Premier research-driven biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak has undertaking an integrated habitat restoration programme that includes the removal of invasive alien plants (IAPs), and deployment of native seed balls, to facilitate natural forest regeneration and improve the ecological integrity of degraded elephant habitats.
Aaranyak is implementing this science-based, community-driven habitat restoration programme with support from the International Elephant Foundation (IEF) at a 2-hectare demonstration restoration site at Samrang in Khalingduar Reserve Forest under the Dhansiri Forest Division in Udalguri district of Assam.
The initiative was launched on the occasion of World Environment Day 2026 with the objective of engaging local communities in ecological restoration while enhancing the recovery of native vegetation.
Aaranyak’s team, students, and community members have collectively prepared and deployed more than 15,000 seed balls across suitable restoration sites, including invasive alien plant (IAP) management plot in Samrang and other degraded forest patches within the locality.
The seed ball technique, popularised by Japanese natural farming pioneer Masanobu Fukuoka, has gained global recognition as a cost-effective, nature-based restoration approach for degraded landscapes. Seeds are encapsulated within a protective mixture of clay, soil and organic matter, which helps reduce desiccation, limits seed predation by birds and insects, and protects seeds from being displaced by wind or surface runoff before germination.
Seed balls generally improve the survival chances of seeds compared with direct broadcasting of naked seeds, particularly in exposed or degraded sites. The technique also requires minimal soil preparation and considerably less labour than conventional planting of nursery-raised saplings, making it especially suitable for restoring large, remote, or difficult-to-access areas, where planting each seedling individually is logistically challenging.
By allowing germination to occur naturally under favourable rainfall and site conditions, seed balls complement natural regeneration and increase the diversity of native species within restoration landscapes.
The seed balls were prepared using seeds of native tree species, such as Jamun (Syzygium cumini), Velkor (Trewa nudiflora), Odal (Starculia velosa) Bel (Aegle marmelos), Gamari (Gmelina arborea), Khair (Acacia catechu), Simalu (Bombax ceiba), and Kum (Careya arborea var. assamica). The selected native species were chosen for their complementary ecological functions and their contribution to long-term habitat restoration.
Fruit-bearing and forage species such as Jamun, Bel, Kum, and Khair provide valuable food resources for elephants and a variety of other wildlife, while Gamari, Simalu, and the other native species contribute to canopy development, improve soil fertility through organic matter inputs, enhance carbon sequestration, and help restore the structural complexity and ecological resilience of the forest.
Following their preparation, the seed balls were strategically dispersed across degraded forest patches to complement conventional plantation efforts. This approach introduces a greater diversity of native species into the restoration landscape and allows seeds to germinate under naturally favourable site conditions.
When integrated with invasive alien plant removal, the approach strengthens ecosystem recovery by increasing the availability of native propagules and improving the long-term trajectory of forest regeneration.
The initiative was implemented through the collaborative efforts of the Aaranyak team comprising Rabiya Daimari, Abhijit Saikia, Abhilasha Baruah, Bistirna Burhagohain, Dibakar Nayak, Bikash Tossa, Manav Nayak and Pradip Barman, together with the Jailkhlong community nursery and participating students.
By combining ecological science, community participation and environmental stewardship, the initiative aims to contribute meaningfully to rebuilding resilient forests and securing habitats for Asian elephants and the rich biodiversity of the Khalingduar landscape.