In the forests of Odisha’s Koraput district, Adivasi women are creating powerful “dream maps” — community-led visions of how their lands should look if restored and protected from climate pressures. Working with a local NGO, women from 10 villages surveyed their common lands, documenting the disappearance of forests, fruits like mango and gooseberry, water bodies, and resources central to their farming and culture. Their findings reveal that village commons have shrunk by nearly a quarter since the 1960s, leaving communities more vulnerable to climate stress and resource loss.
These hand-drawn maps reimagine the land in its thriving state, serving as both a record of loss and a blueprint for renewal. The women plan to present their maps and evidence to local authorities to secure about $2 million in restoration funding, while also demanding stronger legal rights over their commons to prevent external exploitation. For many, this marks their first step into leadership and public advocacy, turning ancestral knowledge into a modern tool for climate resilience and cultural survival. More