Akangjungla
The commemoration of World Environment Day in Nagaland has mostly centered on tree plantation and cleanliness drive. It has habitually been a few-hour event, not even a full day. This conversely does not challenge the growing sensibility towards the conception of nature and environment. Rather it is clearly leading to the local communities taking action to regenerate and expand the green cover, check pollution, adopt organic farming and practice water conservation. All these way of life or culture used to be the fabric of the everyday in almost all the Naga villages and households. For a very long time, in the course of human progress and development, the local adaptations were nowhere to be found, nevertheless, the response and action to regain and renew the gift of nature and environment looks hopeful. This observation comes with a caution though.
Every year, the press releases on updates of the World Environment Day occupy the newspaper pages. The reports are mostly about planting tree sapling which comes with pictures of the organisers and participants holing the plastic flex banners. Such content comes from all quarters – government departments, NGOs, civil society, unions and communities, church bodies and educational institutions and many others. There is certainly an increase in the number of various organisations marking the day by holding various competitions, conducting cleanliness drive and most commonly, undertaking tree plantation drives. It is encouraging to see participants holding and planting tree saplings trending in media platforms giving a glimpse for inspiring positive change; a clear sign of the State achieving the goal of connecting with the global community to protect the planet earth. On the other hand, a recent observation and discussion is on the status of the saplings planted every year on June 5. The number of saplings planted on World Environment Day, not necessarily converts into forest cover. Nonetheless, regardless of how the success of the plantation drive is measured, the simple way of evaluating can be by the number of trees growing in and around the locality. This draws to the conclusion that just planting a sapling is not enough.
The Department of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of Nagaland headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force in collaboration with the local communities have been keenly working to replenish the nature through tree plantation. Trees are planted for many reasons. These ranges from fighting climate change, preventing soil erosion and landslides and economically benefiting through the forest products. The benefits are generated when the saplings grow into matured trees.
Earlier, reports have highlighted that Nagaland lies in the 10th distinct bio-geographic zone under one of the identified 18 mega hot spots in the world with reference to threats to biodiversity. However, human activities like reckless deforestation have been endangering many of the state’s flora and fauna. It is not a one-time affair. The rich biodiversity of the state is dwindling year by year due to the primitive method/practice of cultivation (i.e. slash burning) and most of species, both flora and fauna, appear to be endangered due to heavy biotic pressure/interference and reckless deforestation.
The challenge today for everyone would be to find an answer to ‘Is massive tree plantation campaigns once a year enough to reverse decades of deforestation?’ Had it been enough to simply plant a tree sapling every World Environment Day, the entire state of Nagaland by now would be a full forest cover on its own. Planting is not enough. It is just the start of a long growth process. The task starts after the plantation. The understanding and need to nurture environment has to go beyond commemorating events and issuing press releases. Tree plantation drive needs to be replaced by tree growing campaigns with the right purpose. It demands for a call upon the members of the whole community to respond through covenanting for regaining the gift nature and environment. The response should be one that counters the perils threatening the survival on the planet earth.
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