Keystone Foundation

Keystone Foundation is registered under the Indian Trust Act, 1882. Keystone has been actively working with the indigenous communities in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve since 1995. The major areas of work are Conservation, Livelihoods, enterprise development, indigenous culture, environmental governance and capacity building. Keystone works through promotion of people’s institutions such as farmer’s groups, water user groups, NTFP value addition groups, forest rights committees etc. Using an ecodevelopment approach, Keystone attempts to work with communities towards sustainable development with a balance between conservation, livelihoods and indigenous culture and traditions. In 2010, the enterprise component became an independent company.