In 1979, Jadav Payeng began planting trees on the banks of the Brahmaputra in Majuli Island after terrible floods left the region denuded. The sight of dead reptiles washed on the river bank disturbed him and drove him to do something about it.
Payeng planted a couple of saplings everyday for 34 years, transforming barren land into a sprawling forest covering almost 1,360 acres.
Over the years, he developed a sound understanding of ecological balance. The area, named Molai forest, is now home to a variety of plants and animals, including several endangered species like the Bengal tiger and the one-horned rhino.
In 2012, Jawarharlal Nehru University honoured him with the title ‘Forest man of India.
The Forest Man is a short documentary by Canadian filmmaker William D McMaster that looks at Payeng’s conservation mission.
Payeng planted a couple of saplings everyday for 34 years, transforming barren land into a sprawling forest covering almost 1,360 acres.
Over the years, he developed a sound understanding of ecological balance. The area, named Molai forest, is now home to a variety of plants and animals, including several endangered species like the Bengal tiger and the one-horned rhino.
In 2012, Jawarharlal Nehru University honoured him with the title ‘Forest man of India.
The Forest Man is a short documentary by Canadian filmmaker William D McMaster that looks at Payeng’s conservation mission.
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