At Save Aravali, we enthusiastically engage in afforestation initiatives, driven by our commitment to rejuvenate biodiversity. Our Nursery meets the strong demand for saplings and motivates the passionate green warriors of Delhi NCR. The Nursery located at Badkhal-Pali Road came into existence in the year 2017, emerging from what was once a local waste-dump yard. This transformation leads to a fully operational seed germination centre.

In its early days, heavy rains would submerge its grounds. Our dedicated volunteers – Mr Vikas Thareja, Jagmohan Yadav, and Raju Rawat devised a solution. They revamped the grounds with a Gator stone and bitumen waterproof base, preventing flooding during rainfall. This initiative helped prevent the nursery from becoming submerged during rainfall, as well as prevented unwanted roots from growing in the nursery grounds. Overcoming this challenge enabled the team to create new beddings with several Aravali-specific fauna, particularly an increased number of Palash. Despite facing numerous obstacles, Save Aravali Nursery has persevered and succeeded in creating a thriving ecosystem that is home to a diverse range of Aravali flora to promote environmental conservation and sustainability.

We had started with the efficiency of 5 thousand saplings per year, progressing with a startling 20-30 thousand saplings per year today! Accelerating our mission, we further aspire to expand this capacity to nurture 1 lakh saplings per year. The nursery procures seeds through a dual approach: it acquires saplings either through community-led seed collection drives and by procuring them using monetary contributions, which constitute the part of donation. This year, we were fortunate that our resolute volunteer Gagan Sharma ji from Rajasthan procured and donated native seeds. At present, the nursery harbours a stock of tens of thousands of seeds comprising different seedlings of native species, while 10-15 thousand seedlings had been germinated. We have an estimated 8-10 thousand saplings that are ready to be planted.

This nursery not only provides a nurturing environment to the seedlings but also serves as a pilot testing site for innovative organic fertilisers. With Raju Rawat and Jagmohan Yadav taking the lead in developing remarkable solutions like 'jiva-amrita', the soil here is enriched by natural and novel approaches. These efforts not only lay the foundation for the healthier growth of saplings but also stimulate research focusing on forest regeneration. Here, at the nursery, we nurture the most delicate and significant phase of a plant's life cycle. From the emergence of a tender seedling to the hopeful beginnings of the sapling and further to a tree that stands strong as a guardian of the earth, we had witnessed many stories of the journey of a plant. Welcome to Save Aravali's Nursery!