Total forest and tree cover: 25.17% of India’s geographical area.
Forest cover: 21.76% (7.15 lakh sq. km).
Tree cover: 3.41% (1,289 sq. km).
Forest Cover: Land with tree canopy density exceeding 10% and a minimum area of one hectare. Includes plantations.
Tree Cover: Trees on land occupying less than one hectare and outside reserve forest areas. Includes bamboo cover.
Significant Findings
India has increased its carbon sink by 2.29 billion tonnes compared to 2005 levels.
Target under the Paris Agreement: Create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 billion tonnes by 2030.
Madhya Pradesh: Largest forest and tree cover (85,724 sq. km).
Chhattisgarh: Largest increase in cover (684 sq. km).
Controversies in Forest Cover Estimation
Inclusion of plantations in forest cover:
Criticism: Plantations lack deadwood and underground biomass, which are critical for carbon sequestration.
Losses in forest cover:
Western Ghats and Eastern States: Decrease of 58.22 sq. km.
Northeast: Decrease of 327.30 sq. km.
Density Classifications
Very Dense Forests: Expanded by 3,465.12 sq. km.
Moderately Dense Forests: Decreased by 1,043.23 sq. km.
Open Forests: Decreased by 2,480.11 sq. km.
Data source: Resourcesat series of satellites (operated by ISRO).
Assessment history: Forest cover assessed since 1987 and Tree cover assessed since 2001.
Legislative Developments
Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023:
Key changes: Excludes "deemed" and "community" forests from the purview of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
Criticism: Conservationists argue that these changes undermine forest protection.
Challenges and Areas of Concern
Biodiverse regions like the Western Ghats and Northeast face significant forest losses.
Shrinking of moderately dense and open forests could impact biodiversity and ecological balance.
Critics emphasize that plantation forests cannot substitute for natural forests due to limited biodiversity and ecological functions.
India’s green cover progress aligns with its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.
The focus remains on balancing ecological conservation with developmental needs.
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