Our planet is made up of various ecosystems, all of which are dependent upon each other for all life forms on the planet to survive and thrive. Humans share the planet with other land animals, birds and marine life but it is human activities that are threatening the delicate balance of our interconnected ecosystems. NGOs across India are engaged in grassroots work with local communities to make marked and long term changes to improve life on Earth for all.
The damage done to our planet
Human activities such as rapid industrialization, urban expansion and poor waste management practices are causing great harm to plant and animal life. The effects of human activities include deforestation, encroachment upon wildlife habitats and the harmful pollution of our water bodies and the air around us. But NGOs in India are on the ground making a positive and sustainable impact on our environment. Here are 5 NGOs working to conserve our biodiversity:
Deforestation is one of the major problems affecting our world. The expansion of our cities requires cutting down acres of trees to allow for the construction of buildings and industrial zones. But the impact of deforestation is more than we know. In addition to giving us the oxygen we breathe, trees also absorb harmful pollutants from the air and soak up water through their roots. The impact of this is that the air we breathe is cleaner and natural disasters such as floods and landslides are mitigated due to the presence of trees. Give Me Trees Trust is an NGO that focuses on tree plantation as an antidote to the deforestation occurring across India on a large scale. Give Me Trees Trust is a Delhi-based NGO headed by Peepal Baba and has planted more than 1.27 crore Peepal trees across India and is on a mission to continue to increase the tree count of India.
Human and animal conflict is becoming more common. The population of India continues to increase leading to human settlements being established near or on animal habitats. This causes friction between wildlife and the people moving to these areas and this friction often results in the deaths of both people and animals such as elephants and tigers. This immense loss of life causes distress and has even led to the decline in the population of certain species who become endangered or even extinct. Centre For Wildlife Studies works across multiple areas to reduce human-animal conflict through working with local communities to raise awareness on coexistence between species, provide livelihood alternatives to communities living in/near animal habitats, utilizing digital tech to devise innovative solutions that help the NGO track animals and help different species coexist.
Humane Society International/India
The mistreatment and illegal trade of animals causes harm to entire ecosystems and creates a ripple effect that affects and devastates all life forms. This includes exotic and endangered animals whose numbers are in decline as a result of abuse, slaughter, smuggling and the illegal sale of snakes and owls, for example, which often happens on the black market and behind closed doors. This makes it difficult to spot crimes, rescue animals and prosecute abusers and smugglers. In more than 50 countries around the world, Humane Society International implements grassroots initiatives to stop crimes such as abuse, poaching and animal trafficking and reduce human-animal conflict. Through policy advocacy, activism, engaging with local communities and more, Humane Society International/India is working to ensure that our fragile ecosystems can continue to flourish.
Environmentalist Foundation of India
Lakes, oceans, rivers and other water bodies are the sources of the water we depend on to stay alive. In addition to human health, water bodies are also the natural habitats for multiple species of birds, aquatic animals and land animals such as cranes, fish and beavers who migrate, breed and live in and around these water bodies. But excessive water pollution contaminates the sources of our drinking water and gravely affects human health and the lives of other species. Environmentalist Foundation of India is an NGO that focuses on restoring and reviving our water bodies through extensive clean ups and changing people’s mindsets about littering and pollution. The organization’s initiatives include clearing trash, debris from construction sites, weeds and other materials from water bodies to remove the contamination and restore cleanliness.
The loss of forest cover has disastrous consequences for the earth and all life forms. The shrinking green cover of the planet leads to conditions that worsen the quality of life such as pollution, natural disasters and the loss of plant and animal life that harms our ecosystem. It is estimated that around 80% of all land animals dwell in forests and widespread deforestation leads to a loss of these animals’ natural habitat causing a chain reaction that impacts other species, including humans. Sankalptaru Foundation is an organization that focuses on increasing the forest cover of the planet through tree plantation. The NGO has planted 480,000 trees which have absorbed 730,000+ tons of carbon dioxide. Sankalptaru Foundation’s teams plant and nurture saplings, educate local communities and use innovative solutions to conserve and preserve various species of trees across India.
Give Discover highlights the incredible work of NGOs conserving our biodiversity and shares with people the long term impact made by these organizations in the lives of people, wildlife and the entire planet. On Give Discover, you can read more about charitable organizations working across multiple states of India in the areas of environment and wildlife conservation and learn about the positive changes being made across different landscapes.
