1 Lakh trees planted in a day in Ladakh’s barren land

Lt Governor of UT Ladakh, Brig (retd) B D Mishra officially launched the "Trees for Life" campaign on Wednesday in Liktsey

Leh: International non-governmental organisation Live to Love assisting Himalayan communities in becoming resilient on Wednesday embarked on an ambitious tree-planting campaign in Ladakh with support from stakeholders planted one lakh saplings on a single day.

This will help combating climate change and transforming the region’s barren lands into lush green forests.

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Building on its remarkable achievement 10 years ago, when Live to Love broke the Guinness World Record for planting the greatest number of trees in an hour.

Lt. Governor of UT Ladakh, Brig (retd) B.D. Mishra officially launched the “Trees for Life” campaign on Wednesday in Liktsey.

An impressive 100,000 trees have been planted on this day. The plantation covers a vast area of 19 acres, with a diverse selection of native trees, including Ladakhi willow, poplar, and local fruit trees such as apples and apricots.

This extensive greening effort aims to combat soil erosion, establish natural watersheds, and mitigate the risks of flash floods and landslides.

The “Trees for Life” campaign has garnered immense support from various stakeholders, with participation from over 5,000 people.

Notable attendees included government officials, leaders of various faiths, the Kung Fu nuns, local community members, volunteers from nearby states, and international volunteers from Bhutan and Nepal.

This collaborative effort showcased the spirit of unity and collective responsibility in achieving environmental conservation goals.

Nature lovers say Live to Love’s “Trees for Life” campaign in Ladakh will undoubtedly mark a pivotal moment in the region’s environmental conservation efforts.

The transformative power of trees, coupled with the collective action of passionate individuals, promises to create a sustainable and greener future for all.

Back in 2012, Live to Love achieved a milestone by planting an astounding 99,103 Ladakhi saplings, setting a new Guinness World Record.

Through the diligent care provided by the renowned Drukpa Kung Fu Nuns, these saplings have flourished into thriving trees, significantly contributing to the region’s ecosystem.

Inspired by the past success, Live to Love has initiated a long-term campaign called “Trees for Life.” This campaign aims to plan 1 million trees over ten years in Ladakh.

This campaign is driven by the desire to create sustainable ecosystems and provide both humans and animals with flourishing forests to enjoy.

Responding to the plantation drive, Thinles Nurboo, spokesperson for Trees for Life, said: “We have 0.5 per cent forest coverage in this entire union territory. Earlier, it was sufficient for neutralising the carbon, but due to the heavy influx of tourists from two of the major gateways, one from Himachal Pradesh, and another from Jammu and Kashmir, it is very essential to have more and more trees, especially in this arid, cold, desert region to neutralise the carbon footprint and to save millions of lives, not just humans, but all sentient beings.”

“So majorly, we are planting apricot, apple, willow, and poplar. This is definitely going to survive because most of them are native species only and specifically apricot consumes very little water. This is the reason why it has managed to survive throughout Ladakh. So, this is why this plantation is definitely going to be a success.”

Jigme Kunchok Lhamo, Drukpa Kungfu Nun, said: “As you know, His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa, our root guru, is a person who is very conscious about the environment, about cleanliness, and planting trees, and this is part of a project that is very dear to His Holiness’ heart and our heart so we are very happy to be here participating.”