The Great People’s Forest of the Eastern Himalayas

The Great People’s Forest of the Eastern Himalayas is one of the largest restoration and conservation efforts in the history of South Asia.
Created by Conservation International, and the Balipara Foundation of Assam, India, this initiative seeks to raise US$1 billion, plant 1 billion trees, and restore and protect 1 million hectares of land across the Eastern Himalayas, from the mountains to the mangroves, indirectly benefiting around 1 billion people who depend on this connected ecosystem. An unprecedented network of local organisations will work together to deliver this project, born out of over a decade of cooperation and knowledge sharing through the Eastern Himalayas NaturenomicsTM Forum.
The Eastern Himalayan region spans the mountains, valleys, plains and delta of North East India, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. It is a massive single connected ecosystem, with its two major rivers - The Ganges and Brahmaputra - fed by the glaciers of the world’s tallest mountains. These rivers meet to form the world’s greatest delta in Bangladesh, which is in turn guarded by the world’s largest mangrove forest in the Sundarbans. It is a region of staggering ecological significance, representing over one-twelfth of all biodiversity on the planet, including two biodiversity hotspots.
It is also a region of vital significance to humanity, home to some of the most densely populated areas on Earth with 1 billion people relying directly on its land and water for their livelihoods and survival. Despite this, the region’s status as an environmental and societal asset of global importance has not been matched by international awareness of its significance, nor investment in its protection and restoration.
Find more via greatpeoplesforest.org and on Linkedin.