Have you ever had an opportunity to spend any time in the wilderness? There is something peaceful and beautiful about being out among the trees and watching any wildlife that happens to come your way. Even if you don’t happen to see any animals, the trees still provide a beautiful backdrop and a lot of comfort. It’s almost as if we were designed to live in that type of area, which is why we try to get out there on occasion and enjoy it.
Although we need the forest and we love the forest, it is a resource that is quickly disappearing in many parts of the world. We have the burning of the Amazon rainforest, deforestation in many countries and other problems that are leading to forests becoming more of a rare commodity. If we had our way, we would reverse it and stop the greed that is causing the decimation of the forest but unfortunately, there is very little we can do. Then again, we might not need to do much in order to make a difference, we just need to take action.
On the island of Majuli, humans and agricultural development were destroying the forest that used to cover the island. It was an ongoing problem for many years but in 1979, one man set out to do something about it. His name is Jadav Payeng and he has been working on adding trees to the area since 1979.
Jadav realized that the splendor of the forest was disappearing and he knew that it had to be restored in some way or another. That is when he decided to get busy and plant trees until it was back to its former glory. He has been doing it for 37 years and has already planted some 550 hectares of woodland, which is almost twice the size of Central Park in New York!
Has Jadav realized his dream? Yes, because there is a forest that now exists where one didn’t exist before. There are also many animals that call it home, including rhinos, elephants, deer and tigers. He wants to protect the forest because it is more than an achievement, it’s his life.
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