Sharing Knowledge:

Sadhana Forest India has been accepting participants from the day of its establishment in 2003. Since then it has served as an educational experience for more than 5000 residential participants.

Our main efforts have been focused on experimenting in different methods of sustainable living, reforestation and water conservation. We are constantly sharing this knowledge while also acquiring knowledge from the people who visit us. The project has held Permaculture courses, workshops, hosted school groups, students from India and abroad, and has helped train foresters from the India National Forest Department.

We believe that such valuable knowledge is the commodity of the masses and we give all of our courses, workshops, and training free of charge. To read more about why we do not charge for our knowledge please go here: “Gift Economy”

Surrounding Villages

One of the major achievements of Sadhana Forest India is in its water conservation efforts that have been very fruitful for the people of the area. Wells that had been dry for 15- 20 years have been replenished and the underground aquifer has risen by 6 m (19.6 ft). This has been highly appreciated by the surrounding communities that rely on this water for farming, drinking, and other household activities.

Sadhana Forest India has always tried to involve the local community with its activities before it initiates any change on the ground. We feel that it is very important to involve the community with any changes to the area, and to receive the communities’ feedback to better understand the challenges they face, and how we can share our knowledge to help with these challenges.

Children’s Land

On December 27th, 2009 Sadhana Forest India started a project called Children’s Land. This 2.7 acre project is meant to involve local people in the world of sustainability in a way that empowers them to be creative and think independently. In Children’s Land the children are initiating the different activities or joining them as they please.

In Children’s Land the children choose how they would like to develop the piece of land we have set aside for them; initially the children were quite surprised that we have given them a plot of land to design, plan and prosper in, and eventually their creativity blossoms. We have designed the land with the children, planted trees and a small garden, built a compost toilet, and a small recycling workshop. We hope to eventually build some huts to facilitate larger activities. All of the planning is done by the children; the adults are there to facilitate the activities, and to assist with the learning process.

The feedback we are getting from the children, their parents, and their teachers is excellent and encourages us to continue and enlarge this project.