Floral ovaries swell into seeds, and tiny green fruits surface on slender branchlets. Within weeks, they ripen into dark, delicious pericarps — nature’s own invitation to a grand feast.

As the fruits mature, the forest awakens. Hornbills, bats, civets, squirrels, and primates descend in waves, drawn by this abundance. Barking deer and mouse deer forage on the forest floor, completing nature’s guest list.

Every tree releases thousands of seeds — only a few hundred may sprout. Yet survival below the canopy is fierce. This is how forests in the Western Ghats function.

“It’s the forest’s farewell ritual,” says Milind Patil, a forester who has spent years observing the unhurried choreography of seed dispersal in the Western Ghats. “Shade, soil, and predators conspire,” 32-year-old Milind explains. “In the end, one or two endure — carrying the forest’s memory forward.”

These patterns guide Milind’s work — restoring native evergreen forests, one seed and one sapling at a time.

Milind never intended to become a storyteller of seeds. Years spent traversing forest trails, watching fruit cycles, and listening to the drama overhead gently drew him in.

His journey began in childhood, fuelled by a deep fascination with snakes, birds, butterflies, insects, and forest life. “My parents never discouraged me; instead, they supported my interests even though they were unsure what future awaited a boy who spent nearly 25 hours a week wandering through forests, photographing butterflies, handling snakes, catching fish, and observing nature. This was my routine when I was a teenager.”

Milind recalls, “Around 2008 and 2010, major environmental challenges were emerging in Sindhudurg — strong protests against proposed mining, extensive clearing of primary forests for rubber and pineapple plantations, rapid expansion of cashew cultivation, increased wildlife-related crop damage, and cultivable land being left fallow. This was when I truly became aware of the ecological degradation happening in my native landscape.”

Today, trained as a forester and attuned to the Western Ghats’ subtle ecologies, Milind blends scientific rigour with instinctive observation. He is now the custodian of Chamundi Forest, a private 20-acre restoration site in Sindhudurg.

Launched in 2023 with the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) as partner, Chamundi Forest aims to revive degraded swathes of tropical evergreen forest in Sindhudurg using scientific and long-term stewardship.

The forest carries both a sacred legacy and a commitment to biodiversity.

The Northern Western Ghats have witnessed a strong resurgence, propelled by NCF and local partners. Where biodiversity once hovered on the edge, restoration is breathing life into degraded land........

© The Better India