
Driving Impact, One Project at a Time
Innovative solutions, empowered communities, and a healthier planet — our projects are paving the way for a sustainable future. Explore how we’re making a difference in alignment with United Nations 17 Sustainable Development goals (UN SDGs).

Ongoing Projects
- Junior Naturalist Action Network: Nurturing the Next Generation of Changemakers
- Living Laboratory: Innovating Sustainable Solutions
- Community Waste Management: A Cleaner, Greener Kodaikanal
- KIS Waste Management: Keeping our Campus Clean
- Vanam Diaries: Stories of Culture and Ecology by Kodaikanal’s Youth
Junior Naturalist Action Network: Nurturing the Next Generation of Changemakers
This program equips students with the knowledge and skills to protect their local environment.
Activities
- Each year, 50 students participate in 160 hours of hands-on learning over 23 weeks.
- Activities include species identification, biodiversity monitoring, ecological storytelling, and community engagement.
- Students lead environmental campaigns, clean-ups, and tree-planting drives.
Read a story covering the impact of JNAN in The Kodai Chronicle.
Or, watch some of our student-led initiatives! Click here



Impact
- 100% of JNAN students adopt sustainable practices at home such as composting, recycling, or planting native trees.
- 90% of schools report improved leadership and teamwork among JNAN students.
- 50% of participants take on leadership roles for environmental projects in their schools or neighborhoods.
Watch some of our student-led initiatives! Click here



SDGs
Living Laboratory: Innovating Sustainable Solutions
The CEH campus serves as a hub for innovation, showcasing sustainable practices and biodiversity conservation.
Activities
- Creating natural microcosms within our campus, including shola forest, grassland, wetland, and farming zones. View our Living Laboratory plan here.
- Testing sustainable farming methods like no-till agriculture, mushroom cultivation, and the application of DIY inputs such as biochar and panchagavya - and sharing successful practices with local farmers.
- Developing a native nursery with shola trees, shrubs, herbs, and grasses, and a seed bank of open pollinated heirloom seeds sourced in Kodaikanal.
- Hosting educational visits for schools, colleges, and research institutions.
Read about information gathered from our network of farmers in the South Asia Region Climate Knowledge Hub.



Impact
- Built a network of 120 farmers to exchange ideas and practice sustainable methods.
- Gathered approximately 2000 Shola seeds from 12 different species to conserve local biodiversity through our nursery and seed bank.
- Generated 500 kg of organic inputs and produce, inspiring sustainable farming practices across the region.
- Hosted 13 workshops for school and college students, and local community groups on topics from mushroom cultivation to regenerative agriculture.



SDGs
Community Waste Management: A Cleaner, Greener Kodaikanal
CEH collects recyclables from local residents, sorts them into 32 waste categories, and sends the materials to authorized processing facilities.
Activities
- Run a community recycling drop-off facility.
- Train municipal workers, students, and businesses in waste segregation and management.
- Implement composting and recycling programs in 15 government schools.
- Lead clean up drives in pristine shola habitats and and crucial water sources such as streams, marshes, and lakes.
Read this article about a hotelier in Kodaikanal inspired by CEH, now leading the way in waste management within the hospitality industry.



Impact
SDGs
KIS Waste Management: Keeping our Campus Clean
CEH oversees end-to-end waste management of KIS, serving as a model for gated communities and bulk waste generators in our town.
Activities
- Establish waste management infrastructure from dustbins in dorms and signage in classrooms, to a compost yard for dining hall waste.
- Educate operational staff, professional staff, and students on the importance of segregation at source.
- Identify and implement zero-waste alternatives across school departments and activities.
- Involve KIS students in recycling and composting activities - aligning with their CAS and Service as Action requirements.



Impact
SDGs
Vanam Diaries: Stories of Culture and Ecology by Kodaikanal’s Youth
A publication that gives young people a voice to express their connection to Kodaikanal’s people and environment.
Activities
- Field explorations such as guided visits to local forests, farms, and communities to inspire firsthand learning and documentation.
- Workshops on writing, photography, and storytelling sessions to help students develop narratives on culture and ecology.
- Community showcases and public readings where students share their work with peers, families, and the broader community.
Read Vanam Diaries:
Issue 1 - Fall 2023
Issue 2 - Spring 2024
Issue 3 - Fall 2024



Impact
- Every year, we publish 20 stories written by KIS and local school children on their reflections of living in Kodaikanal.
- Over 200 copies of Vanam Diaries are printed each issue, and distributed to alumni, parents, and the local community reaching a wide audience.
- Shifts in students' understanding and concern for local cultural and ecological issues.
SDGs
Completed Projects
- Inspiring Action Through Art and Storytelling: Exploring the Threatened Shola Sky Islands
- CEH in Mumbai: Workshops with 300 Students across 6 Schools
- Backyard Biodiversity and Eco-Clubs in Local Schools
- Empowering Educators During the Pandemic: COVID-19 Teacher Training
Inspiring Action Through Art and Storytelling: Exploring the Threatened Shola Sky Islands
CEH partnered with National Geographic Explorer Niharika Rajput to bring attention to vulnerable bird species of the Shola Sky Islands. Using art, education, and storytelling, this project raises awareness about biodiversity loss in the Palani Hills.
Activities
- Built a stunning exhibit of 13 life-like bird sculptures, complete with their songs and calls recorded from the forest.
- Ran 15 hands-on workshops for 500+ kids, diving into wildlife art, bird-watching, and conservation know-how.
- Launched a bilingual animated video and website (English & Tamil) to spread the word Sky Island birds and the role they play in maintaining ecological balance.
Watch "Endangered" the film, here!



Impact
SDGs
CEH in Mumbai: Workshops with 300 Students across 6 Schools
We conducted workshops and talks across Mumbai including at schools, the NCPA, and BNHS - highlighting the ecological significance of the Western Ghats and their vital role in sustaining urban life.
Activities
- Conducted interactive art and storytelling workshops across 8 schools and art galleries in Mumbai.
- Introduced urban youth to key ecological concepts linking wildlife conservation to city life.
- Engaged 300 students in creative learning around biodiversity through storytelling and quilling art techniques.
- Highlighted 4 keystone species endemic to India—spanning coastal, mountainous, and urban ecosystems.



Impact
- Sparked environmental curiosity and empathy among 300 young participants from diverse urban backgrounds.
- Students developed a clear understanding of how biodiversity supports the well-being of human life in cities.
- Strengthened creative expression and communication skills through art-based conservation storytelling.
- Enabled students to articulate the importance of protecting India’s ecosystems and the species they depend on.



SDGs
Backyard Biodiversity and Eco-Clubs in Local Schools
CEH brought conservation into the classroom by creating eco-clubs and biodiversity programs in local schools.
Empowering Educators During the Pandemic: COVID-19 Teacher Training
CEH supported local teachers with environmental education and classroom strategies during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Upcoming projects - we need your support!
- Turning Knowledge into Action: Indian Climate Experience
- Restoring Landscapes: Citizen Science and Community Conservation
Turning Knowledge into Action: Indian Climate Experience
We’re building the Indian Climate Experience (ICE) — a 2,200-square-foot hub at KIS CEH that brings the Palani Hills and climate change to life. Through immersive exhibits and cutting-edge displays, ICE turns complex science into stories that inspire action — from students to policymakers.
How it will work
- The Indian Climate Experience will feature 19 interactive, student-friendly exhibits.
- Visitors will engage with immersive displays and hands-on science experiments that explore climate change, biodiversity, and community action.
- Key exhibits include a bicycle-powered wind turbine, camera trap footage of local wildlife, and sensory experiments demonstrating carbon capture and storage.
- The experience will blend storytelling, technology, and science—starting with a welcome video grounded in community voices and ending with calls to personal and collective action.



Why it matters
- It brings climate science to life by localizing it—connecting the global crisis to tangible changes in the Palani Hills and Kodaikanal.
- The exhibit fosters environmental literacy among youth, equipping them with the knowledge and emotional connection needed for future climate action.
- It emphasizes the role of biodiversity and ecosystems in climate mitigation, inspiring stewardship of local species and habitats.
- By demonstrating that every small action counts, it encourages civic engagement, collaboration, and responsibility—empowering communities to act on climate challenges.
SDGs
Restoring Landscapes: Citizen Science and Community Conservation
The Bombay Shola forest-stream-marsh-lake ecosystem is the lifeline of Kodaikanal. But like all fragile ecosystems, it’s under threat. This project brings KIS students, the local community, and forest officials together to gather crucial data on biodiversity, hydrology, and invasive species — data that will directly inform restoration efforts.
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