Need to Protect Forests

India is home to about 18% of the world's population and only 24% of its land area is forested.

- -baljit singh brar

These forests not only act as carbon sinks but also support biodiversity, provide livelihoods and regulate climate. Deforestation due to urbanization, agriculture and industrialization is threatening this precious resource. The alarming thing is that India is rapidly losing its forest cover. There is an urgent need to restore and protect forests. It is imperative that we prioritize the revitalization of our forests, not just as an environmental concern, but as an important step towards sustainable development and the well-being of future generations. These forests are important for maintaining biodiversity and supporting various ecosystems. According to the Forest Survey of India (2021), more than 16,000 species of plants and 400 species of mammals are found within these forest areas. Forests absorb an estimated 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually as a natural carbon sink, which is import