Nestled in the foothills of the Sahyadri mountains, Velhe unfolds like a beautiful memory — its breeze carrying the call of the spotted dove and fields redolent with the aroma of Indrayani rice. Native blooms like glory lily, balsam, and sonki flare across the land, a reminder that the Western Ghats are still one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots. One can even spot one of the biggest insects on the planet, the Atlas moth, amid the trees and paddy fields.

This beauty hides a grim reality. Velhe, situated in Pune district and some 200 km from Mumbai, is among Maharashtra’s most financially backward talukas, where livelihoods are fragile and migration is the norm. This is where the Raintree Foundation chose to plant its vision — of building sustainable, resilient and thriving ecosystems, by encouraging locals towards community-driven conservation.