JOWAI, Aug 5: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Forest department of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and members of Earth-Tree on Tuesday for a tree plantation project aimed at reforesting barren and degraded hills and lands within the Jaintia Hills region under the District Council’s jurisdiction.
The programme was coordinated by HH Mohrmen, consultant for Earth-Tree. During the event, Earth-Tree Director Sunny Donkupar Mawiong delivered a speech in which he highlighted the alarming deforestation and environmental degradation taking place in the region. He emphasized that such damage not only harms the environment but also poses long-term risks to future generations. The plantation initiative, he said, is a step toward much-needed ecological restoration and support.
Representing the JHADC, Chief Forest Officer F Blah noted that the number of trees and overall vegetation in the region has seen a significant decline. However, with this project—which envisions tree growth over a 40-year period—the landscape can be gradually regenerated. He also expressed concern over the current practice of using immature trees for construction, noting that such materials lack the durability of fully matured timber.
Blah expressed his appreciation to the JHADC Executive Committee for taking a proactive stance on environmental conservation by approving this plantation initiative on Council lands across the Jaintia Hills. He further emphasized the importance of planting not just trees, but fruit-bearing species, which can offer both ecological and economic benefits to the Council and the community.
Chief Operating Officer of Earth-Tree, Dr SN Goswami, also addressed the gathering. He stated that this project is part of a broader vision for environmental sustainability in the Jaintia Hills region.
