Research-based, community-oriented biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak today marked the celebration of World Environment Day (WED) 2023 by planting around 2000 saplings of native tree species at Bahairabkunda in Udalguri district of Assam to replenish the habitat inhabited by threatened species such as the Asian elephants, with the help from around 150 SSB personnel, members of Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) and local communities.
For the purpose, Aaranyak collaborated with Dhansiri Forest Division, Dhansiri Sikaridanga JFMC and 61 Bn SSB, Bhairabkunda. The programme was supported by the SBI Foundation. Aaranyak’s conservationists Dr Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar, Dr Alolika Sinha, Rabiya Daimary, Abhijit Saikia, Dibakar Nayak, Didom Daimary, Pradeep Barman and Bijoy Kalita planned and organised the event. Ajay Salve, a student of Azim Premji University, who is currently an intern in Aaranyak, was also present during the event.
“It is noteworthy that as a long-term measure of reducing human elephant conflict and safeguard wild elephants, we are working towards habitat improvement through plantation, and managing invasion,” said Dr Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar.