EcoSikh Plans Planting 75 Native Forests To Mark Amritsar’s 450th Anniversary

India-West News Desk

GAITHERSBURG, MD – The greater Washington-area Sikh community gathered at an EcoSikh gala to mark the 450th anniversary of the founding of the city of Amritsar and support the organization’s plan to plant 75 forests in and around the historic city.

Each forest will include approximately 550 native Punjab trees, for a total of 41,250 trees through the 75-forest plan. EcoSikh’s campaign calls for a total of 250,000 trees to be planted.

The event on October 4 which featured singer and famed Indian Idol performer Devenderpal Singh of Mumbai, united community leaders, families, environmental supporters and philanthropists around a shared goal: honoring Amritsar’s 450-year legacy by creating a greener, healthier future for the historic city.

According to EcoSikh officials, the forests will expand native tree cover, support biodiversity, provide shade and strengthen Amritsar’s ecological resilience. Native forests can also provide habitat for birds and wildlife, moderate temperatures, improve soil health and enhance community green spaces.

The initiative builds on EcoSikh’s environmental work in Amritsar. Since 2022, EcoSikh has planted approximately 55,000 trees in Amritsar, including more than 40,000 at the historical site of Chali Khooh, just miles from the Golden Temple.

The additional 41,250 trees represented by the 75-forest plan would bring the combined total of trees planted or committed through these efforts to more than 96,000.

“Planting trees is an act of love, responsibility and hope,” said Dr. Rajwant Singh, Global President of EcoSikh. “Amritsar has been a center of Sikh spirituality and community for 450 years. This initiative allows us to honor that legacy by restoring the land and creating a living environmental legacy that can serve the city for centuries to come.”

Founded by Sri Guru Ram Das Ji, the fourth Sikh Guru, Amritsar has long been a spiritual, cultural and community center for Sikhs worldwide. Its 450th anniversary offers an opportunity to honor the city’s sacred history while investing in the environmental future that generations will inherit.

“The 450th anniversary of Amritsar gives us an opportunity to celebrate the city’s sacred history through meaningful environmental seva,” said Dr. Gunpreet Kaur, president of EcoSikh USA. “By supporting 75 forests of native Punjab trees, the Sikh community is helping create cleaner, healthier and more resilient spaces for people, wildlife and future generations.”

The initiative also aims to encourage Sikh communities worldwide to participate in environmental seva.

EcoSikh was founded in 2009 and now has branches in USA, India, Canada, UK and Ireland. This is the eighth annual event to support EcoSikh’s global environmental work.

The cost of planting one forest of 550 native trees is $1,300, which includes two years of maintenance by EcoSikh in this drive.