By Sandesh Chaudhary, Founder – Mahuwa Mission Nepal (Established 2024)
The Mahuwa Mission: A New Chapter in Nepal’s Green Movement
When I initiated the Mahuwa Mission in Nepal in 2024, my vision was to reintroduce and scale a native tree that not only sustains livelihoods but also strengthens climate resilience. Through field work, community engagement, and research, I identified Madhuca longifolia (locally known as Mahuwa) as a keystone species — a tree that embodies both ecological stability and economic sustainability.
In our very first year, Mahuwa Mission – 2024 successfully planted over 1,000 Mahuwa saplings across several community forest and agroforestry zones in Nepal’s Terai region. Building on this success, in 2025, the Mission expanded to more districts and planted an additional 4,000+ Mahuwa trees with the active participation of local forest user groups, women-led cooperatives, and youth volunteers.
These plantations represent not just trees in the ground, but long-term carbon banks and community assets that will continue to grow, sequester carbon, and provide sustainable livelihoods for generations.
Why Mahuwa Matters for Climate Action
Forests act as natural carbon vaults — absorbing atmospheric CO₂ and storing it as organic matter. Among native South Asian species, Mahuwa stands out as a dual-benefit tree: it mitigates climate change while supporting rural livelihoods.
Its dense hardwood, deep root system, and century-long lifespan make it an exceptional carbon-sequestering species, while its flowers, fruits, and seeds offer year-round income for communities. This harmony between ecology and economy is at the heart of the Mahuwa Mission’s approach.
“A tree that feeds you every year is rarely cut down.”
— Mahuwa Mission Nepal Field Principle, 2024
Biomass and Carbon Storage: Nature’s Vault
A mature Mahuwa tree reaches 15–20 meters in height with a strong trunk often exceeding one meter in diameter (World Agroforestry, 2019).
Given that wood is roughly 50% carbon by dry weight, this translates to significant carbon storage potential.
| Parameter | Estimated Carbon Storage | Source |
| Average carbon stored per mature tree | ~300 kg C | IJ Plant & Environment, 2021 |
| Large/old Mahuwa | up to 1,000 kg C | ResearchGate, 2022 |
| Biomass carbon per hectare (Mahuwa forest) | ~50 tons C/ha | ScienceDirect, 2020 |
This data places Mahuwa among the top carbon-storing native trees in South Asia’s dry deciduous forests — and a promising species for Nepal’s carbon landscape.
Annual Carbon Sequestration: Scaling Climate Benefits
A growing Mahuwa tree can sequester around 3–5 kg of carbon annually (or 10–20 kg CO₂). While individual trees may seem modest, the impact scales dramatically with community planting.
For instance, Mahuwa Mission’s 5,000+ saplings planted between 2024 and 2025 have the potential to store over 25,000 tons of CO₂ equivalent at maturity, depending on survival rate, soil type, and management.
Each planting season under the Mission is thus both a climate intervention and a community empowerment effort.
Beneath the Soil: Hidden Carbon Wealth
Mahuwa’s extensive taproot and lateral roots enhance soil organic carbon, one of the most stable forms of long-term carbon storage.
- Leaf litter adds humus and improves soil structure.
- Root turnover locks carbon deep underground.
- Fruit and flower fall nourish the topsoil carbon pool.
This dual action — above and below ground — positions Mahuwa as a complete carbon storage system.
(World Agroforestry, 2019)
Longevity and Carbon Permanence
With a lifespan of 80–100 years, Mahuwa trees store carbon for generations. When harvested sustainably for durable products such as furniture or structural timber, that carbon remains locked within wood materials.
This reflects the Mahuwa Mission’s philosophy of “carbon permanence” — promoting non-destructive use (flowers, oil, seed collection) over tree felling to maintain living carbon stocks.
Mahuwa for Reforestation and Agroforestry in Nepal
Field studies under the Mahuwa Mission show strong adaptability of Mahuwa in semi-arid, degraded, and community-managed lands across Nepal’s Terai and inner Terai regions.
It is ideal for:
- Community forest restoration
- Agroforestry systems with food crops
- Carbon-smart livelihood programs
Because local communities directly benefit from the tree’s products, Mahuwa represents a socially protected carbon sink — unlike fast-growing exotics that are often harvested prematurely.
Carbon Credits and Climate Finance
With reliable Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV), Mahuwa plantations can qualify under voluntary carbon markets and REDD+ frameworks.
If one mature Mahuwa holds about 5 tons CO₂ equivalent, then:
- 5,000 trees (2024–25) = ~25,000 tons CO₂ stored
- At $10/ton, the potential carbon value = $250,000
(ARCC Journals, 2022; ResearchGate, 2023)
Such valuation strengthens the case for community-based carbon projects where local stakeholders share both environmental and economic returns.
Natural Resilience = Long-Term Carbon Security
Mahuwa’s biological resilience adds to its carbon reliability:
- Fire-tolerant bark and regrowth capacity
- Pest and drought resistance
- Stable performance under climatic stress
This makes Mahuwa a low-risk, high-value tree for reforestation and carbon farming in a changing climate.
Co-Benefits Beyond Carbon
Every Mahuwa tree contributes to:
- Local temperature regulation and shade
- Improved groundwater recharge
- Pollinator habitat and biodiversity support
- Year-round income from non-timber forest produce
Thus, each Mahuwa planted through the Mission is both climate action and livelihood assurance — a natural climate solution rooted in community participation.
Conclusion: Mahuwa as a Symbol of Carbon-Smart Livelihoods
The Mahuwa Mission Nepal (2024–present) demonstrates that native species restoration can drive climate mitigation, biodiversity recovery, and economic empowerment simultaneously.
“Each Mahuwa planted today is a promise — of carbon locked, biodiversity restored, and livelihoods renewed.”
By integrating traditional ecological knowledge with modern carbon finance mechanisms, the Mahuwa Mission envisions a future where Nepal’s landscapes become living carbon banks — powering both local prosperity and global climate goals.
References
- World Agroforestry (ICRAF), 2019. Madhuca longifolia Tree Database
- Indian Journal of Plant and Environment, 2021. Carbon Storage Potential of Native Deciduous Trees
- ScienceDirect, 2020. Biomass and Carbon Estimation of Indian Dry Deciduous Forests
- ARCC Journals, 2022. Tree Carbon Biomass Assessment under Miyawaki Model
- ResearchGate, 2022–2023. Carbon Sequestration Rates of Agroforestry Tree Species