India's green cover grew to 25.17% of geographical area

India has reported that its forest and tree cover now encompasses 25.17% of its geographical area at the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), while highlighting several national conservation initiatives, the environment ministry said on Friday.

- Jayashree Nandi

NEW DELHI:

The statistic, part of the latest State of Forest report, was presented at the UNFF being held at the UN Headquarters in New York from May 5 to 9, where India detailed a "consistent increase" in forest and tree cover resulting from key programmes.

These initiatives include "restoration of land under the Aravalli Green Wall, a 7.86% increase in mangrove cover over the past decade, afforestation of over 1.55 lakh hectares under the Green India Mission, and plantation of 1.4 billion seedlings under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (Plant4Mother) campaign," the ministry statement noted.

India also participated in a high-level panel on "Valuing Forest Ecosystems in National Policy and Strategy," sharing findings from pilot studies conducted in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and tiger reserves across the country.