Newlyweds turn back clock on deforestation

GARUT, Indonesia (CNN) — The people of Indonesia’s Java Island still follow wedding traditions passed down centuries ago by their ancestors.

Family members gather for an all-day ceremony that begins with the groom bringing a gift to the bride’s house.

On a hot and sticky morning in a village near Garut, 26-year-old Cucu carries a sapling to give to his bride. The young tree is not exactly a unique gift; it’s part of a government initiative to bring back the Garut province’s devastated forests.

Newly married couples must plant 10 trees under the program. If they divorce, they must plant 50 others.

CNN