A dimension within Deforestation & Food Loss
Efforts to protect forests and their natural resources, including traditional products and wildlife.
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Negative
Overall Community Sentiment
AI-synthesised pieces woven from many community voices on this theme. They may contain errors or interpretation — they're a reflection of the stories, not a record of fact.
Faced with the loss of their natural forest, a community took action to plant a new one specifically for medicinal herbs.
We must actively safeguard our local traditions, medicinal plants, and vital forest trees to ensure our heritage and well-being endure.
In Sonbhadra, an elder reflects on the community's evolving traditions, from festive celebrations and unique tribal customs to environmental shifts and new livelihoods, holding onto the hope of preser
The people of Udulibeda emphasize the vital role of traditional knowledge in cultivating local foods, stewarding the land, and ensuring their community's self-sufficiency for generations to come.
We have been living in this village for nearly 100 years. Our tribe originated in this surrounding area. The forest has undergone many changes; valuable trees, herbs, and animals have all disappeared. If we do not protect it, then within the next 20 years, the forest will be destroyed, and all types of wild animals, medicinal plants, and vines will vanish. Camps should be organized to teach the younger generation traditional forest and tribal knowledge from the elders, to pass it on to the next generation, and to preserve it.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
We have been living in this village for approximately 100 years. Our tribe originated in this surrounding area. There have been many changes in the forest; valuable trees, herbs, and animals have all disappeared. If we do not protect it, then within the next 20 years, along with the destruction of the forest, all types of wild animals, medicinal plants, and creepers will disappear. Camps should be organized to teach traditional forest and tribal knowledge from elders to the younger generation, transfer it to the next generation, and preserve it.
— Kumudini Chhanchan · Bhojpur, Sambalpur, Odisha
I have been living in this village since my grandfather's time. Our tribe originated in this surrounding area. The forest has changed a lot; valuable trees, herbs, and animals have all disappeared. If we do not protect it, the forest will be destroyed within the next 20 years, and all kinds of wild animals, medicinal trees, and plants will vanish. The younger generation should be taught traditional forest and tribal knowledge from elders and transfer it to the next generation, and camps should be organized to preserve it.
— DASHARATH SINGH · Jamunkira, Sambalpur, Odisha
We have our tribal languages; people used to know them earlier. And after 20 years, so much forest is being destroyed, and in another 20 years, all those animals and birds will disappear.
— RINA BEHERA · Hemagiri, Sundargarh, Odisha
Due to the cutting of trees and plants in the village, various herbs and food items are becoming extinct. We can protect them.
— Mohan AHARI · Sarera, Udaipur, Rajasthan
It is certainly remembered. Our people are destroying forests. As a result, when they go to the forest, no forest products, including food items, can be found. It would have been better if forests were not destroyed.
— jitendra khila · Lachery, Malkangiri, Odisha
In olden times, many kinds of herbs were available in our village, but in the current situation, due to the cutting of this forest, some conservation efforts could not be made, which means for us in the coming time...
— Mohan AHARI · Sarera, Udaipur, Rajasthan
If we do nothing, then within twenty years, along with losing our dance and music, forests are also disappearing, and we might lose all of them.
— S Guruteli · Gandiaguda, Malkangiri, Odisha
We went and within 20 years the forest trees will be cut very rapidly, due to which we will suffer losses and wild animals will also not be there at this time.
— bachcha lal · Shahganj, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
In the next twenty years, our forest, our culture, customs and traditions, seeds, everything will be destroyed.
— Kachala Choudhary
Long live rural discussions. The forests that are present in our lives are depleting. We need to plant more trees, otherwise society will be destroyed.
— Jadumani Nial · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
If no steps are taken for forest protection within the next 20 years, then various trees, animals, birds, and medicinal plants in the forest will all disappear.
— NAGRIK VIKASH SANGATHAN · Kalahandi, Odisha
Forests are disappearing, livelihoods are being destroyed. Forests are also getting depleted, herbs are disappearing. It's not like it used to be.
— Chanda · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
We all used to get forest products before, but now they are not available. Therefore, forests should be protected. It would be good if everyone remains aware.
— KusaPradhani · Tapurbuduni, Rayagada, Odisha
They have been living there for a long time. Now, there have been changes in the forest. Valuable trees are not found. Animals and birds are no longer in the forest. Everything is gone.
— Trinath badanayak · Malakanagiri, Malkangiri, Odisha
Our ancestors used to live, grow and maintain trees, and collect fruits and roots. Now, with all the trees gone, many conveniences are being lost. Let us all plant trees again.
— Bisendra Naik · Kasipur, Rayagada, Odisha
Earlier, in our village's forest, we found many abundant herbs. But unfortunately, the roots of these herbs in the forest are being severely destroyed. So, we will try to keep them alive for this. I will go a bit.
— Devisingh Solanki · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
The forests, animals, birds, and springs that used to be in our forest are slowly disappearing.
— Batakrushna Sahoo
Our medicinal herbs, vegetables, fruits, and trees are depleting from the forests.
— Kachala Choudhary
If we do not act now, in the coming 20 years, forests, languages, seeds, songs, and other things will be lost.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
We have been living in this area for many years. What we see in our region is that the forest cover has also decreased. There are no animals now.
— sudhir gamanga · Gadiakhala, Ketalugurha, Rayagada
We have been living in our village for 100 years. Nowadays, there are no animals. The forests are also dwindling, and songs and dances are also disappearing.
— sudhir gamanga · Bada Baridi, Rayagada, Odisha
If we don't do anything, then in the next 20 years, all our songs, forests, languages, seeds, trees, animals, and birds will disappear.
— Batakrushna Sahoo
We have seen many changes in the forest nowadays, such as trees and plants being cut down, the forest being deforested, herbs disappearing, animals and birds going extinct, and the water level depleting.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
Even many large trees in the forest have been depleted, and there are no medicinal herbs left. Animals and birds in the forest are also disappearing. Therefore, we absolutely need the forest.
— Mukunda Majhi · Udulibeda, Malkangiri, Odisha
Herbs, vegetable trees, medicinal plants are becoming extinct from our forests.
— Kachala Choudhary
If we don't act now, forests, languages, seeds, songs, and other things will become extinct from us in the next 20 years.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
The forest is depleting
— Vinita Singh Yadav · Dharura, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Lots of trees are being cut down in the name of development and our forests are disappearing. If we do not spread awareness of sustainable development, then we will lose our forests and we will also lose our lungs.
— sophia akoijam · Imphal, Imphal West, Manipur
Large trees have been cut down, due to which it is becoming difficult to find forest vegetables and herbs.
— Kachala Choudhary
In the coming 20 years, there will be a significant shortage of water, forests, and land. Even languages will become extinct. Trees and plants will not remain. Animals and birds will also become extinct if they are not conserved.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
There are no longer ancient trees in our forest that could be used for household furniture. If we protect the forest again, our future generations can get them.
— Upendra Kumar Mahananda
In this village, the forest has been damaged a bit more than before this time. Herbs cannot be collected, and because of that, we...
— Padmini Bhoi
What our ancestors used to obtain, now 90% of the forest has been destroyed. With the destruction of forests, the hills have also been destroyed. Whatever materials we used to find, especially food items, are no longer available.
— jitendra khila · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha
We believe that if we do nothing, songs, forests, languages, and seeds will be lost within the next 20 years.
— AbhiLL Ipsa
My name is Isaac Sabar, village Zero Number, Panchayat Mandi Mandi, District Kandhamal. I feel that in the current situation, people used to use traditional forest products, which are forest-derived goods, in large quantities to sustain their livelihoods, but due to the lack of forests, they have disappeared. We want to restore the forests so that we can enjoy those forest products just like our ancestors used to.
— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha
Our grandparents lived in this village for over 50 years. What kind of changes are happening in this village? The forest is slowly being destroyed.
— Ulapi Sahu · Patnāgarh, Balangir, Odisha
If we don't do anything in the next 20 years, the forests will be destroyed.
— MUKTA THAKUR · Kokasara, Kalahandi, Odisha
Forests will be destroyed if we do nothing in the next 20 years.
— Premsila Naik · Kalahandi, Odisha
In ancient times, people used to depend on the forest for their livelihood. But now, since the forest has become depleted, they are no longer able to get tubers, leaves, fruits, and roots from the forest. Therefore, the forest in greater quantity...
— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha
