living root bridges
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Living root bridges are Ficus-based ecosystems within dense subtropical moist broad-leaf forest ecoregion of Meghalaya in North-Eastern Indian Himalayas (25° 30' N and 91° 00' E). Ranging in span from 15 feet to 250 feet, these bridges are grown by indigenous Khasi and Jaintia tribes over a time period of 15 to 30 years, and last for several centuries. With 1) minimal material and maintenance cost, 2) no environmental damage, 3) progressive increase in load bearing capacity, 4) carbon sequestration, 5) remedial properties on surrounding soil, water and air, 6) exceptional robustness under extreme climatic conditions, 7) collective grass root involvement, 8) support to other plant and animal systems, and 9) keystone role of Ficus plant specie in local ecology, living root bridges offer an extraordinary model for long term socio-ecological resilience in tropical and sub-tropical regions. This initiative seeks to understand, improve and propagate this knowledge. Please visit www.livingrootbridges.org for further details and please see scientific article here. Please click here for podcast and presentation.
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