3 days ago
‘Each tree is worth over one crore': Raghunath Maruti Dhole on his remarkable conservation model
Written by Kivi Lydia Vito
'When I was a child, I saw my mother cooking with firewood. I realised she was cutting trees to feed me. Our 400 generations did this for survival, and now it is my duty to replant,' says Raghunath Maruti Dhole, 69, reflecting on his forest conservation journey. Today he is responsible for a veritable revolution in the preservation of native plants in Pune.
Through the Devrai Foundation, Dhole has been working to revive barren land using the model of the Devrai, sacred groves traditionally protected by local communities for spiritual reasons. Though the Naigaon-based Foundation was registered in 2013, Dhole's personal efforts date back to the 1980s.
Dhole and his team including close friends–Dhananjay Shedbale, Suresh Namaji Shinde, and Uday Bhanudas Gujar–his wife and children developed a plantation model featuring between 119 and 190 native species of trees and plants. These species are drawn from sacred groves where no planting or cutting has taken place for centuries, reflecting the region's original biodiversity.
'We studied sacred groves from different regions and created a plantation plan for one acre of land, selecting 119 appropriate native species from a pool of 500,' Dhole explained.
Speaking about the importance of preserving native plants and the ecological consequences of losing these native plants, he says, 'If a species of tree vanishes, one butterfly species also vanishes because each tree depends on pollination.'
He continues, 'Some 40 years ago, I planted two eucalyptus trees and later found out they were exotic. At the time, I didn't know which species were native and which were not,' Dhole said.
Highlighting these common planting mistakes, Dhole says, 'Palash is a native tree that attracts many birds, butterflies, and honey bees but instead, we are planting Gulmohar, which is not native to India and provides no food or support to local wildlife.'
He adds that many non-native species introduced during British colonial times are vulnerable to heavy rain and winds, undermining the ecosystem's stability.
The foundation offers saplings and guidance free of cost but only to those who have one acre of land, water and protection ready. 'Planting is just 1 per cent of the job, growing the tree is 99 per cent. If we charge for saplings, we turn nature into a business. That must be avoided,' Dhole emphasises.
He continues, 'So far, we have contributed to 414 sacred groves on barren lands in places like Solapur, Sangli, Amravati, Kolhapur and beyond Maharashtra in Bhopal, Gujarat, Calcutta, and Goa. We have also created more than 80 ghanwans (dense forest), over 200 tree libraries, and set up 18 types of nurseries.'
Dhole recounted once sending 43 saplings to Noida by plane, emphasising that roots can be safely wrapped and replanted when they reach their destination.
The foundation has donated 3.4 million saplings, with a 70 per cent survival rate, over two million trees still thriving. 'If you multiply that by what a single tree gives back in terms of oxygen, pollution control, soil regeneration, each tree is worth over one crore. This is real wealth,' he adds.
In educational outreach, the foundation has also created over 200 tree libraries for schools. These mini-forests feature potted plants with informative cards giving details such as botanical names, flowering periods, and medicinal uses, encouraging students to connect with nature.
While acknowledging the inevitability of urbanisation, he believes a balance is possible, he says, 'If a tree must be cut for a road or building we can't avoid it but plant a hundred elsewhere. Go to your native village and invest in trees there.'
He urges a return to responsibility towards the land that sustains us. 'Everyone has come from somewhere where the land has given us water, food, and childhood. It is time to repay it.'
Operating without external funding, the foundation remains community- driven. 'Everyone has to repay the earth in some way. That is why we created Devrai Foundation, to ensure this work continues after I am gone,' Dhole says.
Dhole's commitment is global in outlook. 'If a person wants to plant in Goa or China, let them. Trees do not recognise borders. They are a global asset.'
'What I've learned in 40 years is that people love plants but they just need direction, the right saplings and a reason to start,' he says.
He continues, 'This is not charity. We cannot eat money or gold but we can eat fruit, breathe clean air, and drink water. All of this comes from trees. Nature is not asking for charity. It is asking us to remember who we are.'
