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How a Wildlife Photograph Set off a 300-Person Forest Clean-up in Tamil Nadu

“I still remember seeing a Nilgiri Tahr trying to eat plastic from a discarded packet. I felt helpless — and I knew we had to act.” – Balakumaran, Founder, Target Zero Plastic Balakumaran founded Target Zero Plastic after seeing wildlife near plastic waste. In an era where social media trends dominate, and youth are often seen speeding down roads or dancing for Instagram reels, a group of young environmental warriors from Tamil Nadu is proving that passion for nature can be just as viral. These inspiring individuals, part of the Target Zero Plastic conservation group from Coimbatore, are on a mission to protect wildlife and preserve forests, especially in the ecologically rich Valparai hills. Target Zero Plastic began its clean-up work in Valparai with forest department permission. A forest at risk, and the youth who refuse to ignore it Every week, volunteers trek through the verdant landscapes of Valparai, collecting plastic waste and discarded liquor bottles left behind by tourists. But their work goes beyond clean-ups — they also educate travellers and students about the importance of conserving forests and wildlife. Volunteers collect plastic waste and liquor bottles left along the Valparai Ghat Road. Valparai, nestled in the biodiverse Western Ghats, is home to elephants, monkeys, deer, and the endangered Nilgiri tahr, Tamil Nadu’s state animal. Thousands of tourists visit daily, unintentionally leaving behind plastic that chokes streams, litters the forest floor, and harms animals. Volunteers use ropes to remove waste from steep forest slopes in the Valparai hills. Rappelling down cliffs for wildlife The Target Zero Plastic team has removed a staggering 560 tonnes of plastic waste and liquor bottles, creating a milestone in forest conservation. Their efforts are far from easy: they rappel down dangerous slopes and cliffs along the 40 hairpin bends of the Valparai Ghat Road, risking their own safety to protect the forest. Balakumaran, a private college assistant professor and photography enthusiast, shared the origins of the group. In June 2018, during a wildlife photography competition, he witnessed a Nilgiri Tahr trying to eat plastic waste. “I showed the scene to my friends who were with me. We immediately decided we had to act. We had to prevent tourists from littering the forest, clean up the existing waste, and protect our wildlife,” he recalls. The group clears waste from forest slopes along the Valparai Ghat Road’s bends. He emphasises the deeper connection between forests, wildlife, and life itself: “Water flowing from even the tiniest springs in the forest eventually feeds rivers that support all life. Forests are sustained by animals like elephants and deer, which help spread vegetation. Without forests and wildlife, life on Earth would cease. So we decided to clean our forest.” Target Zero Plastic volunteers carry sacks during a forest clean-up drive in Valparai. Massive clean-up, real impact The Valparai Ghat Road became their starting point. With permission from the forest department, the team began clearing the area in June 2018. “Every bend had kilograms of glass bottles and plastic waste. We used ropes to descend into lower slopes and, with the support of the forest department, cleared out the trash,” Balakumaran explains. Young volunteers collect discarded liquor bottles from the roadside in Valparai. Their work also addresses practical safety concerns: during monsoons, clogged drains blocked by plastic cause water to overflow, leading to landslides and accidents. The team cleaned 96 drainage channels, ensuring safe water flow and preventing hazards. “From June 2018 to June 2025, our team collected over 1,900 sacks of plastic waste and more than 2,300 sacks of empty liquor bottles, amounting to a total of 560 tons of waste. Even though the forest department monitors entry points and confiscates plastic and alcohol, some tourists still manage to sneak in items, making complete prevention challenging.” Target Zero Plastic includes volunteers from children to senior citizens in their seventies. The group’s impact isn’t limited to clean-ups. A heartbreaking incident underscores the stakes: “Recently, a pregnant elephant was found dead at the foothills of Coimbatore District. A post-mortem revealed five kilograms of plastic in its stomach, proof that our waste directly harms these gentle giants. This is why we are committed to raising awareness among the public, especially students and tourists.” Spreading the movement across states What began as a clean-up in Valparai has now expanded. Target Zero Plastic is actively removing waste and conducting awareness programs across Kerala’s Nelliampathy forest range, the Velliangiri forest range, the Nilgiris, and several other forest landscapes across Tamil Nadu. The group now works across forest landscapes in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Alongside physical clean-ups, the team emphasises education — teaching tourists, students, and local communities about forest ethics, responsible travel, and the long-term consequences of plastic pollution. Their efforts have been recognised: in 2023, the Government of Tamil Nadu honoured Target Zero Plastic with the State Green Champion Award. From a small team of 10 volunteers, the group has grown to a vibrant community of over 300 nature lovers working across states. A diverse force of volunteers Jayadevi, a corporate language trainer from Coimbatore, discovered the group on social media and became one of its most committed volunteers. “What makes this movement powerful is its diversity. Our volunteers range from children as young as 10 to seniors in their seventies. We involve younger children mainly through awareness programs, while older volunteers take part in forest clean-up drives.” So far, the group has conducted awareness programs in 29 colleges, combining classroom discussions with hands-on clean-up activities, and organised seminars in 135 colleges across Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Their message is simple but urgent: forests are not dumping grounds. “Forests are homes, not just scenic backdrops for tourism,” Jayadevi says. “Every time I enter a forest, I still see shattered liquor bottles and plastic waste left behind by careless visitors. Cleaning it up is painful, but ignoring it would be worse. Saving forests doesn’t require heroic acts. It starts with something very simple: just don’t pollute. Enjoy nature, but leave nothing behind. That alone can make an enormous difference.” Healing one trail at a time In forests where plastic once choked streams and wildlife, a new generation is quietly proving that care, courage, and consistency can heal what neglect has damaged — one trail, one sack, and one choice at a time.

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