Situated in the rain shadow area of the Western Ghats, the terrain in MIRC comprises mostly of grassland and wasteland, prone to droughts. To reverse the trend of environmental degradation and loss of biological diversity in the area, MIRC launched the afforestation project in 1979.

In Phase I of the project from 1979 to 1993, 350.6 hectares of barren landscape was converted into green land, with the assistance of the Social Forestry Department of Ahmednagar by planting approximately 4.5 lakh trees within its campus.

Phase II of the project was launched in 1994 under the supervision of Lt Col Sunil Kumar, then CO D&M Bn to bring 531.25 hectares of wasteland into sustainable use, under a centrally sponsored scheme of the National Wasteland Development Board for integrated wasteland development.

There are now Approx 10 lakh trees in the area. It has led to a rise of water table and 'marginal increase in rainfall compared to surrounding areas, lowering of temp in the immediate area, regeneration and sustenance of life and return of wild life, like black buck, wolves, jackals & foxes.

For the splendid work done under the 'MIRC Green' project, MIRC was awarded the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar in 1995 for wasteland development and Bombay Natural History Society Green Governance Award 2006 in the category "conservation of Flora".

The area is being used for conduct of fd craft, jungle trg, navigation and a host of other trg activities.