Tourists willing to pay Rs 154 to preserve Meghalaya’s Living

: Meghalaya’s iconic Living-Root Bridges(LRB), grown from the aerial roots of Ficus elastica by the Khasi and Jaintia communities, are not only a marvel of indigenous engineering but also an increasingly important site for ecotourism. A new study has now put numbers to their recreational and cultural value, highlighting both their global appeal and the challenges of sustaining them for future generations.

Grown by indigenous Khasi tribal communities, these structural ecosystems have performed in extreme climatic conditions for centuries, and encapsulate a profound harmony between humans and nature. The underlying knowledge and skills have evolved through generations and continue to be practised today, affirming their exceptional value and relevance. Facilitating connectivity and disast