The Regional Centre, National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong came into existence on 26^th October, 1989. Since then Centre has been working in the areas related to afforestation and eco-development in the seven north-eastern states viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura as per the mandate contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) [CLICK HERE]  signed between the National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board (NAEB), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong.

As per the MoU, the Regional Centre has the following objectives:

· To provide extension and technical assistance to the State/Union Territory Forest Departments/State Forest Development Corporations, Forest Development Agencies and/or such agencies as may be mutually agreed to, in the formulation of projects, microplanning exercise for development of degraded forests, adjoining lands, non-forest lands, agro-forestry, control of desertification and areas falling within the mandate of NAEB; as and when required.

· To assist NAEB in project implementation and evaluation of programmes implemented through State/Union Territory Forest Departments/Corporations/Forest Development Agencies and suggest measures for improvement.

· To provide a forum for cross-fertilization of ideas and experiences especially amongst the forest officers of States/Union Territories, Voluntary Agencies, NGOs, representatives of the Panchayati Raj, Institutions, Forest development Agencies/Joint Forest Management Committees/Trees Growers Cooperatives etc., by organizing workshops/experience sharing sessions.

· To conduct problem-specific studies relevant to afforestation, regeneration of degraded forests, eco-development and people’s participation in forest management and protection.

· To organize training programmes for project formulation, microplanning and geographical information systems.

·    To sponsor research and extension of research findings to disseminate new technologies for the regeneration and development of degraded forest areas, adjoining lands, non forest lands, and areas falling in the mandate of NAEB.

·    To monitor survival rate studies and district-wise afforestation and tree planting activities and evaluate the performance of concerned agencies.

·    Documentation of successful efforts/achievements in the areas mentioned above for wider dissemination.

·    Any other activity as indicated by the NAEB from time to time.