The man planted trees for 40 years and the results were unexpected

Jadav went to see the village elders and asked if there was any way to save those poor animals from death and received advice to grow tall trees like bamboo because the shade of tall bamboos would help the area. This area is always cool. So Jadav started planting trees.

Every day, we hear about the change of the Earth, from melting ice to dense fog in Los Angeles. There are people who know how to act to change positively for the Earth but do not know what to do, some are very indifferent, considering it is not their job, when the house they reside is destroyed, at then they hurriedly tried to fix it.

But Jadav Payeng (born 1963) is not such a person. He lived in Majuli Island, Assam state, India and for the first time he took action to change his own living environment, everyone began 38 years ago. Now everything has changed unexpectedly.

Jadav Payeng.(Photo: Internet).

Compassion for the snakes that die from the heat

In 1979, Jadav walked along the sand of the Brahmaputra River after a flood found many snakes washed ashore. However, a few days later, the snakes died on the sand because of the intense heat. The 16-year-old Jadav felt: "It was a terrible scene." At that time, Jadav met the forest guards to offer help with planting trees but they told Jadav to go and do it himself.

Not only that, Majuli island - where Jadav lives - still faces another problem that is erosion. In the middle of the nineteenth century, this place was 480 square miles, but today, it is only about 135 square miles, less than 1/3 of the previous area. Scientists predict that the island may disappear in the next 20 years. Not wanting that prognosis to be true, as well as wanting wild animals such as elephants, rhinos, deer and tigers that once called Majuli to be home to the roof, Jadav embarked on action.

Jadav went to see the village elders and asked if there was any way to save those poor animals from death and received advice to grow tall trees like bamboo because the shade of tall bamboos would help the area. This area is always cool.

The first 50 trees and nearly 40 years later

So Jadav started planting trees. For the first time, Jadav planted 50 young trees donated by the village elders. But Jadav doesn't stop but grows more and more. In addition to bamboo, Jadav also grows coconut trees because according to him: 'Coconut trees will be very straight, will prevent erosion if planted enough. Therefore, it will help protect the soil, promote economic and combat climate change '.

Jadav started growing trees at age 16.(Photo: carlobevilacqua).

Jadav diligently planted trees without any help, no need for anyone to pay attention and praise.(Photo: Internet).

The days passed and Jadav was still diligently planting trees without any help, no need for anyone to pay attention and praise. Perhaps Jadav could not imagine that from the first 50 saplings I planted until nearly 40 years later, this place had become an extremely dense forest. The forest is named Molai Kathoni (Molai is Jadav's nickname, while Kathoni means forest in Assamese). The density of trees in Molai Kathoni made many people unable to believe that this place was planted by humans.

Palash Ranjan Goswami - Secretary General of Seven Look NGO in northeastern India said: 'Jadav Payeng has an important role in preserving the ecosystem of Assam and northeastern India. His actions motivate the following generations to do many things for Mother Nature. '

The forest has many different plants such as coconut trees, strawberry skin, persimmon trees, vines, teak, jackfruit, mango . and animals such as tigers, rhinos, rabbits, deer, perches and many other types of birds.

Molai Kathoni is also home to many wild animals.(Photo: Internet).

It is known that Jadav currently lives in the village near Kokilamukh and his wife and 3 children. He raised 50 buffaloes and cows to get milk for his livelihood. One day his life began before dawn by milking, taking care of buffalo and cow herds. By noon, he had just started going to Molai Kathoni forest - where he had been diligently cultivated 40 years ago. After cycling for nearly 2 kilometers to reach Kartik Chapori, Mr. Jadav again sailed through the river, then rode again for more than 4 km to reach the forest.

Every day Jadav rode a bike, crossed the river, then rode a bicycle to look after the forest, watering the forest. It was not easy to water the entire forest, and Jadav came up with an idea: 'I bought many large pots that could hold about 5 liters of water, cut small holes at the bottom, stuff the dry grass into and pour water up, then put on growing young plants' . This will help drip water, which can irrigate nearly 5.6 km ^{2 of} forest every day.

'Chop my head before cutting down my trees'

Alone to build the whole forest is certainly not an easy task, but the most difficult thing to do, makes Jadav the most tired not from nature but by humans.'When the trees get bigger, it's hard for me to protect them. The biggest threat is people. They will destroy the forest for economic benefits , 'Jadav said.

Once there was a time, he risked his life, accepting all dangers to protect the forest. It was around 2008, a pack of forest elephants destroyed many houses in a village. When the villagers learned of Jadav's forest as a elephant's shelter, they immediately wanted to destroy the forest. Jadav vigorously declares: 'Cutting my head before cutting down my trees' and affirming that trees always help people, they need to be protected to preserve nature.

Seven Look's Goswami said his organization has helped residents understand Jadav's efforts.'We try to help people understand the importance of Molai Kathoni's forests so that they can cooperate and help Jadav,' he said.

Regardless of Jadav, the forest is growing well and in 2013, the forest reached an area of ​​nearly 5.6 km ² . For comparison, you can think of New York City's famous Central Park, which is only 3.4 km ² wide. Lots of trees!

The forest reaches an area of ​​nearly 5.6 km ² .(Photo: Internet).

"Cut off my head before cutting down my trees."(Photo: Internet).

The anonymous forest man and reputation echoed throughout the world

From a guy who finished the 10th grade, day and day diligently with the work of growing and caring for trees, Jadav is now known to the whole world. The local journalist and photojournalist Jitu Kalita happened to have discovered Jadav in the forest and brought him to the honor of the world. He wrote an article about Jadav, published in the local newspaper in 2010. Until 2 years later, Jadav was known by many as the 'Indian planter man'.

In 2013, William Douglas McMaster completed a short documentary about Jadav's work called Forest Man. The film won the Best Documentary Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. A year later, Jadav was awarded Padma Shri - the fourth highest civilian award awarded by the Indian government.

Jadav was awarded Padma Shri - the fourth highest civilian award awarded by the Indian government.(Photo: Internet).

Although his reputation has spread throughout the country and the world, Jadav does not seem to care. He said it was his duty. Currently, Jadav has received support from abroad, he has hired 4 more people to plant his forests together.