Environmental Center Construction and Agroforestry

July 1995 - March 1996
Pune, India

Funded by: JEC
Implemented by: ICA India, ICA Japan, and local people

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Malegaon, located three hours west of Pune, Maharashtra State, is a tribal village isolated from regular traffic and communication. When ICA India began this project in 1989, even drinking water was in short supply. Since then, the situation has gradually improved through water systems construction and dairy and agriculture development. Since 1994, agroforestry and environmental education projects are being implemented here.

In 1996, further environmental improvement and education was achieved by constructing an Environmental Education Center, supporting afforestation and agroforestry, and building a nursery. Villagers are eagerly participating, and have become teachers in environmental conservation and community development. These activities will be expanded to neighbouring villages and cities.

1. The Environment Education Center. The center will provide local people, government, voluntary agencies and businesses with opportunities to promote environmental development.

The situation of the Villages
2. Maval Talka is an isolated rural area where people live in poverty. Environment in Maval Talka has been seriously damaged by tree-cutting and overgrazing of cattle . Forest land is less than 10% now, and the ecosystem has been destroyed.
3. Agroforestry and Environmental education project was implemented in the area by ICA in 1994, to improve environment. These children's future depends upon successful environmental restoration.
4. Tribal school children at Malegaon village. Children and adults need environmental education for sustainability of the environmental project. One of the aims of the project is to create a society where people can live with hope without leaving their villages for cities to earn money.
Environment Education Center
5. Environment Centre is at the bottom of the photo. The road in the middle is the highway between Bombay and Pune. On top, is Talegaon, the nearest town to the center.
6. Initial prayer ceremony was performed by the landowner and ICA staff.
7. Borewell being dug at two places for water. The equipment was brought from Pune.
Construction of the Environment Education Center
8. Foundation for the environmental education center in the foreground, and the nearly finished dining facility in the background. Architect and contractor are visiting the site to check the quality of work.
9. Roof construction was conducted at an early stage so that construction work could continue in monsoon season.
10. Architect, engineer and ICA staff examining the work during construction.
11. Plastering work - Cement has to dry before painting and finishing work can be done.
12. Front of the main building before painting. It has facilities such as conference room, seminar room, library, and store room.
13. Rear of the main building before painting. It has three stories and has a water tank on the top.
Dining Facility Construction
14. Foundation and column work for the environment education center rear building which has facilities such as kitchen and dining room.
15. Constructing walls using bricks and cement.
16. Engineer and contractor giving instructions for roof work, to supervisor.
17. This building has a large dining room which can also be used for meetings and training, a kitchen, bath rooms, and store rooms.
18. Rear view of the dining building, with the environment education center in the background.
19. Another view of the dining facility. The dining area is on the right, the kitchen is in the center, and the store room is on the left.
Planning the Activities of the Center
20. Project Director Mr. Shankar Jadhav presents the overall plans for the new environmental center.
21. Ecologist Mr. Lee Hatcher presents the recommendations of his team.
22. 23. Teams making plans for the various aspects of the center.
22. 23. Teams making plans for the various aspects of the center.
Inaguration Ceremony
24. Front view of the Environmental Education Center.
25. Mr. Shankar Supe is lighting the lamp.
26. ICA's Environment Education Team.
27. Mr. Supe, Malegaon village leader, is sharing his experience of ICA's training and development work, and talked about the need for environmental projects and local participation.
28. Honorable chief guest, Mr. Mohan Dharia, President of VANARAI, inaugurated the center, and promised his support for the center's activities.
29. There were 163 people at the innauguration; 80 from the urban, and 83 from the rural. All sectors were represented.
30. Mr. Shankar Jadhav introduced the center's activities and the partnership approach for future development and education activities.
31. Mr. Dharia inagurated the building by breaking a coconut on the marble stone.
32. The Inauguration Plaque.
33. Cutting the ribbon at the main entrance to the conference hall.
34. After the main event, the chief guest planted a tree in honor of the tree plantation programme.
35. The youth group from the project village Pimpri entertained the guests with music and dance.
Afforestation Project
36. Eucalyptus planted in 1994 and 95. Eucalyptus grows so fast and is resilient to drought, that it is one of the preferred trees for afforestation.
37. Mr. Jadhav (ICA staff) and two local supervisors checking the trees. These trees were planted in 1994, in the first year of the project.
38. Villagers planted trees during the monsoon season. Sometime after the planting, weeding was done twice. Fertilizer and pesticide were mixed in the soil.
39. Teakwood planted in 1995. Furniture can be made from it.
40. Acacia trees planted in Kune village. Villagers use acacia tree for firewood.
41. A nursery was set up. 50,000 seeds were sown in plastic bags filled with soil, mixed with compost fertilizer. The supervisor explained how to maintain a nursery to farmers and ICA staff.
42. The saplings in the nursery were ready for planting in July, and planted in the area of 50ha. Villagers can now raise trees cheaper and meet their needs for wood, thanks to the nursery.
43. Fencing made from thorny shrubs to protect the nursery from animals.
44. This fencing is made from cactuses.
45. Forest trees such as acacia, eucalyptus, and teak, and fruit trees such as mango, guava, and cashewnut were planted. 50,000 trees were planted in total in 1996. About 40 % of the trees were damaged in 1994. It decreased to 30% in 1995 and 20% in 1996 since trees were replaced with the ones which are suitable for the climate there and villager's skills have improved. They now have 100,000 trees in the afforestation area.
46. Villagers are now willing to take care of the trees. ICA is planning to give all the responsibility to the villagers when they are ready to take it.
Vision towards the future
47. Village meeting at Pimpli village on December 10th, 1996. ICA staff chaired the meeting. About 100 people attended and they discussed what to do in the future.
48. The afforestation project will be expanded in the Mulshi Talka district. Impact of the project will be bigger and networking among communities will be built on this strength.

 

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