In the village of Shimakeldi, on the arid Thuwavi plain of Maharashtra in India, temperatures can reach 45°C in the dry season. How can the local community protect itself from this searing heat, given the lack of shade trees? Craig Bamford's beautifully practical parasol structure, made from local materials and erected by the villagers, is the start of a longerterm eco-projects programme. The shade structures not only offers protection from the sun but will also shade the initial growth of new trees within the village.