Bringing fruit, shade, and better stormwater management to Hyderabad through forestry projects

With support from Microsoft, One Tree Planted is partnering with an NGO to develop urban forestry projects in Hyderabad in India. We anticipate that this local partner, Sustainable Green Initiatives, will be able to help support critical ecosystem services, including stormwater management, water quality improvements, and biodiversity conservation, through planting more than 25,000 trees in these two cities. A large percentage of these plantings will consist of fruit trees, which will serve as a source of supplemental nutrition and, in some cases, income for adjacent communities that often lack access to proper nutrition and healthcare.

Similar to many other cities, Hyderabad is experiencing rapid urbanization and growth in their populations which have led to challenges in stormwater management, housing, urban mobility, and more. In Hyderabad, our planting partner anticipates that as each tree matures, it will store and filter up to 30,000 liters of stormwater during a rain event. Additionally, the trees will support insect populations and boost pollination services, and planting 25,000 fruit trees in Hyderabad will generate approximately USD 30,000–60,000 of supplemental income for the community once the trees are established.

The specific planting locations are to be determined. In Hyderabad, we anticipate that approximately 15,000 trees will be planted at the Central Industrial Security Academy grounds—a government-owned facility that contains a large vacant parcel. Another 10,000 trees will be planted in coordination with small-scale farmers in and around Hyderabad.

The tree plantings will tentatively start in February 2023 and continue until June, depending on the planting season and weather in the two cities.