India
From barren ridge to living green cover Restoring common land in Muhali, Dhar district
Community-Driven Revival of 5 Hectares of Degraded Common Land through Ecological Restoration
Development Support Centre (DSC)
Muhali village, Manawar block, Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh
5 hectares of Gram Panchayat common land
Western Madhya Pradesh
The challenge
About 5 hectares of common land in Muhali village, Dhar district, had lain barren for around a decade. Once covered with dense vegetation, it degraded through encroachment, tree felling for fuel and timber, and recurring drought, leaving the community without fodder, fuelwood or ecological benefit from the site.
The intervention
DSC, Manawar, worked with Gram Panchayat Muhali under the RPLC project to restore the land. Following community consultation in 2023, the team planted 2,700 saplings, including bamboo, jamun, almond and other native species, across 2024 and 2025, and built 1,190 metres of continuous contour trenches and 1,500 staggered contour trenches to conserve rainwater and control erosion. The work converged with Gram Panchayat Muhali and MGNREGA, leveraging INR 16.65 lakh in government funds for trenches, plantation pits and a pond.
The impact
| Metric | Before | After |
| Land cover | Barren, degraded common land | Permanent green cover across approximately 5 hectares |
| Plantation survival | No plantation on site | 85% survival rate across 2,700 saplings |
| Soil and water conservation | Rapid runoff and severe soil erosion | Improved soil moisture and reduced erosion |
| Groundwater in nearby wells | Wells prone to drying out | Around 15 nearby wells retain water through summer |
| Fodder availability | Limited, due to degraded land | Supports fodder for over 500 animals, benefiting over 200 families |
SDG Impacted:
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