Hafiz Khan

Hafiz Khan is the Founder of COMMUNITREE, a citizen-led ecological movement built on a simple but powerful belief: every barren urban space can become a living forest.

For over a decade, Hafiz has worked at the intersection of ecological restoration and community engagement, transforming unused land into thriving green ecosystems. Under his leadership, COMMUNITREE has created 130+ urban forests spanning 1,110+ acres, planting 1.6 million+ trees across 10 Indian states, converting neglected plots into carbon sinks, biodiversity hubs, and outdoor learning spaces for children and communities.

Hafiz has mobilized large-scale corporate and civic participation, partnering with organizations such as Hero MotoCorp, HDFC Bank, CGI, IDFC FIRST Bank, Siemens, Oracle, Ramboll, and Temenos. Each year, over 38,000 corporate volunteers engage in afforestation and campus greening initiatives, embedding environmental stewardship within organizational culture.

Beyond afforestation, his work emphasizes environmental literacy and youth engagement. Programs such as Shoebox Sparrow Homes, school-based tree planting drives, and citywide upcycling initiatives have reached 150+ schools and colleges, fostering hands-on climate education and biodiversity awareness.

For more than 14 years, Hafiz has also led Chennai’s chapter of the International Coastal Cleanup, coordinating one of the largest citizen-led efforts globally mobilizing approximately 24,000 volunteers across 49 beaches and removing 200+ tons of debris annually.

Through the Mission Million campaign, he is driving a national effort to plant one million trees across 10 states in collaboration with governments, NGOs, corporates, and citizen groups.

Hafiz Khan continues to build partnerships with CSR leaders, educators, sustainability professionals, and citizens committed to creating greener, healthier, and more resilient cities one forest at a time.