Jadav Payeng lives on an island named Majuli Island. What once was a land of beautiful forest and wildlife, turned into an eroding wasteland over the years of agricultural development and human influence.
Payeng wants to bring this ecosystem back. The dedicated arborist started a daily mission to plant one tree every day. He’s been doing this since 1979, and has now managed to turn Majuli and neighbouring Jorhat with a tropical paradise once again.
115 elephants, rhino, deer, and tigers now call this 550-hectare forest home.
“I will continue to plant until my last breath.”
“I tell them, cutting my trees will get you nothing. Cut me before you cut my trees!”
Payeng’s story proves that small acts really contribute to a major change. Check out his beautiful story below:
Meet the Man Who Planted a Forest
This man began planting a forest in 1979—and now it's the size of Central Park. http://on.natgeo.com/1Woq730
Posted by National Geographic on Tuesday, May 10, 2016
