Tree Planting Project in Chilam

In the month of May 2022, I spent two wonderful weeks in the Changthang area of Ladakh, India to inspect and supervise the planting of 8000 trees (Sarchang /Willow) and Sea Buckthorn shrub trees).

These two trees grow well at this high altitude (14,000 ft) with proper irrigation and care during the first few years. After five years the trees are fully mature and are source of income for the local population and excellent for the environment. The Sarchang willow trees are used to build homes and the berries from the sea buckthorn are an excellent source of medical remedies and are used for tea and other natural healing products.

There is great effort to grow more trees in Ladakh through projects initiated by the Central Government of India and private groups such as “Go Green, Go Organic” started by Gyalwa Drikungpa, His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang. The tree planting projects are supported by the local Government and communities in Ladakh. Venerable Khenpo Namgyal Gyalpo, our local field coordinator has done an excellent job with this tree project.

The Ladakh plateau is an extension of the great Tibetan Plateau with similar environmental and cultural characteristics and challenges. We are very proud of this effort to fight climate change. We have all the pieces of the puzzle such as manpower and irrigation to plant more trees in other parts of Ladakh with your financial help. We now have the unique opportunity to plant thousands of more trees in this moon like plateau of Ladakh, known as the Crown Jewel of India.

My recent journey to magnificent India has confirmed the importance of including all ethnic Tibetan children and people in the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan in our mission. The children and the people from these regions are becoming the backbone to help sustain the Tibetan language and Buddhist culture of Tibet.