Globally, forest cover is one-third less than what it once was and global deforestation continues at 18 million hectares per year. This indiscriminate felling of trees, needs to be undertaken on a large scale to reverse the ill effects of deforestation and restore the ecological balance.
HPPI runs tree plantation campaigns across its projects on a annual basis. The campaigns are community-owned and managed and always implemented alongside environmental education and awareness, to promote environmental stewardship, encouraging a sense of responsibility of the planted trees.
In 2014-16, close to 1 million trees were planted by around 200,000 people, across 62 projects in 6 states of India. Alongside, environmental education was provided to 180,000 children, teachers and community members. This special action indicated a lasting tradition of promoting tree plantation in the projects in cooperation with local communities, government forest offices, and government and state run educational institutes.
In 2019-20, nearly 161,139 saplings were planted across the country, while more than 60,000 individuals were reached with climate literacy and awareness activities.