Up in the Western Ghats of southern India, the Nilgiri Hills combine rich biodiversity and cultural heritage. The country's first biosphere reserve is located here. It is home to ancient Shola forests, rare grasslands, and cloud-kissed peaks that shape the climate and water systems of the Indian subcontinent. Yet, despite its ecological significance, the Nilgiris have suffered centuries of degradation. British colonial land-use policies in the 1800s labeled native grasslands and wetlands as “wastelands,” clearing them for tea, eucalyptus, and wattle plantations. This monoculture farmingreplaced vibrant ecosystems with cash crops, stripping the land of its resilience and biodiversity.
A grassroots movement to reclaim the landscape
Today, a quiet revolution is underway. Ecologists like Godwin Vasanth Bosco and hydrologists such as Gokul Halan are leading restoration efforts to revive the Shola grasslands. Their work involves identifying remnant patches of native vegetation, removing invasive species, and replanting with flora suited to the region’s unique microclimates. But science alone isn’t enough. Indigenous communities, including the Todas and Badagas, are central to this mission. Their ancestral knowledge of the land — what to grow, where, and how —guides restoration practices. Aradu Kuttan, a Toda restoration practitioner, recounts how removing invasive plants and planting native trees revived a spring that now supplies water to thousands. These efforts have led to the return of endemic species, including the elusive Nilgiri Laughing Thrush, and inspired even tea estate owners to reintroduce Shola tree species among their crops.
Can the Nilgiris be fully restored?
With over 80 active sites, growing biodiversity, and rising groundwater levels, the Nilgiris are showing signs of healing. The commitment of local communities and ecologists proves that when restoration is rooted in respect for nature and tradition, even centuries of harm can begin to be undone.