This project will combat carbon emission and boost local livelihoods

Neten Dorji

Trashigang— The Bhutan Ecological Society (BES) has set a bold goal to plant 10 million trees by 2030.

This initiative, announced at a recent workshop in Trashigang with local leaders, Agriculture and Livestock Officers and Officials from Department of Forest from eastern Bhutan, aims to revive barren land, enhance local livelihoods, and bolster Bhutan’s resilience to climate change.

The director of Forest and Water at BES, Dr Norbu Wangdi, said that the tree-planting campaign will significantly benefit both the environment and the economy. “By capturing carbon and utilising recycled wastewater, these trees will not only support our climate goals but also produce valuable fruit and wild resources,” he said.

The initiative is divided into two phases. In the first phase, five million trees will be planted between 2025 and 2027, and the remaining five million trees will be planted in the second phase of the project from 2028 to 2030.

“We are not forcing farmers to plant fruit trees,” Dr Norbu Wangdi said. “We are encouraging farmers who want to grow more fruit trees on their land, offering them a new source of income.”

Tree samplings will be provided free of cost to farmers and interested individuals

The trees will be provided free of cost to farmers and interested individuals.

While the programme has been met with enthusiasm, local leaders have raised practical concerns.

Yangner Gup Dupthob highlighted the challenge of marketing the fruit once the trees mature. “Farmers are eager to plant fruit trees if they can find buyers for their produce,” he said, stressing the need for effective market strategies.

Toedtsho Gup Dechen Wangdi said that planting trees could help reclaim unused land in his area, which is increasing every year.  “With the rising tax on fallow land, farmers are motivated to plant fruit trees. I also plan to help farmers by providing fencing for those interested in planting fruit trees at large scale.”

The BES has already planted 807,819 trees under the Million Tree Project, including 416,141 fruit trees and 486,251 wild trees.

Officials said that they are focusing more on six eastern dzongkhag because there is more fallow land and more empty households (goongtongs).

The tree-planting effort also aligns with Bhutan’s broader carbon management strategies. Research indicates that a three-year-old tree can absorb around 10 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide annually. Given that each person generates about one tonne of carbon over a lifetime, this initiative has the potential to make a significant impact.

In addition to environmental benefits, the BES is exploring the possibility of carbon credit trading, which could provide additional income for tree growers. “We’re not just planting trees but we are also looking at how we can trade carbon credits with other countries. By planting more trees, we can access carbon financing to support restoration projects and other needs,” Dr Norbu Wangdi said.

The programme is also designed to help Bhutan maintain its forest coverage above 70 percent, enhance ecological conservation, and provide long-term economic benefits.

“To combat human-wildlife conflict and restore degraded forest land, we will also be planting both wild and fruit trees that are well-suited to the local climate,”he said.

Meanwhile, as part of carbon trading, the BES is also planning to roll out 10,000 units of sistema biogas by 2026. Sistema biogas has already installed over 10 bio-digester units in western dzongkhags, which is quite significant, according to the BES officials.

“The carbon credit mechanism will help farmers earn additional money besides using clean energy. Internationally recognized organisations like Gold Standard and UNFCCC register carbon programmes,” said a BES  official. “We can also propose for carbon credit installing biogas plants that will reduce tonnes of CO2 annually by replacing LPG and firewood usage.”