Bhopal : On the occasion of International Day of
Forests, Axis Bank reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to environmental
sustainability and biodiversity conservation by spearheading ongoing landscape
restoration initiatives in Madhya Pradesh. These efforts are driving
large-scale habitat restoration by planting over 5.25 saplings in over 750 hectares
of land from 2022 till 2030, across some of the state’s most ecologically
significant forest regions.
The initiative focuses on restoring degraded
forest ecosystems especially across the North Shahdol Forest Division and
the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, both part of the ecologically
vital Central Indian tiger landscape. Implemented in partnership with The Corbett
Foundation, the programme aims to strengthen habitat
connectivity and support long-term ecological recovery across wildlife
corridors that link multiple tiger habitats in the region.
As part of this effort, Axis Bank is
supporting the plantation of over 1.50 lakh native saplings over 4 years
across degraded forest patches located within the ecological corridor
connecting Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and Sanjay–Dubri
Tiger Reserve. This landscape serves as a critical wildlife
passage enabling the movement of tigers and other species across protected
areas including Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla
Wildlife Sanctuary, making corridor restoration essential for
biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.
Vijay Mulbagal, Group
Executive – Wholesale Bank Coverage, Corporate Salary, Sustainability &
CSR, Axis Bank,
emphasised,“At Axis Bank, we recognise that restoring degraded forest
landscapes is both an environmental responsibility and a people‑centric
opportunity. Our ecological restoration efforts are designed to protect
biodiversity while supporting the communities that depend on these ecosystems
for their livelihoods. Through long‑term, community‑inclusive initiatives
across India’s vulnerable landscapes, we aim to advance the country’s climate
and biodiversity priorities while creating lasting social and ecological
value.”
The programme also builds on earlier
restoration efforts under Axis Bank’s Mission 2 Million Trees initiative
at the Masira site in the North Shahdol Forest Division, where 75,000 native
saplings were planted to rehabilitate a 100-hectare
degraded forest patch from 2022 to 2024. The current phase
focuses on strengthening survival rates and achieving ecological stability
through interventions such as invasive species removal, plantation maintenance,
repair of check dams, installation of solar-powered water pumps, and seasonal
watering during dry months.
In parallel, a large-scale restoration
initiative in the Manpur Buffer Zone of the Bandhavgarh
Tiger Reserve will target nearly 400 hectares of degraded forest
land, with the plantation of about 3,00,000
native saplings between October 2025 and March 2030. The
project will also involve removal of Lantana
camara, development of water conservation structures, establishment
of a nursery, and installation of solar-powered water systems to support
wildlife and long-term habitat restoration.