"May there always be forests to grow people!"

I've settled into a comfortable community life in a place called Sadhana FOrest where I'm wwoofing for 2-3weeks. here are 50 volunteers here and everyone an inspiring, musical, intentional, wonderful human being!
the project here is located outside Pondicherry, part of a village called AUroville. Auroville is an international community, kind of an experiment started in the 60s by a woman referred to as the Mother. It's a strange place, i'm not yet sure how i feel about it (2thirds foreigners, 1third indian). But the forest is exactly what i wanted!
\this area once had a tropical dry evergreen forest covering it. The forest was important for local medicines, sustenance, and preventing erosion (soil with lots of roots is held together beautifully in strong rains). WHen the British came, they clear cut the area and started cash crops like cashews. trees gone, roots gone = monsoon rains start to erode the topsoil making it difficult to grow anything (like cashews) and thus many pesticides started to be used. Furthermore,all the water from the monsoons started to runoff directly into the ocean, making this already dry place even drier and threatening the water source.
4 years ago Aviram and Yorit started to fulfill their dream here. THere was not a single tree except for the 3 that were left standing around an old temple (the british realized that if they cut the temple trees they'd really have a riot on hand). Now I write to you from 70Km2 of beautiful native forest trees4 years ago there was not a single bird to be heard, now they counted 25 species in the last bird count!
another major part of the project is water conservation. so our work right now (in the non monsoon season) is going to the forest to dig holes that catch monsoon rains and allow the rain to sink into the depleted water table. we use the dug up soil to build 'bunds' or small walls that help contain the water as well and guide it to the holes. In just 4 years they have raised the water table 6 meters!
this is seen very positively by the local villagers who can now access water through wells again.
Aviram and Yorit believe strongly in maintaining friendships and involvement in the local community. they go to to every wedding they are invited to, they get local children to help plant trees and take care of them, adding a sense of responsibility in the larger community.
there are no fences anywhere and in this way it is everyone's land and for everyone to use and enjoy.
so i'm quite pleased to learn from this incredible Israeli couple
another positive experience is that after just 5 days in this community, Yorit gave birth to their second daughter! it really brought everyone together as we sang and felt an incredible energy vibrate in the air all around us.
so it has been especially fulfilling. Aviram, Yorit, Osher and new Shalev are certainly enhancing the growth of amazing people in this forest.
i hope to do a radio feature on them when i'm home. They have no income and are always open to donations to keep the place growing and comfortable. Aviram says with his next donation they will build a grass roof on the kitchen hut. This roof will last for 22 years, it's completely sustainable and made from all native plants in the area. Some of the huts already have this type of roof (the rest are banana leaves woven together), but it takes several a hundred dollars to fund it.
So i'm thinking of ways to fund raise a bit for them when i get home. But i'm realizing that right now might be an opportunity to ask if anyone has a few dollars to spare. If yes, please email me with the amount and I will donate it before I leave, and hope that your amount will get to my bank account somehow!
i am leaving in 3 days i think, so please act fast!
\there is no obligation to donate, i think it's most valuable that you simply know incredible projects are happening in the world.
Be inspired,
act local,
think global
and challenge yourself to a bucket shower (when it gets a little warmer!) to see how much water you can save.

lots of love from the forest
Lauren