H.E.R.D.

P i t c h a n d i k u l a m F o r e s t http://www.pitchandikulamforest.org/ Pitchandikulam Forest is a 63-acre patch of land on the outskirts of Auroville, India. Founded in 1973, Pitchandikulams mission was, and continues to be, the revival of Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest that are still in existence. Throughout the centuries the TDEF has been almost completely wiped out by the many civilizations that have occupied the area. Today no more than 500 acres of undisturbed TDEF remains. Today Pitchandikulam Forest is an environmental education facility for the local community with a focus on the teaching of conservation, identification and use of indigenous medicinal plants. They have children s learning programs visit the forest and educational walks where information is displayed artistically on slates of stone painted by artists. Pitchandikulam also has many outreach projects up and down the east coast of India, within the Kaliveli Bioregion. They have planted gardens and built environmental education centers at some of the poorest schools in the area