Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) signed an MoU with the WMG Foundation on December 24, 2025, to remove invasive Lantana camara species from 5 hectares within the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka. The environmental habitat restoration project, named Namma Vana, aims to revive degraded forest landscapes, reduce animal-human conflict, and reverse ecological imbalance caused by the invasive weed.
The MoU was exchanged by Roshan R, General Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility at TKM, in the presence of Apoorva Angadi V M, Head of WMG Foundation.
Lantana camara currently covers 50-60% of the reserve's buffer and core areas. The invasive species has suppressed native grasses, reduced forage for herbivores, fragmented wildlife corridors, and increased tiger movement towards human settlements.
The initiative will remove Lantana camara from the designated forest area and implement habitat restoration measures. This will allow native grasses, shrubs, and tree seedlings to regenerate. The restoration will improve forage availability for herbivores such as deer, gaur, and elephants, strengthening the prey base for the tiger population. It will also stabilize tiger territories and reduce their movement outside forest areas, lowering conflict with humans.
TKM will provide maintenance support over the next two years to prevent Lantana camara regrowth. The support includes scheduled weeding cycles, patch planting in areas with low survival rates, reinforcement of fire lines before summer, and ongoing monitoring of wildlife usage within the restored habitat.
Speaking about the initiative, Sudeep Dalvi, Chief Communication Officer, Senior Vice President and Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, "Namma Vana Project reflects Toyota's deep commitment to nurturing ecological resilience and protecting India's rich biodiversity. Through this project, we aim to restore natural habitats, strengthen wildlife corridors, and reduce human-wildlife conflict in one of Karnataka's most treasured forest landscapes. This initiative strengthens our belief that sustainable conservation is possible only through collective community actions."
TKM has been implementing community initiatives across Education, Environment, Road Safety, Skill Development, Health & Hygiene, and Disaster Management for over two decades.
Lantana camara is an invasive perennial shrub native to the tropical Americas. It spreads rapidly through bird-dispersed seeds and roots, forming dense thickets that suppress native species. Its growth alters nutrient cycling and fire regimes, reduces forage availability, and interferes with natural succession in ecosystems.