By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 5: In a departure from conventional rhetoric, World Environment Day in Pachang village, Mawkynrew, was marked by a practical reflection on the vital link between human life and forest conservation.
Organised by the MegLife project—a community-based forest management initiative assisted by JICA—the event brought together children and adults to pledge their commitment to environmental protection.
Director of the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA), Aiban Swer, who was the chief guest on the occasion, used a simple breathing exercise to demonstrate the interdependence of humans and nature. By asking participants to hold their breath, he illustrated that life depends on the oxygen provided by trees.
“Look at those trees there. They take in the foul air we breathe out and clean up that air so we can breathe it in,” he told the gathering. Following the demonstration, the community participated in a plantation drive at a designated site. Students from RCLP School Pachang, accompanied by their teachers and the MegLife team, planted indigenous saplings.
On the occasion, villagers noted that trees planted during a similar drive in 2023 are currently thriving, which highlighted that community participation remains the most effective tool for long-term conservation of trees.
