Solitary tribesman planted a forest in India, now bigger than Central Park

Jadav “Molai” Payeng, a simple Mising tribesman in India, began planting seedlings on a barren sandbar in Jorhat district in 1979. Some 35 years later, he is credited with single-handedly planting and nurturing a forest that is bigger than NY's Central Park and shelters tigers and elephants. Daily, he cycles over a mile to Kartik Chapori, then rows his boat to get to the other side of the river, then cycles for 3 more miles to reach the forest in order to tend it. “Being a citizen of the country where Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment under a banyan tree, isn’t it our responsibility to protect our forests?” he asks.