A Rs 600 crore biodiversity conservation and greening project will be implemented in nine districts of Tamil Nadu, a top official said.
The project, funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, would cover eco-development, water conservation, tree planting and community based ecotourism.
It is aimed at creating awareness about nature and provide livelihood opportunities to tribals, Mr C V Shankar, principal secretary forest and environment, told reporters here.
The scheme would be introduced in Salem, Krishnagiri, Karur, Tirupur, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Theni, Dindigul and Kanyakumari districts, he said.
Mr A Venkatesh, conservator of forests, Salem, said Rs 11 crore has been sanctioned for promotion of ecotourism in four areas here.
The Tamil Nadu Bio-Diversity and Greening Project, which will be executed over a seven year period, is the third phase being implemented with the Agency.
In the first two phases, the Afforestation Project was implemented between 1997-2000 and 2004-2011.