Jowai, Aug 6: In a step towards ecological restoration, the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) has entered into a 40-year partnership with a private organisation to restore degraded lands and promote agroforestry and revenue generation.
The deal between the JHADC and Earthtree Enviro was signed on August 5.
The partnership aims to restore barren lands and forests, which have been severely impacted by climate change, resulting in reduced rainfall and biodiversity loss. Director of Earthtree, Sunny Donkupar Mawiong, emphasised the importance of preserving trees and restoring biodiversity, which has drastically deteriorated in the state.
The project envisions working closely with local communities and clans to restore barren lands and promote sustainable livelihoods.
The Chief Forest Officer of the JHADC, FW Blah, highlighted the benefits of the project, including the potential to earn carbon credits worth Rs 15,000 per hectare, opening up a new income source for the council.
SN Goswami, COO of Earthtree, stressed that the primary goal of the project is to plant trees to improve the entire ecosystem, enhancing biodiversity, livelihoods and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
