KALAM | The Community Grove

 The project aims to develop a Community Grove for Kanis within their settlement clearing in the Peppara wildlife sanctuary, Southern Western Ghats. The project aims to celebrate associations and cultural narratives of Kanis to their trees of the forest. The Kani people’s deep connection with the natural environment and their local knowledge of the trees are integral to their culture. The community grove aims to re-establish a connection and certain sense of belonging in Kanis  to their forest and its species.
The project aims to empower the Kani people to take ownership of their natural resources, promote community-based conservation and contribute to the conservation of forests in the Agasthyamalai complex, a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. The project will also serve as a platform for engaging with local authorities and promoting the value of indigenous knowledge systems of the community. The project on a piece of reclaimed land (rubber estate) envisions a community grove that cultivates and preserves trees of multiple values from the forests of the Athirumalai ranges. The species of trees selected exhibit both a spatial-cultural recognition and a conservation attitude in it. The popular trees are used as place markers to recognize units of forests that are rare, fragile, and need protection.