MulticoreWare's Leadership Explores Environmental Conservation and Community Empowerment During Visit to ATREE
The MulticoreWare team had the privilege of visiting the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), a globally recognized non-profit organization focused on environmental conservation and sustainable, socially just development. The 2 day exposure visit of the MulticoreWare team included a visit to ATREE’s Head Office in Bangalore to interact with their senior researchers, as well as an immersive visit to one of their Community Conservation Centers in Biligirirangan Hills, Karnataka.
Over the past 25 years, ATREE has established itself as a premier institution working on critical challenges and opportunities in environmental conservation and sustainable development. It has been recognised as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, and is ranked among the top 20 environmental think tanks in the world.
The session at ATREE’s Head Office included highly interactive sessions with three researchers that offered deep insights into key environmental issues such as forest governance, water pollution, and unique ecosystems.
Dr.Sharachchandra Lele, a Distinguished Fellow at ATREE began by addressing critical issues related to forests and governance, emphasizing the enduring historical injustices that affect local communities in Central India. He highlighted the struggle of these communities to access and utilize forest resources, underscoring the need for equitable governance. Dr. Sharad’s research interests include conceptual issues in sustainable development and sustainability and the analysis of institutional, economic, ecological and technological issues in forest, energy and water resource management
Dr. Priyanka Jamwal, a Sr. Fellow at ATREE focused her session on urban water pollution and her efforts in researching and restoring heavily polluted urban and peri-urban lakes. Her work through ATREE aims to restore these critical water bodies, improving urban environmental health and sustainability. Dr. Priyanka is an environmental researcher with a focus on water quality management.
Ms Priya Ranganathan, one of ATREE’s PhD students, showcased her research on the Myristica swamps, offering a unique perspective on these rare and vital ecosystems. Her study highlighted the ecological importance of these swamps and the need for their conservation.
These sessions enriched MulticoreWare team’s understanding of socio-environmental issues and ATREE’s impactful work. Our employees were highly engaged, participated actively and posed questions and concerns about how they could contribute.
Our MulticoreWare team then went for an immersive visit to BR Hills, a 5 hour long drive to the Wildlife Sanctuary, where they interacted with ATREE staff and researchers, the local Soliga Tribal Community and saw firsthand ATREE’s initiatives on the ground.
- The team visited a Honey Processing Cluster setup at BR Hills, a community-owned and community-led conservation enterprise setup with the help of ATREE. The enterprise sources and markets local produce like honey, organic turmeric, coffee, amla powder and other organic products, under the brand name ADAVI, which many of the team members also purchased
- The team also visited an agroforestry farm and a fruit nursery, both owned and operated by the local community, and which is supported by ATREE.
- The team also visited a Lantana Camara (invasive species) removal site and learnt about the species proliferation and its effect on local biodiversity
Sowmya Dhanapal, Technical Manager, MulticoreWare said, “Visiting ATREE in Bangalore was eye-opening. Their research and presentations shed light on the alarming environmental changes caused by pollutants and human activities. Beyond just identifying issues, ATREE actively connects science with society to address them. Their efforts, such as supporting the Soliga community in BR Hills with sustainable livelihoods, deeply impressed me. Meeting the Soliga community firsthand at the BR Hills agroforestry facility highlighted their daily challenges and the invaluable support ATREE provides. It was an extraordinary experience witnessing ATREE’s impact on local lives.”
Ajay Sridhar, Product Marketing Manager, MulticoreWare said, “Visiting ATREE was was a deeply enriching experience; their work in biodiversity conservation, water security, and livelihoods are amazing. I was particularly impressed by their engagement with the local community in BR Hills, where they help people produce goods and create sustainable livelihood opportunities. It’s truly inspiring and feels like divine work. They genuinely deserve more investors, funding, and support to keep doing what they are doing.”
