News Excerpt:

In a bid to protect the endangered Hangul, a rare stag species in Kashmir, a social enterprise has embarked on a massive tree-planting initiative.

More details about news:

• A social enterprise, Grow-trees.com has come forward to plant over 1,25,000 trees of various species in the habitat of the Hangul.
• The initiative is aimed at an urgent intervention to prevent the population from going extinct.

Grow-trees.com - Trees for Hanguls project:

• This project aims to create a lasting and meaningful impact, focusing on the area around Pampore, in the periphery of the Dachigam National Park, and serves multiple purposes.
• By planting trees, the programme works towards restoring the Hanguls’ habitat, and as these trees mature, they offer vital ecological benefits such as carbon sequestration, a sustainable water supply, and a healthy source of nutrition for the Hanguls. Afforestation also helps to fight climate change.
• Through the ‘Trees for Hanguls’ project, social enterprise aims to enhance the Hangul habitat by restoring ecosystems, providing essential ecological services, and fostering community engagement in conservation efforts.
• Following a landscape-level conservation planning model, the agency is implementing a strategic mix of coniferous and broadleaf species, such as Kail (Pinus wallichiana) and Apricot (Prunus armeniaca), to serve as a valuable food source for the Hanguls. 
• Additionally, Cypress (Cupressus torulosa) and Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) have been included to provide ample shade and shelter. 
• The project also features the planting of Apples (Malus pumila/domestica), Pears (Pyrus communis L.), Quince (Cydonia oblonga), and Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), contributing to the social impact by offering various benefits to the villagers residing around the planting site.

About Hangul:

• Hangul is a subspecies of the Central Asian red deer found in the dense riverine forests of the Valley and mountains of Jammu and Kashmir and northern Himachal Pradesh.
• Threats: Rising pollution, poaching, habitat fragmentation due to land use and climate change.
• Studies indicate that human activities are among the major factors contributing to the decline in the Hangul population.
• Status: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has already classified the Hangul as Critically Endangered in the Red Data Book.
• The animal under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.