Gaithersburg, Maryland, October 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Washington-area Sikh community has supported EcoSikh’s initiative to establish 75 forests of native Punjab trees in and around Amritsar as part of celebrations marking the historic city’s 450th anniversary.
The commitment was announced during an EcoSikh Musical Evening Gala held in Gaithersburg, Maryland, bringing together community leaders, families, environmental supporters and philanthropists around the theme of environmental seva.
Dr Rajwant Singh, Global President and founder of EcoSikh, said the initiative seeks to honour Amritsar’s 450-year legacy by creating a greener and healthier future for the city.
The main entertainer at the event was Devenderpal Singh of Mumbai, an acclaimed singer and Indian Idol performer.
Under the 75-forest plan, each forest will comprise approximately 550 native Punjab trees, taking the total to around 41,250 additional trees. EcoSikh has set a broader target of planting 450 forests, involving approximately 250,000 trees, in and around the holy city.
According to EcoSikh officials, the forests will expand native tree cover, support biodiversity, provide shade, improve soil health and strengthen Amritsar’s ecological resilience.
The initiative builds on EcoSikh’s environmental work in Amritsar. Since 2022, the organisation has planted approximately 55,000 trees in the city, including more than 40,000 trees at the historic Chali Khooh site, located a few miles from Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple).
Dr Gunpreet Kaur, President of EcoSikh USA, said the 450th anniversary provides an opportunity to celebrate Amritsar’s sacred history through meaningful environmental seva.
“By supporting 75 forests of native Punjab trees, the Sikh community is helping create cleaner, healthier and more resilient spaces for people, wildlife and future generations,” she said.
Dr Rajwant Singh said tree planting was an act of “love, responsibility and hope” and described the initiative as a way to create a lasting environmental legacy for Amritsar.
Manpreet Kaur Singh, Secretary of EcoSikh USA, said the gala connected the Washington Sikh diaspora with Punjab’s ecological future through music, fellowship and seva, while highlighting environmental stewardship as an expression of Sikh values.
Founded in 2009, EcoSikh has branches in the US, India, Canada, the UK and Ireland. The organisation said the additional 41,250 trees represented by the 75-forest commitment would take the combined number of trees planted or committed through these efforts to more than 96,000.
Founded by Sri Guru Ram Das Ji, the fourth Sikh Guru, Amritsar has remained a major spiritual, cultural and community centre for Sikhs worldwide. The 450th anniversary is being used as an opportunity to combine the city’s historic legacy with environmental conservation.
EcoSikh said the cost of planting one forest of 550 native trees is $1,300, including two years of maintenance under the initiative.
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