How Meghalaya village youth are leading a conservation movement

One-year-old Khweng Eco Club brings together villagers, students and indigenous knowledge holders to protect biodiversity and restore ecosystems

Shillong, June 5: A youth-led conservation initiative in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district is emerging as a model for grassroots environmental action, with local residents, schoolchildren and traditional knowledge holders coming together to protect biodiversity and restore ecosystems.

On World Environment Day, the Khweng Eco Club, in collaboration with NESFAS, led a community-wide conservation programme in Khweng village that combined tree planting, environmental awareness and the sharing of indigenous ecological knowledge.

The event also marked a year of the Khweng Eco Club, which was formed on June 5, 2025, by local youth concerned about biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. Since then, the club has grown into an active platform for conservation, organising plantation drives, village clean-up campaigns and birdwatching activities while promoting environmental awareness among young people.

Founded by NESFAS participatory video fellow and Green Hub alumnus Banteilang Syiem, the club was envisioned as a space where young people could take ownership of conservation efforts and reconnect communities with their natural heritage. World Environment Day

Speaking during the programme, village leaders and conservation advocates stressed the importance of community-led stewardship in protecting forests, wildlife and local ecosystems. Participants planted saplings, while students joined an agrobiodiversity walk led by local knowledge holders, who shared traditional ecological practices and stories about the relationship between people and nature.

NESFAS consultant Pyniarbor Kharshiing said the COVID-19 pandemic underscored humanity’s dependence on nature and highlighted the need for communities to take the lead in environmental protection.

The celebration also showcased how conservation efforts are increasingly being driven by local youth. Club president Novaliza Sakra said the initiative seeks to remind communities of nature’s role in sustaining livelihoods and well-being, while inspiring more young people to engage in environmental action.

Beyond Khweng, communities in Mawstep, Laitsohpliah, Ladmawphlang and Nongwah also observed World Environment Day through plantation activities, contributing to broader efforts to restore local ecosystems and build climate resilience.

The programme highlighted a growing trend in Meghalaya where conservation is increasingly being driven from the ground up, with communities and youth groups taking a leading role in safeguarding biodiversity and preserving traditional ecological knowledge.

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