Guwahati, Aug. 10 -- In a novel attempt to bring degraded forest patches back to life, conservation organisation Aaranyak has deployed more than 15,000 native seed balls across parts of Assam's Khalingduar Reserve Forest, combining traditional ecological knowledge, science and community participation to restore elephant habitat.

The initiative is part of an integrated habitat restoration pilot being implemented at a two-hectare demonstration site at Samrang under the Dhansiri Forest Division in Udalguri district, with support from the International Elephant Foundation (IEF).

The restoration programme focuses on two key interventions, removing invasive alien plants and introducing native species through seed balls, to encourage natural f...