Sikhism

EcoSikh is really focused on bringing land back to life, mainly through their special "Guru Nanak Sacred Forest" program. Beyond Punjab, EcoSikh has established these micro-forests in other states including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi, Chandigarh, and Jammu & Kashmir. The organization has set up these mini-forests at various gurdwaras, schools, and even industrial sites. The organization has even started planting in places like Canada (in areas like Brampton and Vaughan) and the UK. What the organization do is plant really dense, diverse mini-forests using a quick growing method called Miyawaki. This helps bring back local plant and animal life, makes the soil healthier, and even helps absorb carbon from the air. We're pretty proud to say that as of late last year, EcoSikh has helped plant over 850 of these sacred forests, which means more than half a million trees are now thriving thanks to these efforts. One of their biggest hurdles is simply finding enough suitable plots of land. Especially in and around cities, open space is tough to come by, and everyone wants a piece of it. The organization really lean on their partnerships with gurdwaras, schools, and local groups to find these crucial spots, which takes a lot of ongoing communication and relationship-building. Then, once we've planted a forest, the next big task is making sure it thrives in the long run. Those first few years are critical, requiring regular watering, weeding, and protecting the young trees from things like trash or people accidentally stepping on them. Keeping local communities involved and committed to looking after these forests over time, especially when they're spread acros so many different places, is always a continuous effort. And of course, finding consistent money to cover the costs of all this ongoing care and to plant even more forests is always on their minds.