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Tree Plantation NGOs in India: A Factual, Unranked Guide

Search for "best tree plantation NGO" and you'll find dozens of rankings. Many put the author's own organisation at number one, often without much explanation. We'd rather not do that.

Instead, this is a factual guide to well-known tree plantation NGOs in India, along with a few other organisations working on tree planting. It describes what each one does, how they work and what kind of supporter they might suit, followed by a checklist you can use to judge any of them yourself. Earthxway is included too, described just as plainly, as a young, Maharashtra-based NGO.

The list isn't ranked. The order doesn't mean one is better than another. The descriptions are based on each organisation's own public information, and you should always check their latest details directly before you give.

Key Takeaways

  • India has many credible tree-planting organisations, with very different models: urban forests, farmer agroforestry, online tree gifting, river-basin campaigns and community drives.
  • The "best" one depends on what you care about: where trees are planted, how they're tracked, survival and aftercare, and whether you need CSR or tax documentation.
  • Not all are NGOs. Some well-known players are social enterprises or companies, which matters for tax benefits and CSR eligibility.
  • Verify before you give. Check registration, tracking, aftercare and how openly each organisation reports its limits.
  • Earthxway is a young NGO (incorporated in 2025) focused on geo-tagged, community-cared plantation in Maharashtra.

How We Chose These Organisations

We included organisations that are widely known for tree planting in India, have a clear public presence, and represent a range of different approaches. This isn't a complete list, and leaving an organisation out says nothing about its quality.

We deliberately haven't repeated each organisation's self-reported tree counts. Numbers are counted in different ways (planted, distributed, surviving) and change constantly. Check each organisation's own website for current figures.

Tree Plantation NGOs in India and Other Organisations (Unranked)

SayTrees Environmental Trust

  • Based in: Bengaluru
  • Founded: 2007, by Kapil Sharma
  • Approach: SayTrees runs tree planting, urban forestry using the Miyawaki method, lake and water restoration, agroforestry and corporate programmes.
  • Might suit: companies and volunteers looking for an established organisation with urban forest and water projects.

Grow-Trees.com

  • Based in: Mumbai
  • Founded: 2010, by Pradip Shah and Karan Shah
  • Approach: a digital platform where individuals and companies can plant trees in projects across India and in other countries, and send personalised tree certificates as greetings. It offers dashboards and satellite-based monitoring. Note that Grow-Trees operates through a private company, so check what that means for any tax or CSR requirements you have.
  • Might suit: people who want a quick online gifting experience with a wide choice of project locations.

SankalpTaru Foundation

  • Approach: lets people plant trees online and follow them using GPS coordinates, images and a blockchain-based tracking system. It also offers corporate plantation programmes.
  • Might suit: tech-minded donors and companies who prioritise digital tracking.

Give Me Trees Trust

  • Founder: Swami Prem Parivartan, widely known as "Peepal Baba", who began planting trees as a boy in 1977. The trust was founded in 2010 and registered as an NGO in 2011.
  • Approach: grassroots tree planting with strong volunteer participation, known especially for planting peepal and other native trees.
  • Might suit: volunteers who want a hands-on, community-driven movement.

Cauvery Calling (Isha Foundation)

  • Approach: a campaign that supports farmers in the Cauvery river basin to shift to tree-based agriculture (agroforestry), linking tree planting with river health and farmer income.
  • Might suit: donors interested in large-scale farmer agroforestry and river revival.

Green Yatra

  • Based in: Mumbai
  • Founded: started in 2008 by Pradeep Tripathi and registered as an NGO in 2010, per its public information
  • Approach: runs the "Pedh Lagao" tree-planting programme, including Miyawaki urban forests, rural livelihood plantations and larger plantation drives, alongside other environmental work.
  • Might suit: people in and around Mumbai and Maharashtra looking for urban forest projects.

Afforestt

  • Founded: 2011, by Shubhendu Sharma, who learned the Miyawaki method under Dr Akira Miyawaki
  • Approach: creates dense native Miyawaki forests for clients. Afforestt describes itself as a forest-making company, not an NGO.
  • Might suit: companies, institutions and landowners who want a professionally built Miyawaki forest. For more on the method, see our Miyawaki forest method guide for India.

Earthxway Foundation

  • Based in: Nagpur (head office) and Wagholi, Pune (branch office), Maharashtra
  • Registered: Section 8 (not-for-profit) company, incorporated in 2025 (CIN U88900MH2025NPL447114), with 12A and 80G registration and NGO Darpan ID MH/2025/0619795. Earthxway Foundation is registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs as a CSR implementing agency (CSR-1 registration number CSR00120412), so companies can route Schedule VII CSR funds through us.
  • Approach: a young NGO focused on transparent, community-cared plantation. Each sapling is geo-tagged at planting with its species, date, site and field team. Photos are added over time, failures and replacements are recorded, and community caretakers work under a three-year maintenance commitment. Earthxway also runs green school, women's livelihood, farmer support and water conservation work in Maharashtra.
  • Might suit: donors and companies who want trees they can locate and follow, and who like supporting a smaller organisation working closely with local communities. See why Earthxway focuses on transparent, tech-tracked tree planting.

Earthxway's homepage impact counter shows 55,732+ trees planted (as of October 2026).

We've also published a wider list of tree plantation NGOs around the world.

How to Compare Tree Plantation NGOs Yourself

Use these questions with any organisation on this list, or off it.

1. What is its legal form?

Is it a trust, a society, a Section 8 company or a private company? This affects tax benefits and CSR eligibility.

2. Does it hold the approvals you need?

  • For a personal tax deduction: ask for its current 80G approval and whether you'll receive a Form 10BE certificate.
  • For CSR: ask for its CSR-1 registration and check eligibility under the CSR Rules. Our CSR tree plantation project checklist for India explains the requirements.

3. Can it show you where your trees are?

A GPS location or map pin is much better than "planted in district X".

4. Which species does it plant, and why?

Native species suited to the site generally survive better and support more biodiversity.

5. What happens after planting day?

Ask about watering, protection, the maintenance period and replacement of failed saplings.

6. How does it report?

Look for dated photos, downloadable reports and a clear separation of completed work from targets.

7. Is it honest about limits?

For example, does it say clearly who verifies any carbon claims?

For a complete donor checklist, read how to choose a trusted NGO to donate to in India.

Common Myths About Tree Plantation NGOs

"More trees planted means a better NGO." Not necessarily. Planting is the easy part. Survival, species choice and aftercare decide what actually grows. A smaller number of well-cared-for native trees can do more good than a huge number of neglected saplings.

"Fast-growing trees are always best." Fast-growing exotics can look impressive quickly, but they often support less wildlife and some can become invasive. Native species are usually the better choice for restoration.

"A certificate proves the tree exists." A certificate is a nice keepsake, but on its own it proves nothing. Look for a location, photos over time and records of maintenance.

"Big organisations don't need checking." Every organisation, large or small, old or new, should be able to answer the same basic questions about registration, tracking and aftercare.

Which Kind of Organisation Is Right for You?

  • If you want to gift a tree in a few clicks: an online platform, or an NGO with an online gifting flow, will suit you best.
  • If you want to plant with your own hands: look for organisations running regular community drives near you.
  • If you care most about farmer income: consider agroforestry-focused programmes.
  • If you want a forest at your campus: look at Miyawaki forest specialists and NGOs with urban forestry programmes.
  • If you want trees you can locate and follow over years: prioritise organisations with per-tree geo-tagging, photo updates and documented aftercare.
  • If you're a company with CSR obligations: prioritise legal eligibility and audit-ready documentation first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the best tree plantation NGO in India?

There's no single best. It depends on what matters to you: location, tracking, aftercare, community involvement, tax or CSR documentation. Compare organisations using the questions above.

Are all tree planting organisations in India NGOs?

No. Some are registered trusts, societies or Section 8 companies (non-profits), while others are private companies or social enterprises. This affects tax deductions and CSR eligibility.

How do I know my tree was actually planted?

Ask for a specific location (ideally GPS coordinates), species, planting date and photo updates over time. Some organisations, including Earthxway, offer dashboards where you can see your tree on a map.

Can I get a tax deduction for planting trees?

Only if you donate to an organisation with a valid 80G approval and receive a Form 10BE certificate. Confirm the organisation's current status before you give.

Where does Earthxway plant trees?

Earthxway works mainly in Maharashtra, with a head office in Nagpur and a branch office in Wagholi, Pune, and projects in places such as Pune and Gondia district.

Is Earthxway ranked as the top NGO in this list?

No. This list is deliberately unranked. We've included Earthxway and described it as factually as the others, so you can compare and decide for yourself.

Choose With Your Eyes Open

The tree plantation NGOs in India featured here show how many good ways there are to grow green cover, from Miyawaki forests to farmer agroforestry. The right choice is the one whose model, transparency and aftercare match what you care about.

If you'd like a tree you can locate, follow and trust, gift a geo-tagged tree with Earthxway.