One Man's Quest To Restore A Konkan Forest

Located 20 km from the coast in Shiravli village of Chiplun taluka in the Konkan region's Ratnagiri district, 'Nandu's Sanctuary' is the name by which wildlife lovers, nature enthusiasts, trekkers and travellers know a 43-acre expanse of dense forest.

'Nandu' is actually Nishikant Tambe, 42, an animal rescuer, nature guide and photographer who has dedicated his life to rewilding the area around his ancestral home.

Starting with 11 acres of ancestral land, Tambe has been purchasing land from local farmers for two decades, resulting in a very slow but incredibly satisfying restoration of forestland. "I fund the purchase by adding a 'conservation fee' to the tariff of my package, which includes the homestay, nature walk, meals, cost of the expert guide, etc," says Tambe. Another 10 acres is set to be added soon to this green expanse that was surveyed by two different forestry institutes and graded as 'very dense forest', or forest land with a canopy density of 70% and more.