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=Pitchandikulam= Pitchandikulam is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the indigenous East Deccan dry evergreen forests of Tamil Nadu.

It was established in 1973 as one of the pioneering Auroville green belt communities engaged in the initial reforestation work that was necessary on the bare eroded township site. Since then the 70 acre site has been transformed into a complete ecosystem with more than 800 species of plants.

The Pitchandikulam Bioresource Centre provides a focus for the teaching of restoration ecology, environmental science, and the identification and use of indigenous medicinal plants. A major focus of Pitchandikulam is community outreach and currently they work in 25 villages throughout the Kaluveli bioregion.

History
The first Aurovillian settlers found the land dry and desolate; prior to 1973 only a few scattered palm trees were found in the area and the traditional dryland farming of peanuts and pulses had degraded the soil leaving deep eroded gullies. In that year, restoration processes were set in motion using green manure to rebuild the soil. Live fences were created to protect the land from goats and cows, and pioneer species of acacia, leucaena, gliricidia, and eucalyptus were planted to provide windbreaks and shade. At the same time seeds and other plant materials were introduced from nearby remnant patches of the almost extinct Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest, and nurseries were set up - these have been an essential focus of the Pitchandikulam community ever since. In the same year the first well was dug at Pitchandikulam and a bullock cart was used to water the young trees.

Medicinal Plant Conservation Park
Pitchandikulam is a teaching and training place for the protection, propagation and use of medicinal plants. As such, it is one of a network of 16 Medicinal Plant Conservation Parks (together with Shakti) funded by The Foundation for the Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT). Housed in its 100% solar powered admin and museum building are a photo display of 240 of the 400 medicinal plants found in the region, a collection of 350 seeds from the local area, a variety of rural artifacts, and a Tamil and English reference library and computer base for research.

Ethno Medicinal Forest
The Ethno Medicinal Forest is an important component of the Pitchandikulam Medicinal Plant Conservation Park which is an area of 50 acres within the green belt of the Auroville International Community. It is self-regenerating forest sanctuary, containing some 440 plant species (nearly 340 medicinal) and a wide diversity of fauna. There is also a seed propagation nursery from which endangered medicinal plants are established in the sanctuary and other locations as a gene bank; a medicinal plant demonstration garden with nearly 300 species; and a concentrated herbal garden with nearly 100 species under cultivation for supply to herbal practitioners.