings. One unique feature of biochar is it surface area. Per
 unit weight, it has more surface area than any other substance on the
 planet. It can absorb, retain, and release nutrients to plants for
 several months.&nbsp;
 

 
 We have experimented with biocharat Kanha Shanti Vanam and can vouch for
 its effectiveness. Now we use it in all our plantations.
 

 
 Q: In 2019, FBH did a mass plantation of 64,000 saplings in 64
 cities, each site receiving 1,000 saplings. How are the saplings doing
 now?
 

 
 SP: The
 mass plantation in 2019 was a reality check for whether we could pull
 off a pan-India plantation drive and sustain it. It was a grand success
 and gave us the necessary confidence to create FBH as a pan-India
 initiative. The saplings are doing well, although survival rates vary
 according to location. Survival depends on several factors, including
 soil preparation prior to planting, health of the saplings, handling
 during plantation, administration of nutrients during and after
 plantation, and most importantly the first year of care and regular
 watering.
 

 
 The costs are kept very low – to around $1.92 for a one-year-old
 sapling– when the sites have a good water source, fencing to keep out
 intruders, locally-sourced materials, and lots of local community
 support.
 

 
 Q: Why are trees so important in halting climate change? Why should
 farmers be interested in having their “bunds” (dirt borders for farms)
 planted with trees?
 

 
 SP: Planting trees is the cheapest and most sustainable way of combating
 climate change. The World Economic Forum has done a scientific study
 using satellite imaging, and determined that there is enough place on
 Earth to plant 1 trillion additional trees. They can sequester enough
 carbon dioxide to keep climate change under control.
 

 
 Tree-based agriculture, known as agroforestry, is a potent solution,
 especially in countries like India with huge tracts of agricultural
 land. Trees on farm land provide an alternate source of income for the
 farmers and insure them against crop failures. They also prevent soil
 erosion, raise the water table, and improve soil quality.
 

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 Q: In FBH, you make a sankalpa, a prayerful intention, when
 planting a sapling. What is that experience like for you, and how do
 you feel it impacts the trees and the planters?
 

 
 SP: Trees
 are vibratory beings with life in them, just like us. They respond to
 love, care, and benevolence. A prayerful intention at the time of
 delivering the sapling to Mother Earth goes a long way in its growth.
 Although I don’t live in Kanha, I visit there often, and I see
 phenomenal growth, even after a gap of two months. It can only be
 attributed to the elevated vibratory levels of Kanha, to which trees
 respond more than humans. This is not a matter of speculation but of
 observation.
 

 
 Q: What are some of the challenges facing FBH as you move forward
 with your goals of 30 million saplings planted by 2025, involving
 10,000 farmers and microentrepreneurs, and the preservation of 80
 endangered medicinal plants?
 

 
 SP: The
 challenges are many, but none that can’t be overcome. What works in one
 region may not work in others. Ready availability of saplings for
 plantation, suitable land with clear title, the support of local
 communities, and providing care during the initial months are just some
 challenges I can think of. This is where collaboration helps. Tree
 plantation is not an exact science and there are many things we can
 learn from others who travel this path. Collaborations allow us to play
 to our strengths and address the gaps in end-to-end project
 implementation.
 

 
 Q: Do you foresee collaborations with other Heartfulness
 organizations outside of India?
 

 
 SP: Yes,
 it’s only a matter of time before this will become a global movement
 spreading to all corners of the world. The barriers are disappearing,
 and technology is playing a big role. For example, a simple YouTube
 video on how to produce and use activated biochar for crop management
 can go viral, and the principle be applied everywhere.
 

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