WTI celebrated World Environment Day 2026 across its project landscapes with a series of impactful activities that brought together local communities, students, forest departments, conservation teams, and grassroots stakeholders. Guided by this year’s theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” the celebrations highlighted the collective commitment to environmental conservation, ecosystem restoration, and climate action.

Plantation Drive at Raimona National Park

At Raimona National Park in Assam, WTI, in collaboration with the Forest Department and local stakeholders, organised a large-scale plantation drive at the Sanfan Range. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from nearly 300 individuals, including residents of fringe villages, local communities, Primary Response Team (PRT) members, Eco Development Committee representatives, students and teachers from Mwinaguri ME School and Thaisoguri LP School. More than 3,000 saplings were planted across 1.5 hectares, contributing significantly to habitat restoration and strengthening the ecological resilience of the landscape.

Mangrove Restoration and Community Action in Kannur Kandal

In Kerala’s Kannur Kandal landscape, World Environment Day was observed at Vayalapra in Cheruthazham Grama Panchayat through a plantation and clean-up programme. The event was inaugurated by Shri Sanoop Mohanan, President of Cheruthazham Grama Panchayat, who emphasised the importance of environmental stewardship, stating, “When we restore nature, we restore our future; every sapling planted today is a promise to tomorrow.”

The programme brought together 48 participants, including panchayat council members and students from St. Joseph’s College Pilathara, Payyanur College, and the Central University of Kerala. Activities included planting fruit trees and cleaning restored mangrove areas to promote ecosystem health and sustainability.

During the clean-up drive, approximately 15 kilograms of plastic waste were collected and removed from the site, helping conserve the fragile mangrove ecosystem. The initiative also raised awareness about the ecological importance of mangroves, climate resilience, and the shared responsibility of protecting natural resources.

Inspiring Young Conservationists in the Terai Tiger Landscape

The Rapid Response Team (RRT) and Primary Response Team (PRT) of the Terai Tiger Project organised an engaging sensitisation programme for students attending a summer camp at The Little Buds Academy School under the Motipur Range of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. A drawing competition centered on the World Environment Day 2026 theme encouraged students to express their understanding of nature, wildlife, and conservation through art.  

This was followed by interactive discussions on human-wildlife coexistence and educational screenings of the popular “Tiger Song” and the animated film “KINARA”, further enriching the learning experience. In addition, the local PRT team actively participated in a plantation drive organised by the Forest Department in the Kakraha Range, reinforcing the importance of ecosystem restoration and environmental stewardship within the Terai landscape.

Strengthening Restoration Efforts in the Garo Green Spine Landscape

WTI’s Garo Green Spine Project team in Meghalaya organised plantation drives for students and local communities. At Panda School, attended by approximately 65–70 students, fruit-bearing trees were planted within the school premises to promote environmental awareness and create greener learning spaces. Similar engagement was witnessed at Nengsra School, where around 60–65 students participated in conservation activities.

In the Baghmara–Balpakram landscape of South Garo Hills, indigenous wild tree species were planted in existing restoration plots at Gaobari and Nengsra villages, contributing to long-term habitat restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Encouraging Environmental Responsibility at CWRC

At the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), a plantation drive was conducted with 26 students from Classes 6 to 8 of Panbari School. Beyond planting saplings, the students took a proactive step by drafting written appeals to local vendors, urging them to reduce plastic pollution and protect the environment for future generations.

The activity served as a powerful reminder that environmental conservation begins with individual responsibility and community engagement.

Community Participation in the Sundarbans

In the Sundarbans landscape, our team, in partnership with Kultali Forest officials, celebrated the day with local villagers, PRT members, Tiger Scouts, and students at Gurguria and Ambikanagar Haripriya High School (Sundarban Prakritishala II), Maipith. The event brought together diverse stakeholders to raise awareness about environmental protection and reinforce the importance of conserving one of the world’s most unique and vulnerable ecosystems.

Nurturing Environmental Awareness Through Green Corridor Champions

WTI’s Green Corridor Champion (GCC) partner, Abhishek Rawat and his organisation, Nature’s Buddy, conducted a forest cleanup drive in Raipur range.

Another GCC partner, Mr Mohan Pandey, joined hands with the Kaladhungi Range and the Corbett Village Development Committee in Uttarakhand to organise tree plantation and cleanliness drives. The event was attended by Ms. Kamni Arya, Sub-Divisional Forest Officer (SDO), Ramnagar Forest Division, along with Mr. Rajkumar Pandey, President of the Corbett Village Development Committee, and Mr. Rohit Budlakoti, Ward Councillor. Forest officials, community leaders, Waste Warriors, nature guides, and local residents participated, reaffirming their commitment to maintaining a clean and green environment.

Around the same time, GCC partner Dr. V.S. Subramaniyan, in partnership with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, organised a tree plantation drive and a nature awareness visit for school students near the Guttiyalattur–Talamalai Elephant Corridor in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. Students learned about wildlife conservation, elephant corridors, and the role of forests, inspiring them to become future custodians of nature.

Across landscapes, ecosystems, and communities, World Environment Day 2026 served as a powerful reminder that conservation is a shared responsibility. These celebrations not only strengthened environmental stewardship at the grassroots level but also reaffirmed the collective commitment to building resilient ecosystems and a sustainable future for generations to come.