| Our New Venture-Reforestation program |
India has many natural
resources. One of these is large forests. Unfortunately, many
people living in rural villages use wood for cooking which
affects the forests. India faces serious forest fires due
to severe summers and is affecting the environment. Every
year the water table is going down. Both government and nongovernmental
organizations for many years have been promoting reforestation
and protection of forests. From 1992, with the generous support
of Andy and Brooke Nixon of Brunswick, Maine USA. We have
raised thousands and thousands of seedlings each year and
have freely distributed them. We have done this in a massive
scale. We have visited hundreds of villages and schools to
educate on the importance of reforestation. We have done plantation
at public places such as: schools, public offices, pilgrimage
centers, anandashram , home for the aged, TB sanatorium, roadsides
and new colony settlements. Farmers have planted along their
fields. Over the year this program has provided work for hundreds
of unskilled laborers, brought awareness on the importance
of tree plantation and ecological balance and could involve
many in this noble cause. We were able to produce a 20 minute
video explaining the importance of tree plantation. We printed
and distributed thousands of leaflets explaining the importance
of reforestation. We were well received and have been very
successful. There is a great need to continue this worthy
program. FCN takes up this new venture. Please join us.
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| Kindly see the photo gallery at the end of this
page. |
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Subject: |
Climate change |
Rural Poverty |
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CO2 capture |
Hunger |
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Carbon Credits |
Neem Trees |
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Habitat Protection |
Community-based
Solutions |
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Biological Diversity |
Leadership for
a Sustainable Future |
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Water Conservation |
Charitable Contributions |
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Soil Erosion |
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| What do all these
have in common? |
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A contribution
to plant "neem trees" in India will address
the challenges of all these issues, meanwhile enriching the
lives of the rural poor and minimizing a cause of global warming. |
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| How can you do that? |
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Planting
and caring for trees can help break the cycle of rural poverty.
Specifically our goals are to protect the local water table,
to mitigate the effects of droughts and soil erosion, to provide
food, fuel, building materials and medicinal benefits: and
to accomplish these objectives through a cost-effective community-based
program. |
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| How do we do that? |
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Over
the last fifteen years we have planted countless trees at
an approximate cost of 10¢ per seedling. To lower costs and
to ensure the continued viability of the program we organized
it locally using social workers, teachers, and school children
to plant and care for the seedlings. With our costs limited
to nursery production, distribution and education we can plant
1,000 trees for $100. |
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This
program has potential beyond its present limits and it is
our hope that you will consider supporting our efforts. Perhaps
you are evaluating one of the many evolving carbon credit
schemes. The average American emits the equivalent of 24 metric
tons of CO2 annually. It is estimated that these emissions
could be offset through purchasing carbon credits in the range
of $300. |
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This
program offers much more. You will provide a direct benefit
to sustaining the earth, help the rural poor to improve their
lives, and educate a portion of the global community in the
importance of environmental stewardship. |
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| Neem
trees were chosen for several reasons. The tree is fast growing,
drought resistant, has a well-developed root system, is evergreen
with a widely spread branch system, and its fruits are prized
for their medicinal value. In India it is known as the “Divine
Tree”. On a lesser scale, at several locations, we also
plant fruit trees. |
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Kindly
join us in this venture. Please be assured that all funds
contributed to this program will go directly to support reforestation
efforts. |
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| Photo Gallery - Tree Reforestation
Program India |
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| Karunagiri |
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| Anandashramam |
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| TB Sanitorium |
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Seedlings leaving
the nursery by oxen power |
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A more modern
form of distribution |
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Students being
instructed prior to receiving seedlings |
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Planting trees |
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A plantation |
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Trees in village
10 years after |
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| Nurseries |
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A visit by the friends
from Chicago |
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