The Ganges river basin the most populated river basin in the world. Over 650 million people and a huge range of wildlife rely on the river Ganges. Pollution, land degradation, and deforestation cause hardships for the life and essential agriculture that relies on the health of this area. Era is working in partnership with local communities to implement reforestation projects, community development initiatives, sustainable agriculture, and conservation of threatened forests in this region. The region includes Nepal, North India, and Bangladesh.

We are starting projects in the Jhapa district of Nepal which lies in the fertile Terai plains. In this area a small patch of in tact forest remains. The Jalthal forest covers around 6000 hectares and is an island of forest in the World's most densely populated region (the Ganges River Basin). The Jalthal forest is rich in biodiversity
as there is wide diversity of faunal groups like birds, reptiles, amphibians, mollusks and butterflies in the forest. The forest is an
important habitat for Burmese Python. It also provides diverse ecosystems (lakes, rivers, forest, grasslands, and hillocks) with severalthreatened plants and animals (Artocarpus chaplasha Roxb., Cycas pectinata, Magnolia champaca, Rauvolfia serpentina, Dioscorea deltoidea., Indian pangolin, Asiatic elephant, Gharial, great hornbill), and has unique combinations of tropical and subtropical plant species. Deforestation was observed following malaria eradication and during the period of rehabilitation in Terai. Trees were felled and forest was also encroached during time of referendum in 1980. Reforestation is very important in this region to conserve the biodiversity and to enhance the benefit to the local community and future generations to come.

This forest is vital to protecting the watershed and supporting predictable rainfall for the region that is primarily agricultural. Community members in need of work are paid to restore and protect this forest supporting their socioeconomic mobility. Fodder and native fruit species are planted which benefit the community. Bee keeping will also be supported by the growing forest.