Sustain Greenery: Meagre Rise In Forest Cover

The biennial ‘India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023), has just been released. The SFR, a biennial issue being brought since 1987, has drawn flak from general public, activists and analysts alike.

A beaming Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, GoI, underlined that the total forest and tree cover at 8,27,357 sq km covers 25.17 per cent of the geographical area of the country. The forest cover accounts for 7,15,343sq km (21.76%), whereas the tree cover has an area of 1,12,014 sq km (3.41%). As compared to 2021, there is an increase of 1,445 sq km in the total forest and tree cover of the country. Regarding forest fires, Yadav has highlighted how near real time fire alerts and forest fire services are being provided by Forest Survey of India (FSI) using advance technology.

As per FSI, “forest cover” includes any land in which tree canopy density covers more than 10% area, and the total land is at least one hectare. The total growing stock of India’s forest and trees outside forests (1,951 million cum) is estimated as 6,430 million cum (cubic metres), an increase of 262 million cum. There is an increase of 5,227 sq km in bamboo area comprising 1,54,670 sq km. While Madhya Pradesh continues to have the largest area under forest and tree cover (85,724 sq. km), the largest increase in the total forest and tree cover has been recorded in Chhattisgarh (684 sq. km).

A significant offshoot of these developments is that, now, India’s carbon stock has reached 30.43 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent; which indicates that as compared to the base year of 2005, India has already reached 2.29 billion tonnes of additional carbon sink as against India’s National Determined Contributions (NDC) target of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes by 2030.

Now, a critical appraisal. Of the total increase of 1,445 sq km in the forest and tree cover of the country, the forest cover rise is about 156 sq km, whereas 1,289 sq km increase is contributed by tree cover. Experts are shrugging off the increase, saying it is quite meagre (0.05 rise in net forest cover) relative to the total area of forest cover, and after taking into account landslides, forest fires and denudation by those living in forests’ proximity. Besides, counting trees outside the recorded forest areas (RFAs) does not count as an achievement of the government. Of the 156 sq km increase, as much as 149.13 sq km area is outside RFAs and only 7.28 sq km is inside. What explains the degradation of a large extent of forests (46,707.11 sq km) to non-forests?

Also, the “land for land and tree for tree” principle en-shrined in the Forest Conservation (FC) Amendment Act’s Compensatory Afforestation (CA) component is being diluted, say conservationists. They point out that taking up compensatory afforestation (planting trees on non-forest land) for “density upgradation” risks endangering ecolog-ical uniqueness of local areas, which will not only affect wildlife habitats, but also impact species survival.

Mangroves are important for many reasons (Not listing them due to space constraint). The mangrove cover has decreased 7.43 sq km to 4,991.68 sq km. So much for all conservation and protection! Also, the report does not apprise one of increasing climate change risks to India’s forests, of resilience-building measures incorporated into central or state forestry policies and programmes.

How much serious is threat to biodiversity? For instance, the FC Amendment Act or the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam 2023 says “unrecorded” deemed forests need no forest clearance, which invites axes upon them for infrastructure and other purposes. A critical appraisal can spur masses to question governments.