A Japanese technique of turning seeds into tiny, protective ‘seed balls’ is being used in Assam to help restore degraded forests and rebuild habitat for Asian elephants. Conservation organisation Aaranyak is implementing the nature-based approach, with over 15,000 seed balls containing native tree species dispersed across degraded forest patches in Khalingduar Reserve Forest in Udalguri district.
The initiative combines removal of invasive alien plants with the introduction of native species through seed balls, aiming to encourage natural forest regeneration and restore the ecological integrity of degraded elephant habitats. The project was launched on World Environment Day 2026, bringing together conservationists, students, and local communities in an effort to regenerate native vegetation.
The seed-ball method, popularised by Japanese natural farming pioneer Masanobu Fukuoka, involves coating seeds with a mixture of clay, soil, and organic matter. This protective covering helps prevent seeds from drying out, being eaten by birds and insects, or being washed or blown away before they germinate. The seed balls can remain dormant until rainfall and other environmental conditions become favourable, making the technique useful for restoring large, degraded or difficult-to-access landscapes.
Aaranyak has used seeds of native species, including Jamun, Velkor, Odal, Bel, Gamari, Khair, Simalu, and Kum, chosen for their different ecological roles. Fruit-bearing and forage species provide food resources for elephants and other wildlife, while other native trees help rebuild forest canopy, add organic matter to the soil, support carbon sequestration, and gradually restore the structural complexity of degraded forests.
The seed-ball intervention is designed to complement natural regeneration and conventional plantation rather than replace them. Removing invasive plants creates space for native vegetation, while introducing a wider range of native seeds increases the availability of propagules that can regenerate under suitable natural conditions. The larger objective is to rebuild a functioning forest ecosystem capable of supporting elephants and other wildlife.
The initiative has involved the Aaranyak team, students, local community members, and the Jailkhlong community nursery. For a landscape under pressure from habitat degradation and invasive vegetation, the experiment offers a simple idea with a distinctly Japanese origin: put native seeds back into the forest, give nature a chance, and let the forest rebuild itself.
