Our Next Wilderness Collective
70% Subscribed
In 2019, Beforest introduced the idea of a Wilderness Collective. We intended to bring together folks who wanted to invest in wildlife habitat preservation – forest-friendly living, we called it.
We launched Poomaale 1.0 with lots of enthusiasm and an ambitious idea to grow coffee as one of the layers of the rainforest while leaving 50% of the land as a minimum intrusion wilderness zone. The concept was well received by like-minded individuals and soon we were joined by 50 families on our journey.
Over the last 3 years in Poomaale 1.0, we introduced forest-friendly plantation activities and built homes without being counter-productive.
Today every kilogram of coffee harvested in the Poomaale Estate saves 1000 litres of water. Cumulatively, in 3 years, we saved 21 million litres of water, 68 tonnes of NPK and an almost equivalent amount of pesticides.
The estate is abundant in mammals, birds and reptiles – a benchmark in sustainable landscape management. The success of Poomaale 1.0 and the overwhelming response for the same has led us to grow a new wilderness collective at Coorg – Poomaale 2.0.
Poomaale 2.0 - The Collective
Poomaale 2.0 – our second wilderness collective – was born from the trust Beforest Collective members bestowed upon us and from the enthusiasm of more individuals wanting to become a part of our journey in Coorg. The site lies adjacent to Poomaale 1.0, near the town of Kakkabe, Coorg, in the midst of the Western Ghats at an elevation of 1040 meters. Therefore, it shares several geophysical properties with the existing collective.
While Poomaale 1.0 was a benchmark in landscape management, Poomaale 2.0 pushes the limit further by restricting the construction footprint to only 3% of the total area. It is to encourage the community to connect with nature and contribute to strengthening the ecosystem. We aim to further the sweet spot of economic viability and ecological sustainability, measured through the 4Returns framework by Commonland that Poomaale 1.0 pioneered.
This time we are wiser by 3 years and have gathered relevant expertise and experience working with varied geographies. We have also collaborated with the best in the permaculture world.
Acres of Collective
Collective Members
Members In Their Own Words About Poomaale
Grow a Forest Farm in the Pristine Hills of Coorg
Spices, Herbs, Super Foods for you to pick from…
The 100 Ac estate was historically a functioning coffee and cardamom plantation, which now sits under a canopy of rainforests. It encompasses two hillocks, two perennial streams, countless natural springs and monsoon nullahs. We plan to revive the land by promoting forest-friendly methods to grow medicinal herbs and spices, along with fruiting trees like oranges, figs, pomelos, avocadoes and vines like pepper, etc.
We are committed to leaving approximately half the estate as a low-intervention forest zone and will restrict our food-growing activities to the other half. This will help preserve habitats for wildlife, including big cats, small-clawed otters, elephants, bat colonies, etc. Over the last decade, the estate saw minimal human activity. This means it is already a few steps closer to a forest ecosystem.
We will follow our usual methodology of baseline mapping – contour studies, hydrology, biodiversity studies, etc, followed by broad zoning of the entire estate. Post this, we will carry out controlled design interventions to understand the impact of our activities on the environment. Once we are confident, we dive head-first into the execution.
Growing our Community Bigger, Wilder & Fuller
Like any collective, Poomaale 2.0 is a crowd-funded initiative. Wilderness collectives are a feather in our cap as they are extreme examples of economic viability while enhancing the ecology.
After the successful formation of the Poomaale 2.0 Seed Community – the early adopters who buy into the first 25% of the Collective land. They are instrumental in defining the character of the community and the rules that govern it. Currently, 70% of the collective is subscribed with nature loving enthusiasts.
More the Merrier
Our journey through Coffee Plantations, Wildlife Corridors, Freshwater Streams & Lush forests.
Poomaale 2.0 – our next Wilderness Collective – comes with double the benefits. Our journey through coffee plantations, wildlife corridors and freshwater streams is now moving to its next stop with a horizon full of possibilities.
Best of Both Worlds
The members can enjoy a larger personal space while staying close to the community.
Variety is the spice of life
There is more than coffee to Coorg. A huge portfolio of 40+ things, including spices, herbs and superfoods, are planned to be grown at Poomaale 2.0.
Proximity to Poomaale 1.0
A short road separates both the collectives. Poomaale 2.0 members will have another Beforest Collective as a neighbour to stand by adversity and pass on the knowledge required to build a strong foundation for a food forest.
Join The Forest Friendly Living
Western Ghats are a world heritage site. They are also called a ‘biodiversity hotspot’ as they house the highest density of endemic species. We have currently lost about 60% of this home to a row of plantation activities. Our wilderness collectives are an initiative to keep this biodiversity intact without asking the food cultivators to give up their livelihoods. This new paradigm may very well be the future of the Western Ghats.
If you believe in the worth of the cause and want in, or if you missed the chance to be a part of Poomaale 1.0, this is for you. Click here to fill in your details and one of our teammates will connect with you.
Acres of land
Families
Supporters
"THERE IS A PLEASURE IN THE PATHLESS WOODS, AND SOCIETY WHERE NONE INTRUDES “
– LORD BYRON