There is so much to see when we have an opportunity to go to the forest yet many of us don’t take the chance to do it all that often. It seems as if we are connected with the forest and we find a lot of peace and happiness when we are under the blanket of trees. At times, we may see an animal scurrying by or we might simply close our eyes and listen to the sounds that the forest makes. In any case, it offers a level of beauty that we don’t often get to experience.
Although most of us realize the connection that we have with the forest is real, it is still something that is disappearing quickly from the planet. In some areas, the forests are on fire and in others, they are being torn down to make way for development or agriculture. It’s sad when we see these things happening, because we realize we are losing the natural resource that is there to protect us. We often think that there is nothing that we can do in order to make a difference but in reality, the power to make a difference is in our hands.
How long do you think it would take for one man to plant a forest that is 550 hectares? Considering the fact that that is almost twice the size of Central Park in New York, you might think that it was an impossible task. It wasn’t impossible for a man named Jadav Payeng, who saw the destruction of the forest on his home island of Majuli.
Jadav decided he would get busy and set a goal of rebuilding the forest in his lifetime. It started in 1979, some 40 years ago. Rather than sitting back and watching the destruction continue, he decided to start planting trees and the results have been incredible. The size of the forest is now large enough to house many animals.
The animals that are in his forest are more than just a random squirrel or perhaps a raccoon, you will find elephant, deer, rhinoceros and tigers in his forest. It’s an amazing achievement that shows what is possible when somebody puts their mind to something.
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