The story of Vana Nadi Pashu-Pati (VNP) started in 2010 when the founding trustees collaborated on a wildlife tourism project on the banks of the Kabini river- located in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve. The journey that began with wildlife safaris progressed to environmental and social projects at Nagarahole and Bandipur Tiger Reserves.
Over the years we have expanded our initiatives to Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Orissa and the Andaman Islands where we implement projects at wildlife reserves that qualify under CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and ESG (Environment Social and Governance) contributions.
To take our work forward we established Vana Nadi Pashu-Pati, a name born from India’s cultural heritage and its strong relationship with the environment. Vana Nadi Pashu-Pati means Protector of Forests, Rivers and Wildlife with links to Vana Durga (female deity of the forest) and Pashupatinath (a form of Lord Shiva that loves and protects animals). As a community driven organization VNP strives to support the lineage of nature worship amongst the 200 million indigenous communities living in and around India’s protected areas that include national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and marine reserves. VNP is actively engaged in some of these protected areas providing quality education and healthcare, fostering community development through sports/cultural activities and capacity building programs that provide vocational training and employment opportunities to local communities. In addition, we are working to improve farming practices through regenerative and technology driven agriculture that will improve soil quality and reduce the biotic pressures on biodiversity.
With only 5% of India under protected status there is insufficient space for our wildlife. Coupled with a large human population on a rapid economic growth curve, our wildlife is under tremendous pressure with man-animal conflicts on the rise and increased animal fatalities. VNP has taken a long-term approach to these problems with landscape and marine restoration projects with a focus on keystone species like Elephants, Lions, River Dolphins and Coral Reefs. Keystone species indicate the health of our ecosystems and latest research shows restoring their population could significantly enhance carbon capture and storage.
India is one of the most polluted countries undergoing massive land degradation and fast depleting groundwater reserves. Rewilding can be one of the best nature-based solutions to India’s environmental crisis by restoring terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. This is the UN decade of ecosystem restoration and VNP strives to be a part of the change to provide a healthier planet for our future generations with better quality of air, water and biodiversity.
Born from India’s cultural history of nature worship, Vana Nadi Pashu-Pati (VNP) means Protector of Forests, Rivers and Wildlife. VNP is a community led conservation organization with a focus on wildlife, indigenous communities and the landscapes they inhabit. Finding a balance between the economic needs of our people and wildlife habitats they surround is what Vana Nadi Pashu-Pati strives to achieve with an inter-generational mindset.
Only 5% of the Indian subcontinent comes under protected areas such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and marine reserves. VNP is currently working in some of these protected areas with a focus on endangered keystone species such as Elephants, Lions and Tigers. We are also working with freshwater keystone species such as the blind Gangetic dolphin and gharial that are highly endangered species whose riverine ecosystems are essential to preserve aquatic biodiversity and water security for our citizens.
VNP is determined to be a player in this challenge which is crucial to India’s (NDC) Climate Change commitment to create carbon sinks worth 2.5 – 3 billion tonnes through additional forest and tree cover.
Where we are present
