Sixteen-year-old Gunisha Kaur from Ludhiana has secured third place at the 2026 International Young Eco-Hero Awards for an initiative that combines urban biodiversity conservation with accessible outdoor spaces for children with diverse needs.
Her project, Buzzing Blooms, has established more than 20 pollinator gardens and ecological restoration initiatives, with monitoring recording a 155% increase in species richness.
The recognition, announced by environmental organisation Action For Nature, highlights how young people are finding practical ways to address environmental challenges in their communities.
Kaur’s work focuses on creating habitats for bees, and other pollinators while making green spaces more welcoming to children who may struggle with conventional outdoor environments.
Growing up in , an industrial city in Punjab, Kaur became concerned about the decline in local pollinator populations. Her experiences at home also influenced the direction of her work.
Observing her younger brother helped her understand how calming natural surroundings could be, while drawing attention to the lack of safe, inclusive outdoor spaces for neurodivergent children.
She launched Buzzing Blooms on 5 March 2023, with the aim of transforming underused urban spaces into chemical-free habitats.
The project uses native plants arranged in layers to support , alongside structured pathways, non-thorny plants and designated areas for observing bees and butterflies. These features are intended to make the gardens accessible to children with different needs.
The project’s environmental impact has been tracked over 24 months. According to Action For Nature, the number of pollinator species recorded in the project areas rose from 18 to 46, representing an increase of 155%. visits also increased by nearly 200%, the organisation reported.
Buzzing Blooms has expanded beyond Ludhiana, with gardens and restoration initiatives established in Meerut, Mumbai and partner communities.
The programme has engaged more than 4,000 students, including over 250 neurodivergent and vulnerable individuals, while its wider outreach has reached more than 8,000 people through , restoration drives and inclusive learning programmes.
Kaur has also established the Buzzing Blooms Peer Advocacy Network, which has trained more than 500 young ambassadors in environmental communication, public speaking and .
To help fund the work, she conducts art classes at weekends and reinvests the earnings, alongside income from plant sales and scholarships, into maintaining the gardens.
Her interests extend into technology. Kaur developed AeroBloom, an -guided aerial pollination system designed to support agriculture during periods of extreme heat, when natural pollinators may temporarily leave an area.
The innovation earned her a Bronze Medal at the Indian Science and Engineering Fair, according to Action For Nature.
Kaur’s research on , neurodivergent children and social inclusion has also been published in the International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, the organisation said.
Her award recognises an approach that connects environmental restoration with community participation. Through Buzzing Blooms, Kaur is working towards a model in which urban green spaces support both local and the people who use them.
