Kokrajhar leads with Northeast’s first Miyawaki forests under Green Bodoland Mission

Northeast India’s first Miyawaki forests have been established at Kokrajhar Medical College and the BTC Secretariat, covering 6,000 sq. m. with 12,000 saplings of 45 native species.

The initiative, part of the Green Bodoland Mission (GBM) launched by the Bodoland Territorial Council in June 2024, is inspired by the method developed by Japanese botanist Prof. Akira Miyawaki, which replicates natural ecosystems to grow dense, organic, and self-sustaining forests within 20–30 years.

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The GBM, backed by a BTC Assembly resolution that earmarked 2 percent of the Council’s SOPD budget for plantation, plastic reduction, and groundwater management, has already planted more than 3.2 lakh saplings of timber, fruit, medicinal, and flowering species across community and forest lands.

Green Brigades, youth clubs formed under the mission, have been central to mobilising participation, with over 6,000 members engaged in plantation and upkeep.

The mission has also restored two wetlands in Tamulpur and Udalguri, undertaken a hydro-geological study with the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, and promoted eco-friendly livelihoods such as solar-powered potters’ wheels for traditional artisans.

Officials say the mission seeks to stabilise slopes, improve water security, diversify livelihoods, and reduce human–wildlife conflict. However, challenges remain in the survival of sapling, land rights, species selection, and sustained funding, making the next two to five years crucial to ensure that plantations mature into thriving forests delivering long-term community benefits.