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In a world where deforestation is a growing concern, Jadav Payeng from Assam, India, stands as a symbol of what one person can truly achieve. In 1979, at just 16 years old, he began planting trees on a barren sandbar in the Brahmaputra River after seeing dead snakes that had no shelter from the sun. What started as a small effort turned into a lifelong mission.

Over more than 40 years, Jadav turned that desolate land into a thriving 1,300-acre forest — now known as Molai Forest. His forest is home to elephants, deer, tigers, birds, and countless other species.