How Jadav Payeng is tackling climate change by building his own forest

Despite his tremendous effort Jadav does not take credit for the flourishing forest, instead crediting ‘the birds, cows, deer, wind, water and elephants (that) have helped me.’

Speaking to how his forest has effected the eco-system Jadav proudly says that ‘people want to know my story. I tell them I just plant trees, and I’d like all of you to do so.’

‘Trees are the lifeline of the forest. They don’t just give us shade and oxygen. They feed birds and animals and balance our eco system. If there is no life left, what is the use of all the advancements we have made?’

Since his story went viral in 2012, Jadav has travelled around the world speaking in schools and attending conferences on climate change and environmental issues.

Following multiple visits to speak at schools and colleges, Jadav would like to see a change in how we celebrate World Earth Day.

He explains that it takes around five years for a sapling to turn into a tree and says ‘it will be a beautiful thing if a child is taught to plant a sapling or a seed when he is initiated in school and as he grows up, he or she is taught to take care of it and be responsible for it.’

‘If this had been done 30 years back by all of us, would global warming and climate change have dared to touch us?’

Jadav has been the subject of many documentaries and, in 2012, The Molai Forest was screened at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The critically acclaimed Forest Man, a 2013 documentary short, tells of Jadav’s continued endeavours in environmental activism. He inspired a central character in Prabhu Solomons film released in March 2021.

It is a trilingual work titled Kaadan in Tamil, Haathi Mere Saathi in Hindi, and Aranya in Telugu.

When asked if he was excited about the film, Jadav still brings it back to his mission for the environment.

‘If the movie makes people start loving trees, I will be delighted. I don’t mind if anyone makes monetary gains out of my story or through me.’

Despite being the inspiration for multiple cinematic works, inspiring children’s books, and even being in school textbooks, Jadav does not consider himself a celebrity. He only cares that his story inspires others to take a leaf out of his book.

‘Reading about me is not enough. Do what I do. I want school teachers to follow up on my chapter with tree-planting sessions, and to teach children to nurture and grow them with love and care.’

Sometimes the problem of climate change seems too large to tackle alone, but Jadav is the perfect example of how one person can make a difference to the eco-system around them.

What was previously a barren dessert land is now a forest filled with animals and several thousand varieties of trees. Follow in Jadav’s footsteps, plant one tree, contribute to a reforestation project in your area.

Environmental activism starts with you and perhaps in 40 years you too could have a forest packed with wildlife to show for your efforts.