Time to blossom: How one person’s commitment to nature brought life to mankind

Consultivo Blog | Environment & Energy

Conserve Nature and Nature will reward you.

We help a little and nature will help itself to grow and reward us as much as possible. Nature has an amazing power of perseverance, thrive and adapt when given the space to do so.

A story of finding Inspiration & Hope in Mother Nature.

All of a sudden, our fast-paced life got staggered by the heat of the pandemic. The entire globe got confused and we are devastated. In a blink, our picture-perfect life got distorted!

But when we took a pause…

Amidst this crisis, when we took a pause & relooked, didn’t we realise that it was not at all a perfect way of living? Our daily activities are all against nature and now nature is against us.

Springing back into shape from this moment of adversity – Where can we look for inspiration?

We find inspiration and hope in none other than our mother nature. Man is a part of nature and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.

What happens when we protect and support nature? We help a little and nature will help itself to grow and reward us as much as possible. Nature has an amazing power of perseverance, thrive and adapt when given the space to do so.

Thus maintaining a hopeful outlook and moving towards collaboration mingled with competence and confidence, can change the scenario.

No wonder great things happen when we all work together. But anyone can make a difference.

One cannot do everything but one can do something.

Believe in oneself and that is the key to unlock the success. But how far can we go to protect our nature just as an individual?

Can we dare to create a forest all alone?

This brought in mind the pale face of a teenager at Majuli Island, Assam. He was heartbroken by seeing the dead snakes piled on a sandbar after the flood in 1979.

Soon he realised the villain is not the flood alone but the high temperature due to lack of tree shades.

The only solution was to turn that barren land into a dense forest.

He believed to do so and so the magic happened.

He is the Forest Man of India, Padmashree Awardee, Jadav Molai Payeng.

At the age of 16, he started planting trees and continues to do so in his namesake forest (Molai Sanctuary) even today.

Apart from several thousands of trees, it is the happy shelter of several varieties of birds including vultures. Moreover, it houses Bengal tigers, Indian rhinoceros reptiles, deer and rabbits in addition to monkeys.

In 1980, Assam Forestry Division of Golaghat district launched a scheme of tree plantation on 200-hectare area. He was among the first few farmers who worked on the project when it began.

Unfortunately, this government project was abandoned very soon. The theme of Conserve Nature took a backseat. But he chose to stay back with a conviction while others left.

Doing the impossible: Turning the barren land into a dark green forest

Without single help from the forest department, he took an oath to turn the barren land into a green forest.

Thanks to his relentless effort! He employed his indigenous methods of soil preparation, planting trees and irrigation.

Payeng single-handedly made this forest which benefits the entire community. It serves as a grazing ground of cattle and farmers earn their living by selling milk.

But what a pity!

In 2008, a herd of around a hundred elephants strayed into the Molai Sanctuary. It was then, the government got to know about Jadhav’s forest and his initiatives which he started more than 2 decades back.

Those elephants gave birth to10 calves there. Nearby villagers were scared. The government decided to cut the forest as a quick solution.

Pity, again.

Payeng relentlessly opposed it. How can he accept the decision?

Woods grew in front of his eyes. He has invested the prime time of his life here. He would walk for 20 minutes, hop on a boat to cross the river, then walk another 2 hours to reach the sand-bar where he would plant trees every day for 3 months in a year.

Finally, the Government did not cut the forest

Thanks to the decision-makers! After all, they were convinced and final salutation was given to him by the government in 2015. He was awarded Padma Shri by our then president Mr Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

He shared the same stage with 75 fellow Indians who’ve created an impact on society.

What could have triggered him to create this “one-man made forest”?
Passion? Love? Concern? Or just humanity? Is it Conserve Nature or Care for Nature?

It’s high time for us to be a little more human. Not necessarily we need to wait for any specific day or people to initiate our work.

Before we reach the point of no return, we should and we must consciously make efforts in our own way –

conserve, preserve and take actions for nature, every day.

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