India's Green Boost: Forest and Tree Cover Expand by 1,445 Sq Km in 3 Years, State of Forest Report 2023 Reveals

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): India has seen a notable rise in its forest and tree cover, with an increase of 1,445 sq km from 2021 to 2023, according to the latest government data. The country's total forest and tree cover now stands at 25.17% of its geographical area, up from 7,13,789 sq km in 2021 to 7,15,343 sq km in 2023, making up 21.76% of the total area. The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released on Saturday, also highlights that India has achieved an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes compared to 2005 levels. As part of its climate goals under the Paris Agreement, the country is committed to creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes by 2030 through expanded forest and tree cover.

The forest cover has grown by 156 sq km, while the tree cover, which increased by 1,289 sq km, now accounts for 3.41% of the country's geographical area. Together, the forest and tree cover extend to 8,27,357 sq km. The report defines forest cover as land with a tree canopy density of over 10%, spanning at least one hectare, and includes both natural forests and man-made plantations. Tree cover refers to smaller patches of trees outside the Reserved Forest Area (RFA), typically less than one hectare. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav pointed out that one of the most positive findings of the report is India's achievement of a 2.29 billion tonne additional carbon sink, compared to 2005 levels.

India's total carbon stock in 2023 is estimated at 7,285.5 million tonnes, reflecting an increase of 81.5 million tonnes since 2021. The country is expected to have 31.71 billion tonnes of carbon stock in forest and tree cover by 2030. Bamboo cover, which is now included in the tree cover assessment, has also seen growth, with the total bamboo-bearing area in India now estimated at 1,54,670 sq km, an increase of 5,227 sq km since 2021. Among states, Chhattisgarh (+684 sq km), Uttar Pradesh (+559 sq km), Odisha (+559 sq km), and Rajasthan (+394 sq km) recorded the highest increases in combined forest and tree cover. For forest cover alone, the largest gains were observed in Mizoram (+242 sq km), Gujarat (+180 sq km), and Odisha (+152 sq km).

Madhya Pradesh leads the country in total forest and tree cover, with 85,724 sq km, followed by Arunachal Pradesh (67,083 sq km) and Maharashtra (65,383 sq km). In terms of forest cover alone, Madhya Pradesh is also on top, with 77,073 sq km, followed by Arunachal Pradesh (65,882 sq km) and Chhattisgarh (55,812 sq km). When considering forest cover as a percentage of geographical area, Lakshadweep ranks first (91.33%), followed by Mizoram (85.34%) and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (81.62%). The Forest Survey of India (FSI) also examined forest cover changes in the Western Ghats and Eastern States Area (WGESA) over the past decade, finding a net loss of 58.22 sq km in forest cover. However, very dense forests increased by 3,465.12 sq km, while moderately dense forests and open forests saw reductions of 1,043.23 sq km and 2,480.11 sq km, respectively.

In hill districts, the forest cover is 2,83,713.20 sq km, which makes up 40% of the total geographical area of these regions. The latest assessment shows an increase of 234.14 sq km in hill district forest cover. However, the northeastern region saw a decrease of 327.30 sq km in forest cover, with the total forest and tree cover in the region now standing at 1,74,394.70 sq km, or 67% of its geographical area. India's mangrove cover currently stands at 4,991.68 sq km, a slight decrease of 7.43 sq km since 2021. Despite gains in very dense forests, moderately dense forest and open forest categories have shown declines over the last decade. The Forest Survey of India has been assessing forest cover since 1987 and tree cover since 2001. The National Forest Policy of 1988 mandates that 33% of India's geographical area should be under forest or tree cover.