Applied Environmental Research Foundation
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersPune, India
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Applied Environmental Research Foundation does
Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF) is a Pune-headquartered conservation non-governmental organization founded in 1995 that designs and operates community-based biodiversity programmes across the Northern Western Ghats, coastal Maharashtra, and Central India. Its signature product is the Conservation Agreement — a legally binding, 5–15 year contract with private forest owners that pays them to forgo logging in exchange for monetary compensation, under which AERF has scaled from 100 acres in 2009 to roughly 14,000 acres across 78 villages and 12 blocks. Surrounding thematic programmes (Sacred Groves Conservation, Applied Biodiversity Research, Green Entrepreneurship, Nature-based Solutions, and Beyond Conservation) provide the technical and commercial scaffolding — camera trap surveys, GIS mapping, on-ground carbon sequestration measurements, FairWild / Fair For Life / Gold Standard / ERS-certified NTFP and cookstove value chains — that turn agreements into verifiable biodiversity, carbon, and livelihood outcomes for 25,000+ forest-dependent beneficiaries.
AERF generates revenue through four overlapping streams: corporate CSR contracts with a small set of large multinationals (Apple, LTIMindtree, Credit Suisse, DAIKIN, Earthsong); verified carbon credits via Gold Standard and ERS protocols (29,850 tonnes sequestered in the eco-chullah project alone); certified NTFP value chains routed through its for-profit subsidiary Nature Connect India Pvt. Ltd.; and grants from international conservation funders including World Land Trust, Rainforest Trust, GIZ, and the Mohamed-bin-Zayed Species Conservation Fund. The organization employs 100+ field staff across seven regional teams plus 24 Forest Guardians, is led by founders Dr. Archana Godbole and Jayant Sarnaik, and is governed by a Board of Trustees. Its underlying technology stack is conventional conservation tooling (camera traps, GIS, biodiversity surveys, carbon field measurements) rather than software-platform architecture, and its distribution model is direct field delivery rather than channel-based product sales.
Applied Environmental Research Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Applied Environmental Research Foundation
- Legal name
- Applied Environmental Research Foundation
- Website
- https://aerfindia.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Applied Environmental Research Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (115310), Timber Tract Operations (11311)
- SIC
- Forestry (800), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biodiversity Conservation & Habitat Banking (AFAMAMAC), Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) Program Development & Administration (AFAMAMAF), Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE), Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG)
Keywords
Where Applied Environmental Research Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pune
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Applied Environmental Research Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Corporate CSR Partnerships: Long-term partnerships with corporations for conservation projects, carbon credits, and community development - includes Apple Inc., LTIMindtree, Credit Suisse, DAIKIN, and others for forest conservation, mangrove protection, and sustainable livelihoods.
- Carbon Credits: Forest carbon projects generating credits through ecosystem restoration and protection. Eco-chullah project registered with Gold Standard; forest carbon project in Northern Western Ghats with ERS protocol.
- NTFP Value Chains and Certifications: Forest-based value chains for Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica, Pongamia pinnata and other non-timber forest products with FairWild, Organic, Fair For Life certifications. First FAIRWILD certified value chains in India.
- Donations and Grants: Support from international organizations including World Land Trust, Rainforest Trust, Earthsong Foundation, GIZ, and government agencies for conservation projects.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Applied Environmental Research Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AERF delivers biodiversity conservation through its proprietary Conservation Agreement model, which legally secures threatened privately owned forests and mangroves against logging for 5-15 year terms in exchange for monetary compensation to landowners. The work is delivered through five integrated thematic programmes (Sacred Groves, Nature-based Solutions, Applied Biodiversity Research, Green Entrepreneurship, and Beyond Conservation) that produce verified outcomes including carbon credits, certified NTFP value chains, and community livelihood support.
Product overview
AERF operates as a unified conservation organization with multiple interconnected thematic programmes rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core Conservation Agreements programme serves as the umbrella strategy, under which thematic programmes (Sacred Groves Conservation, Nature-based Solutions, Applied Biodiversity Research, Green Entrepreneurship, Beyond Conservation) operate synergistically. Key product initiatives include the Eco-chullah improved cookstove project and the affiliated conservation enterprise Nature Connect India Pvt. Ltd. that handles market linkages for certified forest products. All programmes work toward the common mission of biodiversity conservation through community participation, scientific tools, and multi-stakeholder engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Conservation Agreements AERF's umbrella incentive-based forest conservation programme where legal agreements between private forest owners and AERF secure privately owned forests against logging for 5-15 year terms in exchange for monetary compensation, enabling forest restoration, biodiversity studies, and sustainable livelihood generation for forest-dependent communities.
- Sacred Groves Conservation Programme Conservation and restoration of sacred groves - old-growth forest patches traditionally protected by communities in reverence of a deity - in the Northern Western Ghats and Konkan regions, encompassing assessment of 650+ sacred groves for targeted conservation intervention.
- Nature-based Solutions Programme Climate change mitigation and sustainable livelihood programmes through ecosystem conservation and restoration, including blue carbon feasibility assessments, forest carbon projects under ERS protocol, mangrove conservation agreements, Gold Standard-registered Eco-chullah cookstove distribution, and income diversification for forest-dependent communities.
- Applied Biodiversity Research Programme Scientific research providing the underpinning for AERF's conservation strategies, including biodiversity surveys, resource assessments, conservation ecology of RET species, and identification of Important Bird Areas outside the protected area network.
- Green Entrepreneurship Programme Conservation of forests and biodiversity through development of certified forest-based value chains (FairWild, Fair For Life, Organic), training community members as certified collectors, and building market linkages via Nature Connect India for NTFPs including Haritaki, Bibhitaki, Karanj, and Bamboo.
- Beyond Conservation Programme Humanitarian interventions supporting forest-dependent communities, including drinking water infrastructure such as desalination plants, disaster relief after cyclones and floods, and other community support activities that build trust and openness toward conservation.
- Eco-chullah Improved Cookstove Project Distribution of improved cookstoves to forest-dependent households to reduce fuelwood consumption and cooking time; the first project from the Northern Western Ghats registered with Gold Standard for carbon credits, with 9,950+ cookstoves distributed and verified sequestration of 29,850 tonnes of atmospheric carbon.
- Nature Connect India Pvt. Ltd. AERF's affiliated private conservation enterprise that creates national and international market linkages for FairWild, Fair For Life, and Organic-certified forest-based products, completing the value chain with maximum benefit flowing to on-ground communities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 13000 acres of private forests and 1791 acres of mangroves secured under conservation
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Applied Environmental Research Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Applied Environmental Research Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Applied Environmental Research Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LTIMindtreecorePartnership for net-zero commitments through nature-based solutions including mangrove conservation (424 acres under agreements), desalination plant (600 litres/minute), and Gold Standard eco-chullah registration generating carbon credits.
- Apple Inc.corePartnership with Conservation International and Good Carbon to evaluate feasibility of setting up the first 'blue carbon' project in Maharashtra's mangroves. Teams assessed biomass accumulation and carbon sequestration dynamics, estimating total ecosystem blue carbon stock at 918.19 t C ha-1.
- German Consulate of MumbaiminorSupported installation of desalination plant producing 20000 litres drinking water per day in village Narvel, benefiting 5 neighboring villages.
- Earthsong FoundationcoreSupported agroforestry sites linked to biodiversity conservation, preservation of traditional crop varieties (Brahmi, Turmeric, Konkan red rice, sesame, ragi, kodo millet) in Sangameshwar block.
- GIZcoreABS Partnership Project supporting Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) formation in 15 villages, People's Biodiversity Registers preparation, and ABS mechanism implementation.
- Credit SuissecoreSupported green entrepreneurship and biodiversity conservation project developing NTFP value chains (Haritaki, Bibhitaki, Karanj, Bamboo, Shatavari, Guduchi) across 30 villages with 200+ community members benefiting.
- DAIKINcoreSupported FairWild certification for Bibhitaki collection where 15 families engaged and about 300 Terminalia bellirica trees saved. Also supported NTFP value chain development.
- World Land TrustcoreLong-term supporter of MyForest initiative helping expand from 100 acres in 2009 to nearly 14,000 acres. Supports sacred grove restoration and micro-corridor establishment.
- Rainforest TrustcoreSupported protection of private forests in Tiware-Ghera Prachitgad and Important Bird Areas identification project protecting 250 acres in Ambegaon and Chiplun.
- Mohamed-bin-Zayed Species Conservation FundminorSupported pangolin conservation project in Tiware-Ghera Prachitgad forests with camera trapping and community engagement.
- Conservation InternationalcorePartnered with Apple Inc. and Good Carbon on blue carbon project feasibility assessment in Raigad district mangroves.
- Good CarboncoreGermany-based partner working on blue carbon project methodology, baseline data collection, and Project Design Document development.
- Nature Connect India Pvt. Ltd.coreAERF's private enterprise creating national and international market linkages for certified forest-based products, completing the value chain with zero dependencies and maximum community benefits.
- CLPminorLogo visible as partner in conservation initiatives.
- CEPFminorCritical Ecosystem Partnership Fund logo visible as partner.
- CI JapanminorLogo visible as partner organization.
- Praj-FoundationminorLogo visible as partner in conservation initiatives.
- VanazminorLogo visible as partner organization.
- VACMANminorLogo visible as partner organization.
- DarwinminorLogo visible as partner in conservation.
- RSBminorLogo visible as partner organization.
- Upadhyaya FoundationminorLogo visible as partner organization.
- Fakir Mohan UniversityminorInstitutional collaborator visible in partner logos.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Applied Environmental Research Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rainforest Trust: Conservation NGO partnering with local organizations to purchase and protect threatened forests, with shared private forest protection model, donor base, and global biodiversity focus.
- World Land Trust: International conservation NGO and AERF partner that funds land purchase and conservation agreements for biodiversity protection, with directly overlapping methodology (Conservation Agreements) and donor network.
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE): India-based conservation and applied ecology research NGO operating across multiple biodiversity hotspots, with similar programs in Western Ghats research, community-based conservation, and biodiversity surveys. Closest comparable in mission, geography, and operating model.
- Foundation for Ecological Security (FES): India-based NGO focused on ecological restoration through community-stewarded commons and private lands, with comparable revenue model combining grants, CSR, and government programs across forested Indian states.
Broad incumbents
- The Nature Conservancy India: Global conservation organization with active India programs in nature-based solutions, mangroves, and forest protection, targeting similar corporate net-zero buyers and competing for high-value conservation projects.
- Wildlife Conservation Society - India: Large international conservation organization with India programs focused on wildlife, forest conservation, and community engagement, operating at a broader portfolio scale than AERF but in overlapping geographies and donor pools.
- WWF-India: India arm of WWF, with mature programs in Western Ghats, mangrove conservation, NTFP value chains, and corporate CSR partnerships, making it a broad incumbent peer competing for similar donor and CSR funding.
- Conservation International: Global conservation NGO partnered with AERF on the Apple blue carbon project, with comparable blue carbon and nature-based solutions offerings in coastal regions and overlapping corporate buyer relationships.
Others
- South Pole Group: Major carbon project developer active in India's blue carbon and forest carbon markets, providing infrastructure and buyer access relevant to AERF's carbon credit strategy though not a direct mission peer.
Emerging players
- Earthworm Foundation: International NGO working on responsible sourcing, NTFP and agricultural value chains, and landscape approaches with corporates, with comparable work on community-based forest product certification and supply chain traceability.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Applied Environmental Research Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceApplied Environmental Research Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Applied Environmental Research Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Applied Environmental Research Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Applied Environmental Research Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Applied Environmental Research Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Applied Environmental Research Foundation
What does Applied Environmental Research Foundation do?
AERF delivers biodiversity conservation through its proprietary Conservation Agreement model, which legally secures threatened privately owned forests and mangroves against logging for 5-15 year terms in exchange for monetary compensation to landowners. The work is delivered through five integrated thematic programmes (Sacred Groves, Nature-based Solutions, Applied Biodiversity Research, Green Entrepreneurship, and Beyond Conservation) that produce verified outcomes including carbon credits, certified NTFP value chains, and community livelihood support.
Is Applied Environmental Research Foundation a public or private company?
Applied Environmental Research Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Applied Environmental Research Foundation founded?
Applied Environmental Research Foundation was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Applied Environmental Research Foundation based?
Applied Environmental Research Foundation is headquartered in Pune, India, in the Asia region.
How does Applied Environmental Research Foundation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Corporate CSR Partnerships are the primary driver. The others are carbon Credits, NTFP Value Chains and Certifications and donations and Grants.
Who are Applied Environmental Research Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rainforest Trust, World Land Trust, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) and Foundation for Ecological Security (FES). Broad incumbents are The Nature Conservancy India, Wildlife Conservation Society - India, WWF-India and Conservation International. South Pole Group is listed as an others. Earthworm Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does Applied Environmental Research Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Applied Environmental Research Foundation.
What industry is Applied Environmental Research Foundation in?
Applied Environmental Research Foundation's product category is Environmental Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMAJAH, Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian), with a secondary code of AFAMAMAC, Biodiversity Conservation & Habitat Banking. Its NAICS code is 11531 and its SIC code is 800.