Faridabad, October 2023: Shiv Nadar School students and teachers, along with the Urban Environment Division of the Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA), have managed to transform the once-neglected public wasteland in Sector -82 into a thriving forest, setting an example of a successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for ecological restoration.
Before this transformation, the public wasteland covered an area measuring 230 meters by 30 meters, which had deteriorated into a marshy wasteland laden with waste dumps and stagnant waterlogging. The wasteland was originally under the ownership of FMDA. To convert it into a forest, a detailed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Urban Environment Division of FMDA and Shiv Nadar Trust, solidifying the adoption of the wasteland for this noble cause.
Inspired by its mission to give back to society, Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad, embarked on this initiative to create a forest in Faridabad that would stand as a testament to its commitment to the environment. Anju Wal, Principal of Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad, said, “This initiative aims to provide students with a meaningful learning experience and lasting societal contribution. The transformation of this wasteland into a flourishing forest serves as a testament to the power of community collaboration and environmental stewardship, bringing the city of Faridabad one step closer to a greener, more sustainable future.”
The project involved planting 8000 evergreen trees and creating a forest, a water body, and a walker’s path. The ongoing forest plantation with approximately 5,000 saplings in the ground required initial cleaning, levelling, and landscaping phases and needed two months of effort before the forest area was inaugurated. The project faced several challenges, including toxic soil, poor soil quality, and land levelling difficulties. Solutions involved changing soil textures, selecting appropriate compost, and enriching the soil with micronutrients through burning compost.”
Approximately 50 different plant species have been selected for the forest, including Harsringar, Jamun, Ber, Guava, Custard apple, Moringa, and various bamboo species. The species selection was based on their native origin to support a self-sustaining ecosystem. The project employed innovative techniques, including phytoremediation for water treatment, marshy water for irrigation, and rainwater harvesting in a manufactured pit for plantation.
Over the next three years, this newly established forest is expected to become a thriving habitat for wildlife, including migratory birds, bees, butterflies, insects, and amphibians. Aimed to enhance the local flora and fauna, provide a source of pure oxygen, and contribute to carbon sequestration for the neighbourhood, Shiv Nadar School, in partnership with Give Me Trees Trust, will jointly maintain the forest for the next two years, after which it will transition to a self-sustainable model.
About Shiv Nadar School
The Shiv Nadar School is a not-for-profit initiative of the Shiv Nadar Foundation in K12 private education to deliver educational excellence and provide ‘Education for Life.’ With three campuses in the NCR and one in Chennai, Shiv Nadar School provides students with an environment that challenges them to discover their talent and skills while aiming to nurture ethical, respectful, happy, and purposeful citizens of society. 6000 students and their parents, along with a team of around 1000 educators, are a part of the Shiv Nadar School family.
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About Shiv Nadar Foundation
Established in 1994, by Shiv Nadar, Founder, HCL – a US$12.8 billion leading global technology enterprise, the Foundation is committed to the creation of a more equitable, merit-based society by empowering individuals through transformational education, and to bridge the socio-economic divide. Over the last 27 years the Foundation, has directly touched the lives of over 36,000 alumni and students through its marquee institutions in literacy, K12 and higher education. Today, the Foundation has a community of over 100,000 constituents, which includes not only globally dispersed alumni and students but also faculty members, corporate executives, and extended families. The Foundation has invested over US$1.1 billion in its seven landmark institutions and initiatives across education and art. Currently close to 14,000 students and over 2,000 faculty are part of the Foundation along with more than 22,000 strong globally dispersed alumni community.
The Foundation’s students have gone to study at some of the best institutions globally including the Ivy League in the US and top universities in other countries including Australia, Singapore, China, and UK. Students are also working in major corporations, including Goldman Sachs, Honda, HP, Schindler, and several others both in India and across other geographies. Faculty across the Foundation institutions are drawn from the best Indian and international universities, with a strong focus on research and innovation.
The Shiv Nadar Foundation pursues the philosophy of ‘Creative Philanthropy’. It is a powerful model which envisages creation of institutions that are built to last and continue to impact future generations. It is an approach that allows sustained institutionalized philanthropy for long-term, high impact, socio-economic transformation.
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