Gethsemane Man-made Forest
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Gethsemane Man-made Forest
| official_name = Bhairabkunda JFMC
| settlement_type = Reserve Forest
| area_total_ha = 735
| area_total_km2 = 7.36
| image_map = Map of Assam outline.svg
}}
Gethsemane Man-made Forest is a community led forest conservation initiative by the JFMC comprising six nearby villages under the Dhansiri Reserve Forest division.{{Cite web|title=J.F.M.C. Plantation Centre, Bhairabkunda, R.F. {{!}} Udalguri District {{!}} Government Of Assam, India|url=https://udalguri.assam.gov.in/frontimpotentdata/jfmc-plantation-centre-bhairabkunda-rf|access-date=2020-12-04|website=udalguri.assam.gov.in}} It is a Plantation Centre consisting of more than 14 lakh plants of over 35 species, spread across 5500 bigha. The initiative of regeneration of forest began in 2005 to transform the barren forest land impacted by illegal afforestation during the 1980s.
Impact
The man-made forest now has over 14 lakh plants such as khoir, gomari, simul, shisham etc. Many wild animals have returned to the forest.{{Cite web|title=Barren forest land regenerated at Bhairabkunda|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=dec2511/at092|access-date=2020-12-04|website=The Assam Tribune Online}} Animals such as elephant, leopard, wild boar, tiger, deer, etc. and reptiles such as paradise flying snake and python are found in the forest.{{Cite web|date=2016-07-20|title=Man-made forest at Bhairabkunda|url=https://assamtimes.org/node/17310|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Assam Times|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2016-04-03|title=Flying snake found at Bhairabkunda|url=https://www.assamtimes.org/node/16643|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Assam Times|language=en}} The Lepidiota Mansueta beetle specie is also commonly found in the forest along with various species of butterflies and dragonflies. It is also home to various himalayan, native and migratory birds.{{Cite web|date=2017-12-25|title=Afforestation changes life and landscape: How a district in Assam lost a forest, gained a future|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/afforestation-changes-life-and-landscape-how-a-district-in-assam-lost-a-forest-gained-a-future-4997615/|access-date=2020-12-04|website=The Indian Express|language=en}} The emergence of forest has also contributed towards the reduction of man-elephant conflict in the area.{{Cite web|title=Regenerated Bhairabkunda forest easing human-elephant conflict|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=dec2018/at061|access-date=2020-12-04|website=The Assam Tribune Online}}
Eco-Tourism
The forest is growing as an eco-tourism destination in the region. Thus helping local communities in the process. It has many trekking trails as well as cycling strips for adventure sports enthusiasts.
Geography
The man-made forest is spread across 5500 bighas beside the river Dhansiri on the foothills of Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. There are also various brooks inside the forest which are dug to satiate the trees during drought seasons.
History
File:Barren land at Gethsemane Man-made forest.jpg
The 35 members of the JFMC began working the barren land under the name “Sonaigaon Multipurpose farm” for cultivation as well as farming purposes in 2003. Their effort gained support through the initiative of the then Forest Range Officer Naba Kumar Bordoloi of Bhairabkunda RF. He inducted the group into six JFMC and in 2005 a proposal was submitted to Ministry of Environment and Forest India. It was approved and the plantation under the Ministerial support extended from 2007 to 2011.{{Cite web|date=2020-01-28|title=Once fighting for Bodoland, 35 men divert their efforts to grow a forest|url=https://india.mongabay.com/2020/01/once-fighting-for-bodoland-35-men-divert-their-efforts-to-grow-a-forest/|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Mongabay-India|language=en-US}}
Awards and recognition
File:KWS award for Gethsemane Man-made forest.jpg
The JFMC has been awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the Kaziranga Wildlife Society (KWS) in 2016 and ‘Eastern Himalayan Conservation Award’ by Balipara Foundation in 2017.{{Cite web|date=2016-08-14|title=Lifetime Achievement Award to JFMC Bhairabkunda|url=https://www.assamtimes.org/node/17520|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Assam Times|language=en}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- [https://www.sentinelassam.com/news/army-celebrates-international-day-of-forests-at-6-sq-km-manmade-forest-near-bhairabkunda/ Army celebrates International Day of Forests at 6 sq km manmade forest near Bhairabkunda]. The Sentinel. 23 March 2019.
- [https://assamtimes.org/node/7744 Call of wild Udalguri]. Assam Times. 2 June 2013
- {{cite news|date=25 December 2011|title=Barren forest land regenerated at Bhairabkunda|newspaper=The Assam Tribune|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=dec2511/at092}}
- {{cite news|date=17 November 2014|title=New tourist guest house at Bhairabkunda|newspaper=Assam Times|url=https://www.assamtimes.org/node/12351}}
- {{cite news|date=4 January 2016|title=4th Bhairabkunda festival underway at Udalguri|newspaper=The Eastern Today|url=http://eastern-today.com/entries/blog/4th-bhairabkunda-festival-underway-at-udalguri}}
- {{cite news|date=20 July 2016|title=Govt urged to provide funds for man-made forest|newspaper=The Assam Tribune|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=jul2016/state050}}
- {{cite news|date=2 December 2016|title=Bhairabkunda calling you|newspaper=Assam Times|url=https://www.assamtimes.org/node/18077}}
- {{cite news|date=19 December 2016|title=Community conservation initiative at Bhairabkunda|newspaper=The Assam Tribune|url=http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=dec1916/at056}}
- [https://getsemaniforest.wordpress.com/2018/11/22/flying-snakes-of-gethsemane-forest/ "Flying Snakes of Gethsemane Forest]. Gethsemane Man-made Forest. 26 May 2019.
- [https://getsemaniforest.wordpress.com/2019/05/26/exploring-bhairabkunda-8-things-to-see-assam-northeast-india/ "Explore Bhairabkunda: 8 Things to See"]{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Gethsemane Man-made Forest. 22 November 2018.
{{coord missing|India}}