Assam elephant habitat recovery hope rides on biochar from invasive plants
A two-hectare area in Udalguri district’s Khalingduar Reserve Forest has been selected for the project supported by the International Elephant Foundation
In Assam, a project aims to enhance an elephant habitat by converting invasive alien plants (IAPs) into a valuable carbon-rich resource called biochar. These IAPs – Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata, and Mikania micrantha – have been encroaching on local vegetation, limiting the food options for herbivores such as elephants. The two-hectare project site, located in the Khalingduar Reserve Forest under the Dhansiri Forest Division of Udalguri district, borders Bhutan.
Aaranyak, a Guwahati-based biodiversity conservation organization, is the driving force behind this International Elephant Foundation-supported initiative. The project focuses on native vegetation recovery through targeted IAP management, seed-ball-assisted regeneration, and converting cleared biomass into biochar. The biochar, a byproduct of thermal processing organic waste under controlled conditions, offers a stable, carbon-rich substance that can significantly improve soil properties.
The five-member team conducting field operations believes the targeted IAP management, combined with biochar application, will allow native grasses, herbs, shrubs, and trees to thrive once more. This, in turn, will provide a diverse forage base for elephants and other herbivores. The team will closely monitor the project area for any IAP resurgence or changes in regeneration, ready to intervene if necessary to maintain the progress made in restoring native vegetation.
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