Indian man single-handedly plants a 1.3k acre forest

[Deleted]

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wil...60-acre-forest

A little more than 30 years ago, a teenager named Jadav "Molai" Payeng began burying seeds along a barren sandbar near his birthplace in northern India's Assam region to grow a refuge for wildlife. Not long after, he decided to dedicate his life to this endeavor, so he moved to the site where he could work full-time creating a lush new forest ecosystem. Incredibly, the spot today hosts a sprawling 1,360 acres of jungle that Payeng planted — single-handedly.

The Times of India recently caught up with Payeng in his remote forest lodge to learn more about how he came to leave such an indelible mark on the landscape.

It all started way back in 1979, when floods washed a large number of snakes ashore on the sandbar. One day, after the waters had receded, Payeng, only 16 then, found the place dotted with the dead reptiles. That was the turning point of his life.

"The snakes died in the heat, without any tree cover. 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," says Payeng, now 47.

While it's taken years for Payeng's remarkable dedication to planting to receive some well-deserved recognition internationally, it didn't take long for wildlife in the region to benefit from the manufactured forest. Demonstrating a keen understanding of ecological balance, Payeng even transplanted ants to his burgeoning ecosystem to bolster its natural harmony. Soon the shadeless sandbar was transformed into a self-functioning environment where a menagerie of creatures could dwell. The forest, called the Molai woods, now serves as a safe haven for numerous birds, deer, rhinos, tigers and elephants — species increasingly at risk from habitat loss.

Despite the conspicuousness of Payeng's project, forestry officials in the region first learned of this new forest in 2008 — and since then they've come to recognize his efforts as truly remarkable, but perhaps not enough.

"We're amazed at Payeng," says Gunin Saikia, assistant conservator of Forests. "He has been at it for 30 years. Had he been in any other country, he would have been made a hero."

[Al Gorefiend]

Incredible, I salute this man.

Had he been in any other country, he would have been made a hero."

Had it been America, he would of been arrested for trespassing on public/state property and the saplings uprooted.

[Sam the Wiser]

Good story don't hear about stuff like this happening often.

[Arrowspace]

That's quite an inspiring story.

Thanks for the good feels!

[zoefschildpad]

The question is, why didn't he use his other hand as well?

[Raidboss]

Incredible, I salute this man.



Had it been America, he would of been arrested for trespassing on public/state property and the saplings uprooted.

Doubtful, it most likely would have been turned into a wildlife preserve and named after him.

Inspiring!

[derpkitteh]

wow, that's really awesome. dude is beyond awesome.

[Deleted]

Faith in one human restored.

[checking facts]

what evidence do you have that he didn't use both hands for that?

[Garnier Fructis]

I saw the thread title and read 1.360 acre (yes I know this means thousand in some places), then I read the story and found that it was actually 1360 acres. Color me impressed.

[This name sucks]

I saw the thread title and read 1.360 acre (yes I know this means thousand in some places), then I read the story and found that it was actually 1360 acres. Color me impressed.

Yeah me too.

"god damn thats a lot of decimals for something so small"

[Deleted]

Having worked my youth planting trees, hats off to the man, even more so because of doing this out of goodness of his heart.

[risingforce]

I saw the thread title and read 1.360 acre (yes I know this means thousand in some places), then I read the story and found that it was actually 1360 acres. Color me impressed.

Thanks for pointing that out -I was confused, too!

One THOUSAND, three hundred and sixty acres -astonishing.

Bravo!

[Tulune]

Nobel peace Prize material right here, well done!

[Darsithis]

I changed the title to read "1.3k" so it's more clear to people of either persuasion.

That's pretty awesome to do. Imagine if we did that more often here, in America.

[Redmage]

That's pretty awesome to do. Imagine if we did that more often here, in America.

Unless it was your legally owned land, you couldn't, even if it was, you would still have a bitch of a time convincing the state to just let you grow a rainforest.

Great story, really invokes that "what the hell am I doing with my life" feeling, but in a good way.

Now that his little project is officially recognized as a forest and all that I hope hes getting some sort of wildlife preservation status or something.

[Darsithis]

Unless it was your legally owned land, you couldn't, even if it was, you would still have a bitch of a time convincing the state to just let you grow a rainforest.

Great story, really invokes that "what the hell am I doing with my life" feeling, but in a good way.

Now that his little project is officially recognized as a forest and all that I hope hes getting some sort of wildlife preservation status or something.

Buy up public land that is available for sale and turn it into parks.

[v2prwsmb45yhuq3wj23vpjk]

Unless it was your legally owned land, you couldn't, even if it was, you would still have a bitch of a time convincing the state to just let you grow a rainforest.

Great story, really invokes that "what the hell am I doing with my life" feeling, but in a good way.

Now that his little project is officially recognized as a forest and all that I hope hes getting some sort of wildlife preservation status or something.

That really depends on the area. In places close to towns/cities you would have trouble. In more people-free places that weren't being used you could probably do something.

[Sagittaria]

That is quite a project.

[Aristeus]

This thread needs pictures!