Kohima: The Kohima Forest Division has launched an innovative and convenient way to make a positive impact on the environment. From across any part of the world, and at the comfort of their homes, people can now plant trees in Nagaland with just a click.
Nagaland governor La Ganesan became the first to plant a tree sapling as he launched the project “Clicktoplant’ on World Environment Day this year. This digital plantation of tree saplings from any corner of the world will enable local communities in the Northeastern state to plant trees on their behalf.
While the project aims to create a safer and healthier environment through plantation of trees, it is also aimed at promoting ecotourism activities and enhancing the local economy. The payment that ‘ecowarriors’ make will directly be wired to the community for plantations and maintenance of the planted tree saplings.
As a pilot project, chief minister Neiphiu Rio’s native village- Tuophema has been selected to initiate the project.
“We wish that people who live in the cities, having no time and space to plant trees, to plant trees here in the state by visiting our website. After plantation, they can one day come back to visit the trees they digitally planted,” Rajkumar M, divisional forest officer, Kohima Forest Division told EastMojo.
The forest officer said that the initiative is a first of its kind in the country as there are no government websites which enable people to plant trees digitally.
“Nagaland has a very high potential for ecotourism. Here, the land belongs to the communities. So trees are planted in community lands, rather than on government lands. Through the project, there is revenue generation for the locals,” he said.
While the project began with the Ecotourism Management Committee at Tuophema village, he informed that if the demand increases, the project will be expanded to other villages as well.
On visiting the site, it was learnt that the plantation will be done in the state during the plantation season between April to June.
The types of plants they offer include monkey beans, oak, cherry, jackfruit, Japanese pine, local neem, hog plum, bottle brush, cinnamon, gooseberry, guava, and wild apple, each for Rs 100.
Certificate of appreciation is also sent to the registered e-mail ID of the ecowarriors. Alternatively, it can be accessed from the dashboard on the website as well. Tree saplings will be planted as per the order of the ‘ecowarriors’ by the Ecotourism Management Committee, Tuophema.
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Once plantation is done, the image of the planted sapling is then updated on the dashboard of the user. As plantations are done in bulk for the convenience of the villagers, the department notified that there could be a delay between the order and the actual plantation of the sapling.
Tuophema is a picturesque village located on the North of Kohima town, about 39 km away. It is a popular tourist village of Nagaland and has several tourist infrastructures in the village. The village also has rich forest areas which are conserved by the community efficiently making it a natural choice for ecotourism.
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