Mohali, April 22, 2025: What began as a seed of hope has now grown into over 3 million native trees, transforming barren stretches of Punjab into living, breathing forests. Over the past six years, Roundglass Foundation’s The Billion Tree Project (TBTP) has covered 980 acres of barren and fallow land—an area equal to 742 football fields—with beautiful native trees with a remarkable survival rate of nearly 90%. These trees have flourished into thriving ecosystems, teeming with birds, butterflies, insects, and other lifeforms crucial to Punjab’s biodiversity. Beyond beauty, these forests are healing the land and its people by recharging groundwater, improving the air, and becoming natural allies in the fight against climate change.
In a state where greenery has shrunk dramatically over the last 50 years, just 3.67% of Punjab’s vast stretch is cloaked in tree cover—the act of planting over 3 million trees is nothing short of a quiet revolution. For years, Punjab has grappled with environmental challenges left behind by deforestation, aggressive farming, and rapid urban sprawl. With The Billion Tree Project, there’s hope taking root.
Planted at a density of approximately 3,000 per acre under TBTP, native trees like faras (athel pine), laberra (desert teak), desi kikar (Babul or Indian gum tree), desi beri (jujube), reru (ronjh) and phulai (Amritsar gum) are resilient and better at recharging groundwater. This is highly relevant against the backdrop of Punjab’s imminent water crisis. In the long run, increasing Punjab’s forest cover by 1-2% can help prevent the rapid depletion of groundwater.
Trees also mitigate climate change by soaking up atmospheric carbon like a sponge, making the air cooler and cleaner. The 3 million-plus trees planted under TBTP have captured or sequestered about 36,000 tons of carbon, equivalent to removing 7,609 petrol vehicles from the road!
Elaborating on the impact of The Billion Tree Project, Vishal Chowla, Leader, Rounglass Foundation, said, “Trees are nature’s ultimate balancing force in our increasingly fragile ecosystems. Each tree we plant functions as a living solution to multiple environmental challenges such as global warming, air pollution, depleting groundwater and loss of biodiversity.”
Chowla, a seasoned social sector leader, also underscored the power of collective will and action in achieving this milestone and bringing positive change on the ground. The Billion Tree Project actively engages village communities and Panchayats, and the local MGNREGA workforce for plantation work, creating 15,000 jobs in the process.
Over the past six years, local administration, police, volunteers, academia, and celebrities have come together to support this initiative. In 2024, big names from the film and music industry like Diljit Dosanjh, Neeru Bajwa, Jasmin Bhasin, Babbu Mann, Gippy Grewal, Raageshwari, and Gurpreet Ghuggi visited our plantation sites in support of TBTP and planted trees with us. Superstar Diljit Dosanjh, in particular, called tree plantation “true sewa”.
“The people of Punjab are our greatest champions, and we are incredibly grateful for their unwavering support,” Chowla added. He also acknowledged the passion and untiring efforts of his team in achieving this incredible milestone. “On Earth Day, we honour this spirit and reiterate our commitment to planting 1 billion trees in Punjab,” he added.
Impact of The Billion Tree Project
· 30, 35, 519 trees planted in 1,600 villages
· 1,476 mini forests
· 463 parks
· 27 fruit orchards
· 36,000 tons of carbon sequestered
· 15,000 jobs created under MGNREGA
Roundglass Foundation is on a mission to breathe life back into the state’s air, water, and soil. Through thoughtful afforestation, smarter waste management, and regenerative farming practices, it is working hand-in-hand with Punjab’s rural communities to foster sustainable living.
