 The organisation uses a holistic approach to resource management by “intertwining principles of nature conservation and local self-governance in order to accelerate ecological restoration, as well as improve the living conditions of the poor.”

Most of FES’ efforts are concentrated in the dryland regions of the country; however the landscapes worked on are as diverse as scrub lands, tidal mudflats, dense forests, ravines, grasslands, farm fields and water bodies.Registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI 1860, the Foundation for Ecological Security was set up in 2001 to strengthen the “massive and critical task of ecological restoration” and improve the governance of natural resources in India.According to their website the mission statement of the organization is, “As ‘ecological security’ is the foundation of sustainable and equitable development, the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) is committed to strengthening, reviving or restoring, where necessary, the process of ecological succession and the conservation of land, forest and water resources in the country.”

Given its presence at various levels of governance – from villages and districts to the state and national level – FES is well poised to voice local concerns on regional, national and global platforms.