Raktima Basumatary, a conservationist from Assam, is spearheading a critical mission to protect the Khasi Holly (Ilex khasiana), one of the world’s rarest and most evolutionarily distinct trees, found exclusively in Meghalaya’s Khasi Hills and a small pocket in Aizawl, Mizoram. Through her EDGE of Existence Fellowship, supported by Fondation Segré and Fondation Franklinia, Basumatary is working to secure a future for this Critically Endangered evergreen species, which can grow up to 20 meters tall.
Her project, titled Conserving Ilex khasiana in East Khasi Hills: A Study on Distribution, Threats and Community Awareness, focuses on mapping the tree’s dwindling range, identifying threats like habitat loss and human pressures, and engaging local communities to foster stewardship. Despite being classified as Critically Endangered over two decades ago, the Khasi Holly remains understudied, with limited data on its population, distribution, or specific threats. Basumatary’s two-year initiative aims to address these gaps through detailed field research and community-driven conservation efforts.
A forestry postgraduate from NERIST, Basumatary brings experience from monitoring Asian elephants in the Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong Landscape and assessing forest carbon stocks in Assam. She emphasizes a people-centered approach, stating, “Conservation is as much about communities as it is about science.” By involving locals, she hopes to integrate their traditional knowledge—where Khasi Holly is valued in Khasi and Mizo medicine for treating tuberculosis, infections, and even cancer—into sustainable protection strategies.
Basumatary’s work includes scouring forests to locate surviving Khasi Holly populations, studying threats, and hosting workshops with schools, forest departments, and communities to raise awareness and build long-term conservation plans. The EDGE of Existence programme, run by the Zoological Society of London in collaboration with Kew Gardens, supports early-career conservationists like Basumatary with funding, mentorship, and a global network to protect Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered species.
