In 1973, the Indian peasants of the Himalayan foothills—many of them women—stood arm-in-arm against the destruction of their sacred forests. These were the first “tree huggers.”

Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent resistance lit the spark. Villagers, led by activists like Chandi Prasad Bhatt, literally embraced the trees, daring woodcutters to swing their axes. “Let them know we will not allow the felling of a single tree,” Bhatt said. “We will embrace the trees to protect them.”

More than a protest, it was a grassroots movement of deep spiritual conviction and courage. Their forests were being destroyed by commercial logging, causing erosion, floods, and landslides. But these villagers knew: cutting the trees cut into the soul of the land.

Known as the Chipko Movement (chipko means “to cling” in Hindi), their bravery launched a global wave of environmental action. Within five years, the protest spread across eight Himalayan districts, covering over 19,000 square miles. Their legacy traveled far, from Australia, to the U.S., and beyond.

The world noticed. “Tree hugger,” once used dismissively, became a badge of honor, rooted in this movement’s resistance and truth.