Hi there! I am Alexander, a psychology undergraduate currently studying at Nanyang Technological University. When I was a kid, I spent most of my free time catching spiders and attempting to manipulate ant colonies into fighting each other, as my parents refused to buy gaming consoles for my siblings and myself. Nowadays, I spend time and money I don’t have tending to my home planted aquariums. I guess you could say that interacting with nature has always been a passion of mine!

One unproductive afternoon, while scrolling through my Facebook feed, I chanced upon an article on the Forest Man of India. I was immediately taken by his story and work. A teenager from a rural village one day deciding to plant an entire forest by himself, making it his life’s work? It reminded me of one of those fantastical short stories by Roald Dahl that enthralled me as a child.

As I read more about Jadav Payeng, my respect and admiration for the man grew and I found that I strongly identified with his philosophy and work. His story has also made me aware that everyone has the ability, and responsibility, to change their local natural environments for the better. I hope that reading this blog would inspire you in a similar way!