Time to move from tree planting to ecosystem restoration  

Harela, greening land, is an important festival that Uttarakhand celebrates, but the spirit of respecting trees, forests and Nature is not limited to this state alone. Almost every state in India and the world over celebrates festivals and traditions associated with trees, plants and forests in one form or another—whether it is Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, the states of South India, or other nations of Asia and Africa. The simple meaning is that life cannot be imagined without forests and trees. This fundamental understanding has been an integral part of Indian traditions and ways of life for centuries.  

Harela is a collective expression of this spirit, where families, villages, communities, and governments come together to acknowledge their responsibility towards Nature. The tradition of gifting plants on auspicious occasions also carries the same message forward. Giving someone a plant is not merely a formality; it is a blessing and a wish that the person may grow, flourish, and continue to contribute to society and Nature, just as the tree does.  

However, these traditions in their new “avatar” face some important questions today. If we have been planting trees continuously for decades, where are those trees? If millions of saplings are planted every year, what is their actual survival rate? And if large-scale afforestation has been undertaken for so long, yet ecological and environmental crises continue to increase, then we need to reconsider our approach.  

In reality, not only India but the entire world is rapidly moving towards ecological crises. Various United Nations agencies and other international organisations continuously publish reports on the condition of air, water, and soil, presenting a serious picture of the current situation. The resources essential for the survival of humans and other living organisms are under increasing pressure. Air quality is deteriorating, and both the availability and quality of water are becoming challenges, and the soil required for food production is being affected by pollution and degradation.  

In contrast, global economic development continues to grow. This is where we need to understand that development and prosperity are not the same thing. Development may be a directional process, whereas prosperity is inclusive. True prosperity is possible only when economic development progresses alongside healthy water, air, soil, biodiversity, and ecosystems. Unfortunately, in our current understanding of development, Nature is often viewed as a resource rather than as the foundation of life itself.  

Many efforts are being made across the world to address environmental crises, and afforestation is one important approach. Large-scale tree planting is being undertaken to increase global green cover. India is also continuously making efforts to increase forest and tree cover. However, simply increasing the number of trees is not enough. The real question is: which species are we planting, where are we planting them, under what climatic and soil conditions, and for what purpose?  

The core spirit of greening also needs to be understood in this context. Traditionally, when people select trees for their homes or surroundings, they consider local needs. Trees were closely connected with agriculture, livestock, fuel, fodder, fruits, medicines, and other household requirements. In other words, a tree was not merely timber; it was an integral part of the local way of life and ecology.  

One of our greatest challenges today is that species selection in afforestation is often based on economic value, rapid growth, or comparatively higher chances of survival. However, the true importance of a tree should not be determined only by its timber or market value. Every tree has its own ecological role. It may stabilise soil, conserve water, provide habitat for pollinators and birds, support biodiversity, and form an important part of the local food chain.  

Studies from the United States provide examples of how economically valuable species may sometimes receive greater attention than species that provide a wider range of ecological services. Pine species, for instance, may be considered economically important, while the many ecological services provided by oak species may receive comparatively less economic recognition. This tendency is not limited to the United States; in many parts of the world, economically valuable species have historically been given greater importance than ecologically significant species.  

The Himalayas provide an important example. During the past several decades, some trees have also been planted in areas where their natural relationship with the local ecosystem is limited. The introduction of species such as Tectona grandis (teak) in sensitive Himalayan areas is one such example. Such species may be economically useful and may grow well under certain conditions, but their plantation in a particular region should not be justified simply because they grow rapidly or provide economic benefits.  

Similarly, species such as eucalyptus and poplar have considerable economic importance in many regions.  

However, before selecting any species, it is essential to examine how it interacts with the local climate, soil, water cycle, biodiversity, and natural vegetation. We should not ask only, “How quickly will this tree grow?” We should also ask, “How much will this tree contribute to the development of the entire ecosystem?”  

This is where the concept of Climatic Forestry becomes important.  

The basic idea of Climate-Based Forestry is simple: priority should be given to tree and plant species that are compatible with the climate, soil, water availability, altitude, and local ecological conditions of a particular region. The objective is not merely to keep plants alive, but to develop a complete ecosystem that can sustain and regenerate itself over time.  

Nature has selected suitable vegetation for different regions over millions of years. Under Himalayan conditions, species that were adapted to mountain climates, soils, and elevations became established. Similarly, different vegetation communities evolved in dry, humid, coastal, and tropical regions. As climates changed, species continued to adapt, and ecosystems developed through the process of natural succession.  

This natural process gives us an important lesson: we do not need to compete with Nature; we need to support Nature’s processes.  

The success of afforestation should not be measured only by the number of saplings planted. Its success should be measured by how many plants survived, how much they supported local flora and fauna, how effectively they conserved soil and water, and whether a self-sustaining ecosystem was able to develop.  

Therefore, it is time to increase the role of scientific knowledge in tree-planting programmes. Before planting a sapling, it is essential to understand the characteristics of the soil, rainfall, temperature, water availability, natural vegetation, and the ways in which future climatic conditions may change.  

Greening programmes must also be connected with this scientific approach. Tree festivals should not simply mean planting as many saplings as possible. Their deeper meaning is to restore our relationship with Nature. If we plant species that are connected with the local climate and ecology, tree planting will no longer remain a one-day activity; it can become a means of long-term ecological restoration.  

Another important point needs to be understood: water existed before forests. Therefore, forest restoration in a region does not necessarily have to begin only with planting trees; it can also begin with water conservation. If the number of water sources, water-holding pits, and water-harvesting structures is increased, local moisture and groundwater conditions can improve. This can subsequently increase the possibility of naturally adapted local vegetation returning to the landscape.  

At a time when we are facing a climate crisis, the selection of tree species also requires serious consideration. If the climate of a region is changing, we must examine which local or suitable species will be able to survive under the climatic conditions expected in the coming decades. This is what distinguishes Climatic Forestry from conventional tree planting.  

We must understand that Nature does not create forests consisting of only one species. A healthy forest includes trees along with shrubs, grasses, climbers, microorganisms, birds, insects, and many other organisms. Therefore, the true objective of forest restoration should not simply be to increase the number of trees, but to restore the integrity and functioning of the entire ecosystem.  

Greening festivals such as Harela can become carriers of this broader vision. If, every year, along with planting saplings, we also take a commitment to plant the right species in the right place, care for them, monitor their survival, and use them to revive local ecology, planting can move beyond being a symbolic festival and become a scientific as well as social movement.  

Therefore, the question should no longer be only, “How many saplings did we plant?” The question should be: “How many trees did we keep alive, how many ecosystems did we restore, and how much did we help Nature develop according to its own ecological processes?”  

We need to move beyond the number of saplings planted and adopt survival rate, species suitability, water conservation, biodiversity, ecological services, and ecosystem health as key indicators of success.  

Development transforms into prosperity only when it moves together with Nature. From this perspective, Climate-Based Forestry represents a future-oriented strategy that takes tree planting beyond the mere act of planting saplings and connects it with the holistic restoration of water, soil, vegetation, biodiversity, and human well-being.  

The core spirit of tree raising ultimately means the same thing: not merely to worship Nature, but to understand it; not only to plant trees, but to keep them alive; and not merely to create forests, but to restore ecosystems in which both human beings and Nature can flourish. 

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