On shaky ground

Despite reporting net gains in green cover, the latest forest survey shows degradation of natural forests, particularly in ecologically sensitive hotspots

- HIMANSHU N

THE "INDIA State of Forest Report 2023", released on December 21, 2024, offers a seemingly encouraging headline: the country's forest and tree cover has grown by 1,445 sq km over the past two years, now accounting for 25.17 per cent of the total geographical area. However, a closer look at the biennial report reveals a more concerning reality about the state of the country's forests.

Of the reported increase, only 11 per cent-156.41 sq km-is accounted for by forest cover, defined as areas with a canopy density of 10 per cent or more, spread across at least 1 hectare (ha). The remaining 89 per cent of the increase is attributed to improved tree cover, which includes isolated trees or patches outside recorded forest areas and less than 1 ha in size. The increase in forest cover in 2023 is a meagre 0.02 per cent, over 2021. "This is negligible compared to the growth seen over the past decade, which averaged 0.23 per cent annually," says BK Singh, former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Karnataka.

Further, only 7.28 sq km of the increase in forest cover occurred within recorded forest areas, which refers to all regions officially classified as "forest" in government records. It mostly includes reserved and protected forests, along with unclassed or village forests recorded in revenue documents or designated as forests under state legislation or laws. The remaining 149.13 sq km increase took place outside recorded forests, beyond the jurisdiction of state forest departments.

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