What if we told you that you could adopt a brother or a sister that doesn’t bother you (or talks at all) while also helping the environment ? It sounds like an offer that’s too good to be true, and it is. The beauty and serenity of Sikkim attract travellers throughout the year. But there is now one more reason, rather the most special reason to visit Sikkim. You can now adopt a tree in Sikkim and literally grow your family tree. Sikkim is now allowing people to adopt trees from the forest and form bond with nature. The Sikkim Forest Tree (Amity & Reverence) Rules 2017, issued by the Forests, Environment & Wildlife Management Department is looking into this initiative and anyone can adopt a tree in Sikkim, legally.
To formalise the relationship, you will have to submit forms and appropriate documentation to forest authorities. The tree will be registered under the individual’s name after due verification and scrutiny. The trees registered may be part of the person’s property or belong to someone else. In the latter scenario, an agreement will have to be signed between the individual and the owner along with some compensation. In case of the tree growing in a public space, permissions will have to be sought from the concerned government department. Any damage to a registered Mith, adopted or Smriti tree will be treated as a forest offence.
There are forms to fill and documentation to submit to the forest authorities if you want to adopt a tree. After this, the application is verified before being approved. After this process is completed, the department issues a certificate with the coordinates of the tree and just like that; The tree could belong to somebody else or be part of someone else’s property, but the living being itself becomes part of your family. !
