Jadav Payeng, otherwise known as ‘The Forest Man’ of India is the man responsible for the biggest reforestation initiative ever taken by a single man.

Our environment is in grave danger of imbalance, mainly due to the various impacts of human activity and a result of rapid population growth. This means we require more space for housing, agriculture and development to take place and the result of this is the severe destruction of ecosystems in the form of deforestation. Our forests take up to 31% of land cover in the entire world and so in order to make space for ourselves, we clear, on average, about 29,000 to 37,000 acres of forest land each year; and we half lost over half of our tropical forests in the process.

Clearing of forests has not only led to the loss of several species of flora and fauna, but also contributes to the accumulation of greenhouse gases and increased pollution in the environment. The impact of deforestation today has not gone unnoticed, and environmentalists are working hard to restore and preserve the remaining forest cover.

In India, we have lost over 28% of our forest cover due to population boom, land conversion, urbanization and industrialization. But, according to the latest forest land survey of 2015, India’s forest cover has increased in the last three decades – from 640,819 sq. km in 1987 to the current 701,673 sq. km.

I will continue to plant till my last breath

One man alone has contributed to the reforestation of about 1,360 acres of forest land in the Brahmaputra basin and is solely responsible for the restoration of the barren wasteland of Majuli Island, Jorhat in the northeastern part of India.

That man is Jadav Payeng.

Hailing from the Mishing tribe in Jorhat, Jadav has been actively working for reforestation since a very young age. In 1978, at the young age of sixteen, Jadav Payeng returned home to the river island at Aruna Sapori on the Brahmaputra, from his 10th Std. board exams to a heart wrenching sight. Hundreds of snakes had died on the barren wasteland due to starvation as a result of the lack of plant cover.

Today, nearly four decades later, Jadav Payeng’s forest on Majuli Island is the home to several different species of plants and animals, inclusive of endangered species like rhinos, Royal Bengal tigers, and elephant herds.

When asked what he thinks threatens forests today, he said:

“All species on this planet are animals, including humans. The only difference is that humans wear clothes. There are no monsters in nature except humans. Humans consume everything until there is nothing left. Nothing is safe from humans. Not even tigers and elephants”

There are no monsters in nature except humans.

Jadav Payeng had been an unsung hero until 2010, when a local wildlife photographer, Jitu Kalita published an article in the Vernacular Daily, after which he was given several awards and honors for his efforts including the Padma Shri award. But for him, these awards mean very little and his main aim was always to do good for the country. He has an even bigger vision and mission for the future – he wants to expand and convert 5000 more acres into forest land. To achieve this feat, he has used the money from his awards to employ helpers to plant trees.

Humans consume everything until there is nothing left.

In 2016 he also began his efforts grow trees in the dry region of Rajasthan with the help of Rajendra Singh or “The Waterman of India”.

Saving Wildlife

His efforts are not just in growing forests, but also protecting and preserving all that is within them. Currently the forest planted by his own hands, is now a home to five Royal Bengal tigers, over a hundred deer, wild boar, vultures, several species of birds, including pelicans, three or four great one-horned rhinoceros, and snakes. It even plays host to a herd of 115 elephants who visit regularly for 3-4 months.

But the same wildlife he has spent his life nurturing and preserving, sometimes, becomes victim of poaching! The government did not initially believe that endangered species such as Rhinoceros visit his jungle nor paid heed to his request for law enforcement and additional staff to help prevent poaching and illegal trade activities. They only believed when they actually found a dead rhino, with its horn, tail and nails gouged out!

In-tree-vention – A Need for a Better Environment

Not only has he dedicated the last four decades of his life to the cause of reforestation, but Jadav Payeng has also made many suggestions to the government and the forest department of the country for not just the benefit of the environment but for the security of the economy as well. Many of his suggestions are viable and quite simple. They include:

Developing the coconut industry. Payeng states that growing of coconut trees is one simple way of contributing to a better environment as coconut trees grow straight, and when planted densely enough, prevent soil erosion. The trees in itself contribute to cleaner air and also help in the fight against climate change and the reaping of coconuts will contribute to the economy of the region.

Payeng states that growing of coconut trees is one simple way of contributing to a better environment as coconut trees grow straight, and when planted densely enough, prevent soil erosion. The trees in itself contribute to cleaner air and also help in the fight against climate change and the reaping of coconuts will contribute to the economy of the region. Holding responsibility for 1,360 acres of forest land, Jadav says that it is very difficult to keep an eye on the entire forest and it will be difficult even for a group of people to do so. He hence, suggests the set-up of community reserves and conducting awareness camps so as to protect the wildlife from poachers as the wildlife is just as important for the survival of the forests as the forests are essential for theirs.

so as to protect the wildlife from poachers as the wildlife is just as important for the survival of the forests as the forests are essential for theirs. He also suggests that environmental science should be made a mandatory subject in all schools, saying “If every school child is given responsibility to grow two trees, it will surely lead to a green India”

How can we help

There are various methods by which we can also contribute to the well-being of forests and the environment. Adopting and incorporating simple changes in our daily lives can contribute greatly to the cause:

By adopting waste management methods like composting, separation of waste into bio-degradable and non-biodegradable and also reduce, reuse and recycle, we can greatly reduce our carbon footprint and prevent soil and water pollution – which is one of the main causes of erosion of forests.

like composting, separation of waste into bio-degradable and non-biodegradable and also reduce, reuse and recycle, we can greatly reduce our carbon footprint and prevent soil and water pollution – which is one of the main causes of erosion of forests. We can also start by reducing the amount of paper used and wasted . The world is growing digital today and everything that paper was once used for, can be easily substituted.

. The world is growing digital today and everything that paper was once used for, can be easily substituted. Selective chopping of wood. Instead of cutting down entire trees for the wood industry, we can cut and use just the branches and let the tree continue to grow.

Organizations we can go to, to help with reforestation efforts also exist and can be easily contacted via the internet. Some of these organizations include:

Be the part of Jadav Payeng’s movement and volunteer at www.jadavpayeng.org.

and volunteer at www.jadavpayeng.org. WeForest – an organization that has worked to restore the forests all over the world by offering solutions. You can log onto their website www.weforest.org for further details on how you can be part of the effort.

– an organization that has worked to restore the forests all over the world by offering solutions. You can log onto their website www.weforest.org for further details on how you can be part of the effort. EdenProjects – a non-profit organization set on reclaiming forest land by employing the locals to plant trees.

If we all adopt the compassion shown to the environment by Padma Shri Jadav Payeng, it will not take us long to improve the condition of the planet so that we and our future generations can reap the wonderful fruit that it bears.