Experts claim latest govt data on India's forests 'inflated'
2 weeks, 2 days ago

Experts claim latest govt data on India's forests 'inflated'

The Hindu  

Several experts have claimed that the latest government data on India's forests is "inflated" as it includes bamboo plantations, coconut groves, and orchards among others as part of the forest cover. The 'India State of Forests Report 2023' released on Saturday, after a delay of almost a year, said India's total forest and tree cover has increased by 1,445 sq km since 2021, reaching 25.17% of the total geographical area in 2023. However, the forest cover grew by just 156 sq km and most of the gain occurred outside the Recorded Forest Area, which refers to areas designated as forests in government records. Experts including Kerala's former principal chief conservator of forests Prakriti Srivastava, conservationist researcher Krithika Sampath and former National Board for Wildlife member Prerna Singh Bindra claimed that the government counted bamboo plantations, coconut groves, and orchards among others as part of the forest cover and produced "another faulty report with inflated data".

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History of this topic

What do the State of Forest Report 2023 findings mean?
6 days, 11 hours ago

What do the State of Forest Report 2023 findings mean?

The Hindu  

The story so far: The State of Forest Report 2023 was released by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, on December 21, 2024. The SFR is a biennial exercise the Government of India undertakes to track tree and forest cover, carbon stock, forest fires, and other parameters related to the country’s green cover. The National …

How dense is India's forest cover, really? To critics, new data hides more than tells
2 weeks ago

How dense is India's forest cover, really? To critics, new data hides more than tells

India Today  

The Forest Survey of India’s 18th biennial India State of Forest Report 2023, released on December 21, says 21.76 per cent of the country’s landmass is made up of forests, an alarming depletion of green cover when the global benchmark is 33 per cent. Taken along with the 3.41 per cent ‘tree cover’, Union minister of environment, forest and climate …

Worrying trend of forests degrading, point out experts
2 weeks, 2 days ago

Worrying trend of forests degrading, point out experts

Hindustan Times  

The country’s green cover may be increasing according to the headline findings of the India State of Forest Report 2023, but the study also points to the degradation of large tracts of forests, increase in plantations and lack of clarity in status of so-called unclassed forests -- all of which could have serious impacts for biodiversity, forest dependent people and …

Maha has maximum growing stock outside forest area: FSI Report
2 weeks, 2 days ago

Maha has maximum growing stock outside forest area: FSI Report

Hindustan Times  

As per the latest India State of Forest Report 2023 published by the ministry of environment, forests and climate change, Maharashtra has the maximum growing stock outside forest area, followed by Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. According to the report, field data for assessment of the latest growing stock was collected from sample plots with the help of the personal …

Bengaluru sees 0.59% rise in forest cover, ranks among India’s greenest metros: Report
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Bengaluru sees 0.59% rise in forest cover, ranks among India’s greenest metros: Report

Hindustan Times  

Bengaluru has witnessed a notable rise in its forest cover, according to the India State of Forest Report 2023, which highlights a 0.59 per cent increase from the previous evaluation in 2021. As reported by Bangalore Mirror, the city’s total forest cover now spans 89.61 square kilometers, positioning it among India’s greenest metropolitan areas, following Delhi and Mumbai. Karnataka’s forest …

Formulate plans to arrest rapid forest degradation
Trending News
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Formulate plans to arrest rapid forest degradation

New Indian Express  

The latest India State of Forest report says a quarter of the country’s geographical area now is under forest cover—a spread of over 8.27 lakh sq km, which is a 1,445.8-sq-km increase over the previous survey done in 2021. The 2023 survey says that recorded forest areas stand at 5.20 lakh sq km, including 91,000 sq km of very dense …

2023 FSI report: Gautam Budh Nagar loses forest cover, Ghaziabad sees slim rise
2 weeks, 3 days ago

2023 FSI report: Gautam Budh Nagar loses forest cover, Ghaziabad sees slim rise

Hindustan Times  

Ghaziabad: The state of Uttar Pradesh in the Forest Survey of India’s “State of Forest – 2023” report has shown a rise of 559.19 square kilometers in combined forest and tree cover. The 2023 FSI report states that Gautam Budh Nagar district having a geographical area of 1,441.86 sq km, includes 22.77 sq km or about 1.58% of the total …

India's forest and tree cover grows by 1,445 sq km
Trending News
2 weeks, 4 days ago

India's forest and tree cover grows by 1,445 sq km

Deccan Chronicle  

India's total forest and tree cover rose by 1,445 square kilometres since 2021, reaching 25.17 per cent of the total geographical area in 2023, according to the latest government data.The forest cover grew by just 156 square kilometres while tree cover expanded by 1,289 square kilometres. Most of the gain in forest cover occurred outside the Recorded Forest Area, which …

India’s Green Cover Expands With 1,445 Sq Km Increase In Forest, Tree Cover; MP, Arunachal, Maharashtra Lead
2 weeks, 4 days ago

India’s Green Cover Expands With 1,445 Sq Km Increase In Forest, Tree Cover; MP, Arunachal, Maharashtra Lead

ABP News  

In a significant boost to India's green cover, the nation's total forest and tree cover has increased by 1,445 sq km since 2021, reaching 25.17 per cent of the total geographical area in 2023, according to the latest government data. According to the report, India's total forest cover increased from 713,789 sq km in 2021 to 715,343 sq km in …

25% of India’s total area under green cover: Government report
Trending News
2 weeks, 5 days ago

25% of India’s total area under green cover: Government report

The Hindu  

India’s forest and tree cover has reached a quarter of the country’s total geographical area, according to the India State of Forest Report 2023, released by the Government of India on Saturday. The Forest Survey of India defines “forest cover” as land with tree canopy density exceeding 10% and covering at least one hectare. The FSI counts trees outside forests …

India’s forest and tree cover increased to 25.17 per cent in 2023
2 weeks, 5 days ago

India’s forest and tree cover increased to 25.17 per cent in 2023

New Indian Express  

India's total forest and tree cover has increased to 25.17 per cent in 2023 from 24.62 per cent as per the latest India State of Forest Report 2023. The ISFR 2023 report recorded forest cover and tree cover was 25.17 per cent. The total forest cover was 7,15,342.61 sq km which is 21.76 per cent of the geographical area of …

India’s forest, tree cover increased to 25.17 per cent in 2023
2 weeks, 5 days ago

India’s forest, tree cover increased to 25.17 per cent in 2023

New Indian Express  

NEW DELHI: India's total forest and tree cover has increased to 25.17% in 2023 from 24.62% as per the latest India State of Forest Report 2023. The ISFR 2023 report recorded forest cover and tree cover was 25.17%. The total forest cover was 7,15,342.61 sq km which is 21.76% of the geographical area of the country and the tree cover …

Divided States TG, AP Unite in Increasing Forest Cover
4 weeks, 1 day ago

Divided States TG, AP Unite in Increasing Forest Cover

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad: Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have fared better as individual states in terms of the growth in forest cover, compared with how they performed as part of the undivided state. According to the Reserve Bank of India’s latest ‘Handbook of Indian States’ released on Monday, the forest cover in Telangana rose from 19,854 square kilometres in 2015, to 21,214 sq …

From the India Today Archives (1982): Forests: The blunder of plunder
1 month, 1 week ago

From the India Today Archives (1982): Forests: The blunder of plunder

India Today  

New Delhi, March 2001. The national forest policy of 1952 envisaged the country’s forest cover being raised from 23 per cent to 33 per cent of the total land area. The Birla-funded Economic and Scientific Research Foundation estimates that out of a total of 306 million hectares of cultivable land, 145 million hectares or 45 per cent of the land …

Tree cover loss: NGT seeks response from all states, UTs
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Tree cover loss: NGT seeks response from all states, UTs

The Hindu  

The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from all states and Union Territories regarding the loss of trees, saying it is a "pan-India" issue. In an order dated November 18, a bench of judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted the submissions of the counsel for the Survey of India about the information about forest …

1 year on, FSI yet to release the crucial State of Forest report
5 months, 2 weeks ago

1 year on, FSI yet to release the crucial State of Forest report

Hindustan Times  

New Delhi Last year, 11 retired government officials, including some from the forest and environment departments and two environmental activists challenged the new amendment in the Supreme Court. Experts said the State of the Forest reports need to give accurate details of “unclassed” or “deemed” forests in each district as per the state expert committee reports, something which has not …

Andhra Pradesh lost 1.31 kha of tree cover in 22 years
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Andhra Pradesh lost 1.31 kha of tree cover in 22 years

New Indian Express  

VISAKHAPATNAM: In over a period of around 22 years, Andhra Pradesh has lost 39.5 thousand hectares of tree cover, emitting 20.7 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalents. As per reports by the Global Forest Watch, of the total, the State has lost 1.31 kha for tree cover to forest fires from 2001 to 2023. The year with the most tree cover …

Urgent need to halt deforestation, check further land degradation by 2030: UN forum on forests
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Urgent need to halt deforestation, check further land degradation by 2030: UN forum on forests

Hindustan Times  

There is an urgent need to quickly halt deforestation and prevent further land degradation by 2030 for the world to stay on the path of sustainable development, the UN Forum on Forests said in a declaration at the conclusion of its 19th session on Friday. The declaration, which yet to be released, also reaffirmed the UN Strategic Plan for Forests …

Chunk of India’s forests ‘missing’ after 27-year-delay to file reports | Analysis
8 months, 1 week ago

Chunk of India’s forests ‘missing’ after 27-year-delay to file reports | Analysis

The Hindu  

In compliance with a February 19, 2024, Supreme Court order, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change uploaded the various State Expert Committee reports on its website earlier in April. A key concern in the petition was that the status of unclassed forests, which were to be identified by the state SEC reports, wasn’t known or if they had …

India lost 2.33 million hectares of tree cover since 2000: Global Forest Watch
8 months, 3 weeks ago

India lost 2.33 million hectares of tree cover since 2000: Global Forest Watch

Hindustan Times  

New Delhi, India has lost 2.33 million hectares of tree cover since 2000, equivalent to a six per cent decrease in tree cover during this period, according to the latest data from the Global Forest Watch monitoring project. HT Image The Global Forest Watch, which tracks forest changes in near real-time using satellite data and other sources, said the country …

Telangana tops the country in deforestation by permitting axing of over 12 lakh trees by 2020
11 months, 1 week ago

Telangana tops the country in deforestation by permitting axing of over 12 lakh trees by 2020

The Hindu  

The Telangana State has permitted record deforestation by way of clearances for various government and non-government projects since the formation of the separate State. Notwithstanding its afforestation claims under the Telangana Ku Haritha Haram programme, the State Forest department has earned the dubious distinction of allowing the felling of more than 12 lakh trees — which was the highest in …

India was a tree planting laboratory for 200 years – here are the results
1 year, 4 months ago

India was a tree planting laboratory for 200 years – here are the results

The Hindu  

Allowing forests to regenerate on their own has been championed as a strategy for reducing planet-heating carbon in the atmosphere while also boosting biodiversity, the benefits ecosystems offer and even the fruitfulness of livelihoods. While plantations on farms and barren land can provide firewood and timber, easing the pressure on natural forests and so aiding their regeneration, ill-advised tree planting …

Mangover day observed
1 year, 5 months ago

Mangover day observed

The Hindu  

The Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore, organised an awareness event on Wednesday to mark International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem. Institute director C. Kunhikannan inaugurated the event that was aimed at raising awareness about the significance of mangrove ecosystems and to promote solutions for their sustainable management and conservation. R. Yasodha, Group Coordinator, said …

Green washing: The Hindu Editorial on amendments and the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023
1 year, 5 months ago

Green washing: The Hindu Editorial on amendments and the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023

The Hindu  

The Forest Amendment Bill, 2023, that is being deliberated upon by a Joint Committee of Parliament, is a contentious piece of legislation that signals the complex challenges involved in balancing industrial development and the conservation of forests. The existing Forest Act, 1980 — in the Environment Ministry’s reckoning — was insufficient for these ends, as it did not incentivise private …

New forest laws and ‘development’ push: A prelude to a ‘land grab’ in India’s north-east?
1 year, 7 months ago

New forest laws and ‘development’ push: A prelude to a ‘land grab’ in India’s north-east?

The Hindu  

Published : Jun 02, 2023 16:16 IST - 10 MINS READ The eviction in March of tribal people living in the foothills of Manipur from their traditional forest lands on the grounds that these are “reserve forests” and the conflagration that soon ensued may have more to it than meets the eye. Several factors point to this, including the introduction …

FIR over destruction of 500 mangrove in Bhiwandi
1 year, 8 months ago

FIR over destruction of 500 mangrove in Bhiwandi

Hindustan Times  

Mumbai: An FIR has been registered against drivers and owners of four trucks at the Narpoli police station following a revenue department complaint about the destruction of 500 mangrove trees and landfilling in Bhiwandi’s Kasheli. Thane, India - April 26, 2023: Construction debris dumped on forest land has destroyed more than 500 mangrove trees, at Kasheli, near Dutt Mandir, Bhiwandi, …

In India, mangrove trees make way for booming city of Kochi
1 year, 9 months ago

In India, mangrove trees make way for booming city of Kochi

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I had literally fought with the government to come …

Over 80K hectares of forests diverted for infrastructure projects in 5 years: Centre
1 year, 9 months ago

Over 80K hectares of forests diverted for infrastructure projects in 5 years: Centre

Hindustan Times  

Forest area measuring over double the size of Mumbai suburban district was diverted for various infrastructure and development projects in the past five years, the Union environment ministry informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Junior environment minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey told the Upper House that it gave its nod to divert 88,903.80 hectares of forest area, mostly for road projects followed …

Why It Matters | India has lost 668,400 ha of forest cover in the last 30 years
1 year, 9 months ago

Why It Matters | India has lost 668,400 ha of forest cover in the last 30 years

The Hindu  

March 21, 2023 03:42 pm | Updated October 20, 2023 02:05 pm IST What are the facts? India ranked the second highest for the rate of deforestation after losing 668,400 hectares of forest cover in the last 30 years, a report by UK-based Utility Bidder said. India also topped the chart for biggest increase in deforestation between 1990 and 2020 …

Increase In Delhi’s Dense Forest Areas A Welcome Sign, Conservation Of Trees Outside Forests Equally Important: Centre Tells High Court
1 year, 9 months ago

Increase In Delhi’s Dense Forest Areas A Welcome Sign, Conservation Of Trees Outside Forests Equally Important: Centre Tells High Court

Live Law  

The Union of India has informed Delhi High Court that the increase in denser forest areas in the national capital from the year 2001 to 2021 is a welcome sign and that conversation and protection of trees outside forests is equally important. Referring to India State Forest Report 2021 published by Forest Survey of India, the Central Government has submitted …

Flouting green norms cannot be condoned
1 year, 10 months ago

Flouting green norms cannot be condoned

Hindustan Times  

Haryana has historically struggled in protecting its environmental resources. According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021-22 report, the state has a forest cover of 3.63%. Despite this low cover — a handicap in an era of climate shocks — the state appears to prioritise revenue generation by pushing the mining, realty and infrastructure sectors, instead of by balancing the …

Explained | Why have mangroves got a Budget push?
1 year, 11 months ago

Explained | Why have mangroves got a Budget push?

The Hindu  

The story so far: The Union Budget for 2023-24 announced an initiative for mangrove plantation along the coastline and on salt pan lands, under MISHTI. The ‘State of World Mangroves 2022’ report by the Global Mangrove Alliance puts the total mangrove cover of the world at 1,47,000 sq km. Mangroves in India are distributed across nine States and three Union …

States fall short of targets to improve forest cover, quality
1 year, 11 months ago

States fall short of targets to improve forest cover, quality

The Hindu  

India is lagging behind in the targets to increase the number and quality of tree- and forest-cover plantations set in the Green India Mission, according to data accessed via the Right To Information Act. From 2015-16 to 2021-22, the Centre - based on submissions from 17 States - had approved a target of increasing tree/forest cover by 53,377 hectares and …

Under Threat from Climate Change, India Steps Up to Protect Vulnerable Mangroves Cover With G20 Fillip
2 years, 1 month ago

Under Threat from Climate Change, India Steps Up to Protect Vulnerable Mangroves Cover With G20 Fillip

News 18  

As India joins the global Mangrove Alliance for Climate, the focus has once again shifted to conserving one of the most vulnerable coastal species that is facing the increasing threat of climate change. However, as impacts of climate change intensify, the sea-level rise and extreme weather events — including tropical cyclones and storm surges — are putting the tidal forests …

Green Climate Fund to help revive mangrove ecosystem
2 years, 3 months ago

Green Climate Fund to help revive mangrove ecosystem

The Hindu  

The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department has prepared the ground to restore nearly 300 hectares of salt marshy land and restoration of mangrove and mudflat ecosystems along the State’s coastline under the United Nations’ Green Climate Fund. The UNDP has granted ₹298 crore for the six-year project through which coastal communities would be roped in for protection and restoration of the …

Modi@72: How Modi govt has given India’s wildlife a new lease of life
2 years, 3 months ago

Modi@72: How Modi govt has given India’s wildlife a new lease of life

Firstpost  

In the last four years, forest and tree cover has increased by 16,000 square kilometres. India is one of the few countries in the world where forest cover is increasing New Delhi: Protected Area coverage, which was 4.90 per cent of the country’s geographical area in 2014, has now increased to 5.03 per cent. India has 52 Tiger Reserves covering …

Is the Environmental Performance Index really faulty?
2 years, 5 months ago

Is the Environmental Performance Index really faulty?

The Hindu  

Last month, India protested against its ranking on the Environmental Performance Index of 2022, prepared by researchers at the Yale and Columbia Universities in the U.S. Chandra Bhushan: EPI has used tree cover loss as an indicator to rate deforestation in a country. How do you compare absolute tree cover loss of a country with 50 ha dense forest with, …

Government Data: 554 sq km forest area diverted for non-forestry purposes in last 3 years
2 years, 5 months ago

Government Data: 554 sq km forest area diverted for non-forestry purposes in last 3 years

Firstpost  

The Centre government approved the diversion of 69.47 sq km of forest land for defence projects, 53.44 sq km for hydel projects, 47.40 sq km for laying of transmission lines and 18.99 sq km for railways in the last three years New Delhi: A total of 554.3 square kilometres of forest area in the country has been diverted for non-forestry …

India\'s forest cover grown by over 20,000 sq km in last eight years: PM Modi
2 years, 7 months ago

India\'s forest cover grown by over 20,000 sq km in last eight years: PM Modi

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday that India has achieved the target of 10 per cent ethanol blending in petrol five months before deadline. In his address, the prime minister said India has also achieved its goal of having 40 per cent of its installed power generation from non-fossil fuel-based sources nine years before the deadline. The …

The dying forests of India's north-east
2 years, 10 months ago

The dying forests of India's north-east

Live Mint  

The dozen trees along the footpath of Guwahati’s busy RG Baruah Road were like old friends, a comforting and familiar sight for denizens of the city. “Mining, construction of dams and other threats have a different signature on forest cover loss compared to shifting cultivation, because in the latter, the forest regenerates," he adds. Tracking the deforestation ISFR–2021 states that …

Missing forests: Govt report makes tall claims
2 years, 10 months ago

Missing forests: Govt report makes tall claims

The Hindu  

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change released the India State of Forest Report 2021 on January 13, and the major highlight of the report was that the total forest cover in the country had increased by 1,540 square kilometres since the last report, which was presented in 2019. The FSI defines forest cover as all land of …

Is India’s forest cover really increasing? Official maps don’t tell you the whole truth
2 years, 10 months ago

Is India’s forest cover really increasing? Official maps don’t tell you the whole truth

The Hindu  

February 11, 2022 01:06 pm | Updated February 13, 2022 10:16 am IST It is not long after dawn, but the air in the Borajan rainforest in upper Assam is already warm and heavy with humidity. Even as India’s official reports have been claiming every two years that the country’s forest cover is going up and up, the same reports …

Plantations count for 28% forest cover: FSI DG
2 years, 11 months ago

Plantations count for 28% forest cover: FSI DG

Hindustan Times  

NEW DELHI: The ‘outside recorded forest area’ accounts for 28% of India’s forest cover, and comprises plantations of horticulture, pulpwood species as well as rural and urban greens, Anoop Singh, director general of Forest Survey of India said. “In Chapter 2, Table 2.6, the forest cover figures are divided as ‘Inside Recorded Forest Area’ and ‘Outside Recorded Forest Area’. In …

MP Tops India Tally for State With Largest Forest Cover But Wildlife Experts Say All May Not be Well
2 years, 11 months ago

MP Tops India Tally for State With Largest Forest Cover But Wildlife Experts Say All May Not be Well

News 18  

Madhya Pradesh has managed to cling onto its tag of being the state with the largest forest cover, according to the Indian State of Forest Report -2021, a biennial report released by Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav a few days ago. The 2019 report had recorded an increase of 69.49 sq km of forest cover …

Delhi’s green cover up over 5%, but forest area dips marginally
2 years, 11 months ago

Delhi’s green cover up over 5%, but forest area dips marginally

Hindustan Times  

The Capital recorded an increase in its green cover by 17.6sqkm--with 342sqkm of Delhi’s total geographical area of 1,483sqkm now under green cover--according to India State of Forest Report 2021. The report, released on Thursday by Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, showed while Delhi recorded a slight decrease of 0.44sqkm in its forest cover, it recorded an increase of 18sqkm …

Five Northeast States Have Highest Percentage of Forest Cover in India: Govt Data
2 years, 11 months ago

Five Northeast States Have Highest Percentage of Forest Cover in India: Govt Data

News 18  

Five northeast states in India have the highest percentage of forest cover with reference to the total geographical area, official data shows. In terms of forest cover as a percentage of total geographical area, the top five states are Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Nagaland, as per the India State of Forest Report 2021. During the assessment of 2019, …

SC order on evicting forest dwellers: Protecting indigenous communities’ rights is key in fight against climate change
5 years, 9 months ago

SC order on evicting forest dwellers: Protecting indigenous communities’ rights is key in fight against climate change

Firstpost  

Several tribal communities in India protect forests, based on their self-perception of these areas being under their custodianship. In this light, the Supreme Court’s 13 February order that threatens to evict over 10 lakh forest dwellers is not just a major land rights crisis, but also a big blow to the country’s effort to mitigate climate change, and a direct …

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