The magic of soil can convert a brown barren land into a green forest full of trees that provide shelter to numerous birds and animals. However, that requires a lot of passionate effort and care on our part and only a few manage to make it happen. Pompayya Malemath is one such great person who through his relentless commitment managed to transform a rocky patch of land into a thriving forest bursting with flora and fauna.

Malemath is a 53-year-old wildlife photographer residing in the Vijayanagar district near the ruins of Hampi. When he is not planting trees, the wildlife enthusiast is bird-watching or rescuing snakes. Within a decade, 800 trees of 60 varieties stand tall in the mini forest under his dedication and care.

Malemath who dreamt of changing the arid land into a scenic landscape is aware of the hardships that entailed in bringing about this transformation. It was a rocky patch of land and he had to move the rocks and prepare the soil by adding water and organic manure. He also went the extra mile to turn an adjoining government land leased out to him into a mini-forest.

Many nature enthusiasts come to him for advice. He even conducts various activities like bird watching and herpetology classes for schoolchildren in his mini forest. The forest also hosts many rare bird species.

The rocky patch of land was not at all conducive for trees, but the abundance of trees standing tall in Malemath’s forest is evidence of the triumph of the human spirit.