“I will continue to plant until my last breath.”
Since 1979, Jadav Payeng has single handily planted a forest bigger than Central Park. The dedicated arborist managed to turn an eroding wasteland into a tropical paradise for man and beast alike. 115 elephants, rhino, deer, and tigers call the 550-hectare forest home.
Payeng has a dream to restore his home island of Majuli and neighboring Jorhat with the beautiful forests that once covered them.
Agricultural development and human influence destroyed the natural beauty of his home, but Payeng is doing his part to bring the ecosystem back. He’s a man on a mission and proves that small acts every day can add up to tremendous change over time!
“I tell them, cutting my trees will get you nothing. Cut me before you cut my trees!”