At 85, Kendrapara’s ‘Tree Man’ Has Planted Thousands Of Trees Without Government Support
Dhaneshwar Barik was honoured with Prakruti Bandhu Award 2025 instituted by Government of Odisha for relentlessly planting trees across Kendrapara, entirely on his own.
Published : December 4, 2025 at 12:20 PM IST
By Radhakanta Mohanty
Kendrapara: At an age when most people retire from active life, 85-year-old Dhaneshwar Barik of Nikirai Patna village in Kendrapara still walks miles every day with a shovel on his shoulder, tending to the thousands of trees he has planted over the last three decades. His mission to plant trees all his life began three decades ago as a gesture of selflessness and environmental responsibility.
At a time when crores of rupees are being spent on plantation drives to fight global warming and climate change, the octogenarian Dhaneshwar did not wait for institutional support but planted and nurtured thousands of saplings across Nikirai and neighbouring Kutarang panchayats, all on his own.
Dhaneshwar says, “I am 85 years old. Today, trees are life for the environment and society. They keep the land alive. People do not understand, they only fell trees but do not replenish.”
Born into a poor barber's family, he grew up farming with his father as a teenager. Later he worked in the village and continued taking up birth, death and wedding rituals for the villagers of two to three panchayats to support his family. As age and physical weakness set in, he gradually left farming and focused on village work. He gets old age pension of Rs 3,500 and also earns by selling rice he gets from villagers after doing their rituals - which he spends on buying medicines and basic needs. "But a good chunk of the money is earmarked for planting trees," he says.
The moment that changed his life came three decades ago. “A person from our village died in the month of Baishakh. When we took the body to the cemetery, the heat was so intense that we could not stand there. There were no trees. We took shelter under the bridge. From that day, I promised to plant trees,” he recalls.
He planted his first banyan sapling at the cemetery. Soon after, he began planting on the narrow roadside stretch from Nikirai College Chowk, moved by the sight of students waiting under the harsh sun. “Now I feel very happy when I see children sitting under the trees,” he smiles.
He has planted and nurtured flower trees, banyan, ashwattha, sobi, palash, adambur and rubber saplings across 10 locations in Nikirai and Kutarang panchayats ensuring each survives with nets, bamboo guards, cleaning and watering.
“If I plant a hundred trees and do not take care of them, there is no benefit. So I spend money to buy protection wires and stands, and take care by watering and de-weeding,” he says.
His dedication earned him awards from the college principal and Rajnagar Forest Department, along with Rs 10,000 and public recognition. He has also received the Prakruti Bandhu Samman 2025, an award instituted by the Government of Odisha to honour people who take care of the environment.
Amulya Sahu of Haripur village, who has grown up watching him work, says, “I have been seeing Dhaneshwar Barik planting trees since I was a child. He creates a natural forest and waters the trees even on hot days. He cleans around the saplings, protects them with nets and stays behind the plants until they grow. Many trees have survived because of him,” he says.
Dhaneshwar’s family includes two sons, his daughter-in-law and grandchildren. He devotes 365 days of the year to tree care. His daughter-in-law Rajalakshmi Barik says, “He wakes up at 4 am, picks flowers for the temples, has tea and leaves to take care of the trees. When he feels unwell as age is catching up, we tell him not to work, but he ignores us and goes to save his trees. We are proud of him.”
Chiranjan Jena, Sarpanch of Kutarang, says it would not be wrong to call him an environmentalist. “He has planted thousands of trees in his lifetime. He spends all his earnings on buying saplings, nets, bamboo and maintenance. He has never received government assistance, only rewards. I have seen him tending to the trees in the scorching heat when people are sleeping at home," adds the sarpanch.
For Dhaneshwar, the only thing that matters is “Plant trees, save the environment.” He has led by example and proved how one person also has the power and capacity to change the landscape of an entire community.
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