🌿 Project Site: Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu – Where Two Ghats, a Great River, and a Green Vision Meet
The Global Green Conservation Connect (GGCC) pilot initiative is rooted in Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu, a region where nature, people, and potential converge. Tucked between the Eastern and Western Ghats, and graced by the entry of the sacred River Cauvery into Tamil Nadu, Dharmapuri offers a biologically and culturally rich landscape—ideal for launching a sustainable conservation model that is community-driven, scalable, and ecologically sound.
Why Dharmapuri is the Ideal Pilot Site
🌄 1. Ecological Confluence of Two Major Hill Ranges
Dharmapuri lies in a transition zone between the Eastern and Western Ghats, creating unique microclimates and supporting a high diversity of flora and fauna. This makes it a natural convergence zone of biodiversity—home to both dry deciduous forests and semi-evergreen patches.
Key zones like Vathalmalai, Sitheri Hills, and Javadi Hills are part of this landscape, and they host rare, endemic, and threatened species of plants, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Vathalmalai, in particular, with its high elevation and cooler climate, has been relatively understudied and presents opportunities for new discoveries and habitat monitoring.
🌊 2. River Cauvery – A Lifeline
The River Cauvery enters Tamil Nadu through Dharmapuri district at Hogenakkal, enriching both its biodiversity and agricultural economy. The river supports diverse aquatic life and riparian vegetation, offering opportunities for freshwater biodiversity monitoring, riverbank restoration, and community-based water stewardship programs.
🌳 3. Biodiversity and Habitat Diversity
Dharmapuri’s mosaic landscape includes:
- Dharmapuri’s mosaic landscape includes:
- Scrublands and rocky outcrops
- Wetlands, tanks, and rivers
- Agricultural and agroforestry areas
This diversity supports species like Indian leopards, sloth bears, Indian pangolins, peacocks, grey hornbills, star tortoises, and several species of snakes and amphibians—making it a rich area for baseline documentation, citizen science, and conservation education.
👨👩👧👦 4. Vibrant Communities and Cultural Stewardship
Dharmapuri’s communities maintain strong ties to nature through sacred groves, farming traditions, and local festivals. The region’s villages and tribal hamlets present great potential for:
- Eco-literacy programs
- Local green employment
- Participatory conservation actions
- Preservation of indigenous ecological knowledge
🏫 5. Strategic Educational and Outreach Potential
Dharmapuri is home to multiple government and private schools, colleges, and youth clubs (NSS, NCC, eco clubs), allowing GGCC to implement its Nature School, conservation awareness programs, and field-based training. These groups are crucial partners in our mission to nurture future conservation leaders.
🏞️ 6. Environmental Degradation and Restoration Opportunity
The district faces plastic littering, soil degradation, deforestation, and encroachment. These very challenges make it a real-world site to test and model solutions, including:
- Litter-picking and waste audits
- Afforestation with native species
- Setting up community-managed nurseries
- Developing habitat corridors and rewilding plots
🤝 7. Institutional Support and Global Linkages
GGCC has received incubation support from the Forest College and Research Institute (FCRI) in Mettupalayam. With academic and professional backing from UK-based ecologists, Indian experts, and conservation platforms, Dharmapuri becomes a globally connected local node for ecological restoration and education.
🌱 A Perfect Ground for a New Conservation Model
Dharmapuri offers a rich ecological base, supportive community, pressing environmental challenges, and strategic partnerships—all the key ingredients for a successful pilot. GGCC aims to turn this underrecognized district into a replicable model for sustainable conservation in the Global South—where ecological wisdom, education, and restoration go hand in hand.