A man in India reportedly single handedly planted an entire forest in northern India’s Assam region (Picture: Google Maps)

The problem of de-forestation would soon be at an end if just a few of us became as motivated as Jadav ‘Molai’ Payeng, who reportedly planted an entire forest by himself.

Payeng, who was 16 when he began the endeavour, apparently decided to plant the trees in northern India’s Assam region after he found local wildlife had suffered because there was no cover.

Today the site has an amazing 1,360 acres of jungle.

‘The snakes died in the heat, without any tree cover,’ he said.


‘I sat down and wept over their lifeless forms. It was carnage. I alerted the forest department and asked them if they could grow trees there.



‘They said nothing would grow there. Instead, they asked me to try growing bamboo. It was painful, but I did it.

‘There was nobody to help me. Nobody was interested.’

Payeng, 47, began planting in 1979 and dedicated his life to the effort but his remarkable feat was only discovered by officials in 2008.

Needless to say, they were very pleased with what he had done.

‘We’re amazed at Payeng,’ said assistant conservator of Forests Gunin Saikia.

‘He has been at it for 30 years. Had he been in any other country, he would have been made a hero.’