SayTrees Environmental Trust

THE GREEN CRUSADERS

Way back in 2007, Bengaluru’s lush green canopy was fading under the weight of urbanisation. The city fondly known as the ‘Garden City of India’ could see its native trees vanishing. That’s when Kapil Sharma, an environmental warrior, along with a bunch of passionate volunteers took the plunge and initiated SayTrees as a weekend project to rejuvenate Bengaluru's lost greenery and give back to the beloved city.

In 2013, the climate conversation was just starting to break free from academia. Hence, leveraging the momentum, Kapil and his team decided to turn SayTrees into an official non-profit organisation. With the growing emphasis on corporate social responsibility, they recognised a new opportunity and started organising large-scale tree plantation drives with an aim to make a tangible difference.

Kapil shares, “When we started SayTrees, we faced funding issues. In 2013, not many people were taking climate action seriously. But now, things have changed. We're seeing floods, droughts, and heatwaves, all threatening our future and making it harder to stay safe from climate disasters. That's why it's important to support existing nature-based solutions like agroforestry. We need to channel resources to grassroots efforts and amplify the impact of proven strategies in combating climate change.”

Focus on Afforestation and Water Conservation