Assam elephant habitat recovery hope rides on biochar from invasive plants
The Assam Forest Department and the organization Aaranyak are collaborating on a project in the Khalingduar Reserve Forest to remove invasive plant species that threaten elephant habitats. The initiative involves clearing invasive biomass and converting it into biochar to improve soil quality and support the regeneration of native vegetation.
Why it matters
This project offers a scalable, sustainable model for managing invasive species while simultaneously restoring biodiversity and sequestering carbon in critical wildlife corridors.
A project in Assam to improve the quality of an elephant habitat could turn a botanical liability into a carbon-rich asset.
For decades, Assam Forest Department officials have struggled to deal with at least half a dozen invasive alien plants (IAPs) that have been constricting local vegetation and reducing the food options for herbivores.
They are upbeat about the targeted IAP management in Khalingduar Reserve Forest under the Dhansiri Forest Division of Udalguri district, bordering Bhutan. A two-hectare area has been selected in this reserve forest in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) for the project focused on managing dense stands of three IAP species.
These species are Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata, and Mikania micrantha. Although these species have been known to contribute as nectar resources or structural cover, their proliferation into dense stands is altering native plant communities and constraining regeneration.
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