Plant 4,750 native trees around Maple Beach in Chennai

Maple Beach has been used as an informal dump for years. This November, 116 neighbors turned up for a first cleanup, filling 74 bags in a single morning. Now we want to restore it for good. We have a plan agreed with the local forestry office, including native species selected by a local botanist. The area floods more each year, and fish have returned for the first time in a decade after our first cleanup. Restoring it will protect homes and bring back shade. All the labor is volunteered. We just need materials. We'll post planting day photos and a count of every sapling planted. Where the $400 goes: • Native saplings and stakes: $220 • Tools and protective gear: $35 • Waste removal and skip hire: $130 • Signage and educational materials: $15 Thank you for reading my story. - Dhanalakshmi