The Garo tribe are stewards of the forest in India's Meghalaya hills

April 17, 2025

In February 2025, Odisha-based non-profit Landstack and the Foundation for Ecological Security hosted the Garo Stewardship Toolkit Orientation Workshop in Meghalaya to equip participants with skills for documenting Indigenous resource stewardship. The workshop explored how the Garo tribe manages their landscapes through traditional ecological knowledge, sustainable harvesting practices, and a three-tiered management system that balances conservation with livelihoods. The Garo community enforces strict regulations through traditional governance structures led by the Nokma and Dorbar, including seasonal grazing limitations, mandatory forest patrols, and prohibitions on wildlife hunting and fishing in protected streams.

Who is affected

The Garo Indigenous tribe in Meghalaya
Participants from non-governmental organizations across India and Nepal who work with Indigenous communities
Local communities who own and govern approximately 92-93% of forested land in the Garo Hills region
The village of Dura Dobagre and its residents
The overall biodiversity and ecosystem in the Garo Hills region

What action is being taken

Communities are implementing a three-tiered landscape management system (upland conservation areas, midland plantations, and lowland cultivation)
Villagers are conducting annual patrols to monitor forest boundary encroachment with mandatory participation
The Garo people are planting specific tree species (Bolchim and Achri) on riversides between May and July to help retain water
Communities are enforcing strict regulations including seasonal grazing limitations, hunting prohibitions, and fishing bans in designated streams
The entire community mobilizes to extinguish accidental forest fires using banana leaves

Why it matters

Indigenous stewardship contributes to community well-being while ensuring vital ecosystem services
The community's traditional knowledge and practices help maintain biodiversity without formal protected areas
Only 7-8% of forested land is managed by the government, making community governance crucial
Their watershed conservation protects streams, prevents soil erosion, and regulates water flow
Meeting global biodiversity framework goals requires recognition of Indigenous Peoples' land management
The Garo's approach demonstrates successful integration of conservation goals with sustainable livelihoods

What's next

Further initiatives are required to expand community-conserved areas
Encouragement of ecological agricultural practices and diversification of livelihoods
Restoration of degraded grasslands
Regeneration of water bodies
Additional measures to ensure a healthy, resilient, and sustainable future

Read full article from source: Global Voices