Applied
Environmental
Research
Foundation
Beyond Conservation
THINKING BEYOND CONSERVATION SILOS FOR SOLVING CRITICAL COMMUNITY ISSUES
As the world wakes up to the impact of climate change and the most vulnerable communities bear the brunt, it is important to keep the humanitarian in us alive and respond to the best of our capabilities. The present times calls for adaptive, inclusive strategies that align our conservation efforts with responses that are perceptive, high-impact and make an immediate tangible change in the lives of the affected communities.
"DRINKING WATER IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT" - making this a reality on the ground
Project Partner :
Project: Installation of a desalination plant in Alibaug
Year: 2022
About the project:
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Sea level rise and degradation of mangroves has made water from wells brackish, salty and unusable for drinking purpose.
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It was imperative to fix this critical issue so as to build trust with the community and also open their minds to the cause of mangrove conservation.
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AERF with support from the German Consulate of Mumbai, set up a medium scale desalination plant which produces 20000 litres of drinking water per day in village Narvel, Pen block which will cater to drinking water demands from 5 neighbouring villages.
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Construction was done using sustainably sourced Bamboo from our Velhe conservation sites along with locally sourced laterite stone bricks.
Project Partner :
Project: Fixing the basic drinking water woes of the communities with a desalination plant in Alibaug
Year: 2023
About the project:
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Coastal regions often grapple with the scarcity offreshwater and heightened salinity in existing sources. Which is why the community relies on stored rainwater and water tankers to meet their daily drinking water requirements.
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In order to provide long-term water security, we partnered with LTIMindtree to set-up a medium scale desalination plant with the capacity to generate 600 litres of drinking water per minute in village Dhondhkhar, Roha block.
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The plant will cater to water demands of 7-8 of the neighbouring villages.
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It was inaugurated by Mr. Pratyush Panda who is the Head ESG officer at LTIMindtree.
Project: Making clean drinking water available to remote and marginalised communities of Junnar block.
Year: 2021
About the project:
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Talmachi village sits in a valley and recieves abundant rainfall to keep its wells full of water to be used year long. However, the quality of the water available and its potability is another question altogether.
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We conducted laboratory tests on the water from various wells which are regularly used to source drinking water in the village and found that it failed basic tests and was deemed unfit to drink.
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We immediately sprung into action and installed water filters at these wells and ensured that the basic right of clean drinking water was provided to the local community.
Helping local communities who are our conservation warriors in their time of need...
Cyclone Nisarg aftermath : Rebuilding the lives of cyclone-hit communities of Alibaug while fighting a pandemic
Year: 2020
On 3rd June 2020, the coastal town of Alibaug was hit by the cyclone Nisarga which caused severe destruction to the lives and livelihoods of many residents. The worst hit were the indigenous communities residing in hills of Alibaug block. Due to their remote and inaccessible locations, it was very difficult for any aid and relief material to reach them. However, we could not stop thinking about how we could help these communities - Many of these communities have been supporting us wholeheartedly in our conservation endeavours over the past decade
In July 2020, after 2 recce visits and incessant planning, our lads at AERF took it upon themselves to traverse this difficult road and provide them with food, clothing, solar lights and shelter material. Our team reached out to a total of 335 households in 9 hamlets! Jyotirao, Omkar, Akshay, Karn and Kailas, Deepak and Sameer - we are proud of you!
Flooding in Chiplun, Konkan - lending a helping hand in the midst of the pandemic
Year: 2021
In July 2021, Konkan was ravaged by incessant rains and heavy flooding of rivers. The city of Chiplun in Ratnagiri took the worst of it and there was a lot of devastation of infrastructure and livelihoods. It was critical to clean up the sludge and dirt to avoid spread of infectious diseases, especially when the world was in the midst of the COVID pandemic.
Recognising the urgency of the moment, some of our team members including field researchers volunteered to help out with the cleaning and we also donated essentials, food and medicines. It was a heartening experience which gave immense fulfilment to each and every hand that contributed unconditionally!
