In a landmark step for bird conservation, Arunachal Pradesh has launched an ambitious statewide initiative to transform itself into the “Land for Hornbills” by 2047. The vision was shaped during a multi-stakeholder workshop held in Pasighat, where representatives from government departments, indigenous communities, universities, research institutions, conservation organisations and civil society came together to prepare a comprehensive Hornbill Conservation Action Plan.

Arunachal Pradesh is one of India’s richest landscapes for hornbills and supports five of the country’s nine hornbill species—the Great Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill and Austen’s Brown Hornbill. Three of these species are globally threatened, making the state crucial for their long-term survival.

The workshop emphasised a landscape-level conservation strategy that goes beyond protected areas. Participants agreed that safeguarding hornbills requires protecting nesting trees, restoring forest habitats, maintaining wildlife corridors and strengthening community-led conservation. Indigenous knowledge, scientific research and government policies will all play complementary roles in achieving the long-term vision.

A key focus of the action plan is to deepen collaboration between local communities and conservation agencies. Many indigenous groups in Arunachal have traditionally coexisted with hornbills, and the initiative seeks to build upon these cultural connections by promoting sustainable practices, awareness programmes and community stewardship of forests.

The initiative also aims to strengthen research and monitoring of hornbill populations, identify critical breeding habitats and integrate conservation into development planning. By combining scientific data with traditional ecological knowledge, authorities hope to ensure that economic development and biodiversity conservation progress together.

Arunachal Pradesh already has a strong legacy in hornbill conservation through successful community-based programmes such as the Hornbill Nest Adoption Programme. The new statewide roadmap seeks to expand such efforts and establish the state as a global model for hornbill conservation over the next two decades.

If successfully implemented, the initiative could not only secure the future of India’s iconic hornbills but also protect the vast forests they inhabit, benefiting countless other wildlife species and reinforcing Arunachal Pradesh’s reputation as one of the country’s most biodiverse regions.