Save the Planet!PlantProtectGrow Trees

Our plan is to help people plant and grow a billion trees in India in 25 years. Join us to make this world a greener place.

How to Plant a Tree - Step by Step Tree Plantation Guide

Tree Plantation NGO
in Pune

Nelda means champion in the Irish language and a person who lives by alder trees. Our founder, Vedarth Deshpande started Nelda with a mission to give back to the community of Pune and the earth. All of us at Nelda have made it our mission to plant as many trees as possible and make this world a greener place.

With that idea in mind, Project Nelda was launched in the year 2016 with a plan to help increase the green cover of Pune and help maintain the balance of urban ecosystems. Although we have been doing this for many years, the volunteers that we have are not enough if we are to make a worthwhile change. We need more people to help us and support our aim to influence the plantation of a billion trees by 2041.

Tree plantation might not be the total solution to climate change, but it surely helps create a greener and much healthier future. When you talk about tree plantation, it’s not rocket science. All you need is an expert and a knowledgeable team to get things done at the right time. And that is what Nelda can help with.

Explore our Tree Plantation Site in Pune:

Our mission is to make the world greener than how we found it.

Nelda's vision is to help people plant and grow a billion trees in India by 2041.

See Nelda and our champions in action!

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Trees planted & currently managed by Project Nelda

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Man hours contributed by Nelda Volunteers since 2016

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Total volunteers who've joined Nelda's activities

How does Nelda work?

We regularly seek support in the form of volunteering & donations.

Our expert team manages tree plantations at our project locations.

We nurture the trees throughout the year to ensure a high survival ration.

We try to create awareness & spread positivity through digital media.

Wish to volunteer with Nelda?

Where The Money Goes

This is how your online donation is used.
  • 60% Saplings purchase & delivery
  • 15% Manual labour
  • 20% Tools & events management
  • 5% Administrative expenses

Nelda™ is an initiative by Deshpee Group, started in 2016. With Nelda, our plan is to influence the plantation of 1 billion trees.

Companies that Support Us

Support Nelda

Donate Saplings

You can support Nelda by donating saplings at our tree plantation drives at Hanuman Tekdi. They’ll be planted on the project location.

Donate Online

You can donate money towards Nelda’s Hanuman Tekdi project to support us. Please use the Donate Now link in the menu.

Donate in Kind

If you’d like to donate certain equipment or materials we require, you can donate in-kind as well.

But what difference would it make by planting trees?

Every day, trees supply us with several benefits. They provide shade, block frigid wind and rain, attract birds and wildlife, cleanse the air we breathe, reduce soil erosion, clean our water, and enhance the attractiveness of our homes and communities.

Not only are they responsible for providing us with oxygen but they also play a major role in maintaining the temperatures, air quality, and groundwater. These are just some major roles. There are many more. So when you plant even a single tree, plant, or sapling, there are many benefits, and even one sapling can help a lot when you think about the long run.

Project Nelda is not just conducting active tree plantation drives in and around Pune city but is also moving a step further to create a network of volunteers and community groups to build back the ecosystem that we once had.

Since its inception, Nelda Foundation has been working on a regular basis, all year round, not just to plant saplings but also to care for and maintain those that have already been planted or have been there for a long time.

At Nelda Foundation, our mighty volunteers see to it that as the seasons change, we make the best of it by planting trees, providing them with the suitable fertilizers, and cleaning and maintaining the area for more robust and healthier growth of these planted trees. We also make it a point to water them regularly to prevent loss of life.

Nelda is a Registered & Recognised Tree Plantation NGO

Nelda is registered as a section 8 company under the Indian Companies Act that makes Nelda a registered Non-Profit Organisation. Along with this, Nelda has also completed its 12A registration and 80G registration which helps individuals and businesses with financial compliance when they donate to Nelda Foundation.

What activities is Nelda Foundation doing currently?

You can join Nelda as a volunteer or you can donate trees. Nelda Foundation conducts weekly activity of tree plantation and tree maintenance every Sunday at Hanuman Tekdi located on SB Road Pune, Maharashtra. Along with this, we also have other activities going on in other parts of Pune and Maharashtra. Apart from regular tree plantation activities, Nelda is actively conducting suitable drives for the maintenance of the trees we have planted so far. These activities include providing the trees with sufficient water, especially during summers, and feeding them with the suitable fertilizers to avoid them being infected with insects and pests.

Should you plant trees yourself or work with a group like Nelda?

When it comes to planting trees, you need to know the right amount of soil to use, the depth of the digging, and much more. With Nelda, you get to learn from our mentors and volunteers how to do it the right way. When you work with a group like Nelda, you get access to years of experience, advanced tools, permitted plantation locations, help of fellow volunteers and more. It’s always advisable to work with an experienced volunteers group like Nelda than to plant yourself.

The Need for Tree Plantation in India & the World – Importance & Benefits

Despite the value of India’s unique forests for ecosystem services, wildlife, and the livelihoods of millions of people, forests across the country have been badly reduced. In the recent decade, a massive push for economic development has increased industrial projects at the expense of forests and forest lands. Various reports have showcased 14,000 km of forests being wiped out recently to make way for industrial developments and the growth of urbanization. Although moving forward and adapting to newer and better technology is something to look forward to, it should not come at the cost of large forests being cut down. When we talk about India, we mainly have three seasons – summer, rains, and winter, for which trees play an important role. Not only that, but India is also known for its diverse flora and fauna cultivated and maintained throughout the country. Here are some reasons why planting trees in India should be taken seriously.

Statistics that Prove Tree Plantation Drives are Critical

From 2001 to 2021, the Pune  district lost 118ha of tree cover, equivalent to a 0.57% decrease in tree cover since 2000, and 56.2kt of CO₂e emissions. Pune city lost 8 hectares of humid primary forest between 2002 and 2021, accounting for 6.7% of the city’s overall loss of tree cover during that time. At this time, Pune’s total area of primary humid forest shrank by 0.22 percent.

One estimate states that although India’s average yearly per capita greenhouse gas emissions (also known as per capita carbon footprint) are 1.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, Maharashtra’s average is 2.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Energy generation systems, which are mostly used by cities and businesses in Maharashtra, are the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Pune, a significant urban and industrial hub in Maharashtra, is a major state producer of greenhouse gas emissions.

The yearly mean temperature and annual mean rainfall are both rising across Maharashtra as a result of climate change. In addition, the monsoon season’s rainfall pattern is shifting into a cycle of a few days of extremely heavy rain followed by hot stretches with little rain.

Even though this is a huge issue, we at Nelda believe that through our regular and yearly activities for tree plantation and tree maintenance services, we can make positive difference.

Here’s how tree plantations can help the environment and society.

Tree plantation to prevent landslides and deforestation

India has lost 40% of its natural forest cover in the last 95 years, and this is a fact. Due to this, we have seen many landslides and deforestation issues in various parts of the country. Activities like mining, urbanization & industrial expansion are some of the major reasons for clearing out trees and forests.

Cleaning out large amounts of trees can also loosen up the earth and the upper layer of soil causing soil erosions and landslides. In a country that houses millions of species of plants and animals, it’s important that we focus on rebuilding these forests within the urban populations. Not only will the plants and animals benefit from this, but so will humans.

Tree plantation for better climate conditions

A grown/mature tree is able to withdraw up to 22 kilograms of carbon per year. And looking at the air quality and increasing air pollution within the Indian ecosystem, tree planting has become the need of the hour.

These trees are not just able to better the air quality and keep it in check, but are also responsible for maintaining sustainable temperatures. According to surveys, the temperatures in India have been increasing at a faster pace. So the next time you are planting a tree, think of how your small step is actually helping this world become a better place to live in.

Tree plantation for the growth of food supplies

India is known for exporting fruits like Pomegranates, Grapes, Bananas, Mangoes, and Oranges which drive incomes worth thousands of crores each year. Each tree in India will approximately provide $10-20 USD in food and nutrition. With India still known as an agricultural country, understanding our ecosystem and planting trees that are beneficial for our environment, but also to our economy is something to think of.

Help Nelda Plant More Trees:

Benefits Of Donating Trees With Nelda

When you donate a tree with Nelda, you not only support Nelda’s tree plantation initiatives directly, but you also give hope to our volunteers that are working so hard for the environment. If you’re unable to volunteer or physically join our tree plantation activities, you can donate saplings online or in person. Your donations will help us plant more trees and make this earth greener. Hundreds of people have donated thousands of trees to Nelda, which has aided in our efforts to help people plan a billion trees by 2041.

How can you be a part of our tree plantation activities?

Be a part of such an organization that aims to help the environment in every possible way and help make this world a better place. We may be a little group, and our numbers might still be on the smaller side, but our will is strong, and we’re committed to doing our best for the environment of Pune and the earth. To join Nelda as a volunteer to physically contribute to our activities, please call us at our phone number and we’ll be happy to include you in our next event. Alternatively, you can also donate a sapling via our website. Even a simple act like sharing Nelda on your Facebook or Instagram page can help a lot!

No Contribution is Too Small, Here’s How You Can Help

When we talk about contributing with Nelda, there are various ways you can do so. Nelda has been planting trees for the past many years and so we know what trees we need to plant, what are the things required in planting them, and the things we need to do to maintain them for a longer time and make them sustain on their own. You can contribute to Nelda by being our sponsor for our various activities, as we require basic tools and saplings for planting. You can also help by volunteering to help maintain the large number of plants we have planted over the past many years. If you are unable to make it due to location constraints but still are willing to contribute in some way, you can always plant saplings at your place and inspire people in your area. After all, it’s one world. You can also contribute to Nelda by donating samplings on special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, or any special moment or day you want to highlight. Sharing on your social media profiles about what Nelda is and what we do is a contribution you can make that can help us a lot. It’s never too late to stand for something this amazing. With varied options, you can start small and be a part of something big. A small step counts when we think of the future. Let’s make the city of Pune more beautiful and green! Be a part of something bigger and better with Project Nelda.

Reviews from Facebook and Google

5/5

I am volunteering with Nelda since last 6 months and its been a fulfilling journey. Nelda’s commitment towards protecting nature is commendable. Dreaming to plant billion trees till 2041, Nelda is moving towards it consistently. Kudos to Jeet and Shubham who are driving Nelda’s activities every weekend. I wish best luck to Nelda and thanks for making my weekends meaningful.

Akash Jain

5/5
Planting trees is just a small step. Nurturing and conserving them is the difficult part – kudos to Nelda and its dedicated team Shubham, Jeet and others for sweating out each Sunday. Happy to play a small role in their venture this Sunday.

Vivek Dighe

5/5
It was a great experience to work with Nelda foundation. The social work they are doing is a great thought the youth should contribute in… I’d love to work as long as I can…

Dhanashri Dhane

5/5
It was a great experience watering and preserving the plants. Best wishes to nelda for 1 billion mission.

Siddhi Bengude

5/5
I have always appreciated those heroes of environmental protection and work for others.
So now #iamnelda✌️🌳🌲✌️

Pramod Waghule

5/5

Its was a nice experience and it’s very thankful to Nelda foundation they give the opportunity in the filed.

Nimesh Deo