The Auroville Botanical Garden was started in August 2000 on 50 acres of old cashew land rescued from the threat of real estate development. The Gardens have seen a remarkable growth since then. The site has been transformed into a luxuriant landscape that serves as an area for research into environmentally sustainable approaches to land management, as well as a location for environmental education. More than 310 tree species have been planted in the 25-acre arboretum, 5,500 specimens have been planted in the 10-acre conservation forest, and a TDEF plant nursery has been created, capable of producing 50,000 seedlings per year to promote the re-introduction of the indigenous flora of the region.