Guwahati: Assam-born conservationist Raktima Basumatary has launched a project to protect one of the world’s rarest and most evolutionarily unique trees — the Khasi Holly (Ilex khasiana) — found only in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya.
Through her EDGE of Existence Fellowship, Basumatary’s project, titled “Conserving Ilex khasiana in East Khasi Hills: A Study on Distribution, Threats and Community Awareness,” aims to map the tree’s shrinking range, assess threats to its survival, and engage local communities in safeguarding its fragile habitat.
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The Critically Endangered Khasi Holly, which can grow up to 20 metres tall, represents millions of years of evolutionary history but faces severe threats from habitat loss and human pressures. Basumatary combines rigorous field research with community-led conservation, turning local knowledge into a lifeline for the species.
A forestry postgraduate from NERIST, Basumatary has previously worked on Asian elephant monitoring in the Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong Landscape and conducted forest carbon stock assessments in Assam. “I want to ensure that conservation is not just about science, but about people,” she said, stressing the importance of giving communities a central role in protecting natural heritage.
Her fieldwork involves locating the last remaining Khasi Holly stands, studying threats, and understanding traditional uses of the plant. In Khasi traditions, extracts are used as antibacterial agents for tuberculosis and as antivirals for cold and fever, while in Mizo medicine, the leaves are used to treat bacterial and parasitic infections, cancer, and blood diseases. Although Khasi Holly is endemic to Meghalaya, a small population has also been recorded in a localized area of Aizawl, Mizoram.
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Despite being classified as Critically Endangered over 20 years ago, the species remains poorly studied, with limited data on its distribution, population trends, and threats.
Basumatary’s two-year project aims to fill these gaps through mapping, reassessing its conservation status, identifying threat hotspots, and conducting workshops and outreach programs for schools and forest departments, laying the foundation for long-term protection.
The EDGE of Existence programme, run by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) with collaborators from Kew Gardens, identifies the world’s most Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered species and supports early-career conservationists. Fellows receive funding, training, mentorship, and a global peer network. Basumatary’s fellowship is supported by Fondation Segré and Fondation Franklinia.