The metropolitan cities of Mumbai and Pune in India are a prime example of this. Trees are invaluable for these cities, for millions of people. The Western Ghats, a more than 1,600 km long, montane rain forest running from north to south, are recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Trees not only help to stabilise the local climate but also improve water supply and air quality. With their capacity to store water and slowly release it again (“sponge model”), they prevent floods and maintain soil moisture, which is essential for agriculture and drinking water supply of the local population. These “green guardians” thus play a pivotal role for securing livelihoods and for the sustainable development of the region.

Plantation drive with Wilo team in the Western Ghats

But the forest ecosystem is at risk: the population keeps growing, land use is changing – and this has negative impacts for humans and the environment. Under the leadership of the local environmental NGO TERRE Policy in Pune, the Global Nature Fund (GNF) based in Radolfzell, Germany has been working since 2022 to establish four tree nurseries in seven villages in the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and a private donor, the Wilo-Foundation. The planting of at least 55,000 tree seedlings enables the rehabilitation and long-term protection of 70 hectares of degraded forest. The project contributes to restoring and conserving the species-rich forests of the North Western Ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot and an important carbon sink and water storage.

During a joint volunteering event in October 2024, the Indian Wilo staff became climate activists themselves, planted several trees in the Western Ghats near Kodit and visited the newly built Tribal Museum, which conserves and disseminates traditional knowledge on the importance of forests and their sustainable use.