​WildCarbon was born in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, one of South India’s most biodiverse yet threatened landscapes. For decades, invasive species such as Lantana camara and Senna spectabilis have overrun protected forests, choking out native flora, blocking elephant corridors, and pushing wildlife into farms and villages. This has intensified human–wildlife conflict and undermined the livelihoods of indigenous communities who depend on healthy forests for survival.
 

Building on the pioneering ecological research of the Shola Trust and the fieldwork of The Real Elephant Collective, whose Lantana Elephants initiative brought the intertwined challenges of invasive species and elephant conservation to a global audience, WildCarbon emerged with a clear realization: invasive removal at scale would only succeed if the biomass could be harnessed productively. That breakthrough was biochar—converting invasive plants into a stable carbon sink, fertile soils, and high-quality carbon credits to finance restoration at scale.

Equally vital is how this work is done. Removal requires a deep understanding of ecological sensitivity and respect for traditional ecological knowledge. Indigenous communities—the traditional guardians of the forest—bring generations of wisdom, adapting invasive removal to their patterns of work, local rhythms, and cultural connections to the land.

At the heart of WildCarbon’s mission are, therefore, both people and place. By combining biochar innovation with community-led stewardship, every tonne of biomass transformed becomes a pathway to indigenous livelihoods, biodiversity recovery, and locked-away carbon. From invasive to invaluable, WildCarbon unites science, tradition, and climate action to regenerate the Nilgiris.