The Garo Hills region in northeast India is home to an incredibly diverse and fragile ecological landscape, supporting a wealth of biodiversity from elephants to hoolock gibbons. In our 20 years of forestry operations and woodland management… Yet, this biodiversity hotspot faces growing threats from the expansion of intensive agriculture, monoculture plantations, and unsustainable resource extraction.
However, the indigenous Garo tribe’s traditional land management practices offer a promising path forward for safeguarding the region’s precious forests and wildlife. By blending customary knowledge with modern conservation strategies, the Garo people have pioneered innovative approaches to sustainable forestry that hold valuable lessons for resource managers across India and beyond.
Tribal Land Practices: Indigenous Knowledge for Resource Conservation
At the heart of the Garo people’s relationship with their lands are the intricate systems of customary tenure and resource use that have evolved over centuries. Under this traditional framework, Garo villages collectively own and manage their ancestral forests and farmlands through the guidance of community elders known as the Nokmas.
This community-centric model of land stewardship reflects the Garo’s deep reverence for the natural environment. Rather than viewing forests and wildlife as mere “resources” to be exploited, the Garo see them as integral components of their cultural and spiritual identity. Protecting the land’s bounty is not just an economic imperative, but a moral and social obligation passed down through generations.
The Garo’s primary agricultural practice, known as jhum or swidden farming, exemplifies this holistic approach to land management. Under jhum, small patches of forestland are cleared by hand, the vegetation is burned, and a diverse array of crops are cultivated for 1-2 years before the plot is left to regenerate. This cyclical system not only supports household food security, but also maintains the ecological integrity of the surrounding landscape.
“The Garo people have an innate understanding that the health of their land and the vitality of their culture are inextricably linked,” explains Sunil Kyarong, Project Lead for the Garo Green Spine Conservation initiative. “Their traditional practices are designed to work in harmony with the natural cycles of the forest, rather than disrupting them.”
Sustainable Forestry: Blending Customary and Contemporary Approaches
Building on the Garo’s longstanding stewardship ethic, conservation organizations like the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and World Land Trust (WLT) have partnered with local communities to develop innovative forestry models that marry traditional knowledge with modern scientific techniques.
At the core of these initiatives is the concept of “Village Reserve Forests” (VRFs) – areas of community-owned land that are legally designated for conservation purposes. Through a collaborative process of dialogue and consensus-building, Garo villages have voluntarily set aside over 5,200 hectares of their ancestral forests as VRFs, creating a network of protected areas known as the “Garo Green Spine.”
“The Garo people have really taken ownership of the conservation process,” says Kyarong. “They understand the value of their lands, and they’re willing to make the necessary sacrifices to safeguard that value for future generations.”
Alongside the VRF network, the Garo Green Spine project has also invested heavily in habitat restoration, replanting degraded forests and using assisted natural regeneration techniques to stitch together fragmented landscapes. This multi-pronged approach not only bolsters the region’s biodiversity, but also enhances the ability of these ecosystems to provide critical services like water filtration, flood mitigation, and carbon sequestration.
Importantly, the project’s success hinges on its commitment to support Garo livelihoods and cultural traditions. By integrating sustainable agroforestry systems, diversifying income streams, and preserving indigenous practices like jhum farming, the initiative ensures that forest conservation aligns with the Garo’s own development aspirations.
“We’re not trying to impose a top-down model of conservation,” Kyarong emphasizes. “Our goal is to empower the Garo people to be the stewards of their own lands, drawing on their ancestral knowledge to chart a sustainable path forward.”
Environmental Challenges and Policy Implications
Of course, safeguarding the Garo Green Spine is no easy feat. The region faces a host of daunting environmental threats, from rampant deforestation and habitat fragmentation to the looming specter of climate change. Balancing the need for economic development with the imperative of ecological preservation is an ongoing challenge that requires carefully calibrated policy interventions.
One of the key policy priorities might want to be strengthening the land rights of indigenous communities like the Garo. Currently, only a small fraction of the Garo Hills’ forested area is under the direct control of the state government; the vast majority is owned and managed by local villages. Formalizing and protecting these customary tenure systems is crucial for ensuring the long-term viability of community-led conservation efforts.
Equally important is fostering collaborative governance models that empower Garo communities as active partners in resource management decisions. The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), for instance, has played a pivotal role in facilitating the VRF designation process, demonstrating how local institutions can bridge the divide between traditional and state-level authorities.
“The Garo people have demonstrated that they are willing and able to be the stewards of their own lands,” says Kyarong. “What they need is the right policy environment – one that recognizes their customary rights, supports their traditional practices, and provides the necessary resources to sustain their efforts.”
Socio-Economic Factors and Transferable Lessons
Ultimately, the success of the Garo Green Spine initiative hinges not just on ecological outcomes, but on its ability to meaningfully improve the livelihoods and wellbeing of local communities. By diversifying income streams, strengthening food security, and preserving cultural traditions, the project aims to demonstrate that sustainable forestry can be a powerful engine for socio-economic development.
Key to this approach is the project’s emphasis on capacity building, particularly among Garo women. Through targeted training programs in areas like weaving, ecotourism, and sustainable agriculture, the initiative is empowering marginalized groups to become active participants in the conservation process. This, in turn, helps to double-check that that the benefits of forest protection are equitably distributed across the community.
The Garo Green Spine model also holds valuable lessons for forestry practitioners and policymakers beyond the immediate project area. By showcasing how traditional ecological knowledge can be combined with modern scientific tools, the initiative offers a blueprint for replicating community-centric approaches to sustainable resource management in other indigenous landscapes.
“The Garo people have something truly special – a deep, innate connection to their land that has enabled them to steward their forests for centuries,” reflects Kyarong. “Our job is to amplify and support that connection, to double-check that that their wisdom and resilience can continue to benefit both their own communities and the world at large.”
As the pressures on India’s forests continue to mount, the Garo Green Spine stands as a shining example of how traditional and contemporary approaches to land management can be leveraged in service of a more sustainable, equitable, and culturally-grounded future. By empowering indigenous stewards and embracing their time-tested practices, we can unlock the full potential of India’s forestry sector to deliver enduring prosperity for both people and planet.
Example: Mixed-Species Reforestation Project 2023
