A recent government report presents India’s forest status report both positive, in that it shows the country is actually gaining some forest cover in selected states, and negative in that it also unveiled that the nation is also losing its forest cover in other states. According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, India's total forest and tree cover has increased by 1,445 square kilometres since 2021, reaching 25.17% of the country's geographical area. However, this increase is accompanied with a negative signal of the significant reduction in the extent of dense forests.
Forest Cover and Tree Cover
Based on information from the ISFR 2023 study, a detailed discussion of India's forest and tree cover is provided. Forest cover, defined as land with a tree canopy density of more than 10%, spans an area of 715,343 square kilometres, which is 21.76% of India's geographical area. Tree cover, which includes patches of trees and isolated trees outside the Recorded Forest Area (RFA), constitutes 112,014 square kilometres or 3.41% of the land area.
Loss of Dense Forests
However, the report indicates that there is loss of dense forests, even though there are evident improvements on forest and tree cover. India has lost 3,656 sq km area of dense forests in 2021–2023: VDF 294.75 sq km, MDF 3,361.5 sq km. This loss underscores the challenges of maintaining forest density and quality in the face of increasing pressures on forest land.
Regional Variations
The report also presents regional differences in the changes of the forest cover. While Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan showed the maximum hike in the extent of forest and tree cover. On the other hand, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Ladakh and Nagaland witnessed highest declining nature of the forest. These differences are owed to variations in the environmental and land use policies, practices and conservation strategies across regions in the US.
Environmental Implications
The loss of dense forests has significant environmental implications. Forests especially dense ones are important in the global effort to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, that act as lungs of the world, and support biological diversity. These ecological functions can be weakened by the decrease in the extent of dense forest, an impact regarding climate, wild life and water.
Government Initiatives
In light of these challenges, the Indian Government has undertaken several measures that aims to conserve and restore forest. In December 2023 the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act was passed with the purpose to enhance protection measures of forests and encourage the sustainable use of the earth’s surface. Further the government has pledged to develop another Carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes through forest and tree cover by the year 2030 in line with its climate change targets under the Paris Agreement.
Causes of loss of the Forest Cover in India
India’s forests are valuable national assets essential to the improvement of the country’s environmental health, economic productivity, and biological and plant diversity. But deforestation is emerging as a critical problem now, which is ascribed both to anthropogenic factors and natural processes. Here we will be uncovering the main causes of deforestation in India and the interaction of deforestation threats in the country.
Agricultural Expansion
Agricultural land conversion is considered as one of the main reasons of deforestation in India. Since people need food and agricultural produce as the population density rises, they deforest the land in order to make ways for farming and crop growing. The method of cultivation that is normally referred to as a shifting cultivation or the slash and burn type of cultivation is more apparently practiced in the north eastern states. This involves removing the vegetation in the forest, farming the land for some time probably after two to three years of planting crops, and the process is repeated when the lands degrades. Although still considered traditional it becomes a serious problem of deforestation when practiced in an unsustainable manner.
Demographic and Economic Burden
Infrastructure development is closely linked with deforestation as most of it is associated with development of urban infrastructure. When various urban areas have developed into population centres, forests are turned into residential, business, and industrial zones. Roads, highways, railways and other form of infrastructures are also classified as causes of forest disappeared. The development of dams and hydroelectric power has consequently flooded large territories of forests and so shifting wildlife and people’s habitats.
Industrial actions and mining
Mining in particular exerts much influence on the levels of forest cover to the extent that industrial growth and development are paramount to modern world economies. Till date India is well endowed with mineral resources and mining activities takes place mostly in forest areas. Mining activities of minerals such as coal, iron-ore and bauxite entail the destruction of large tracts of land. Such has compounded the loss of forests with the resultant degradation of ecosystems and pollution.
Timber Extraction and Illegal Logging
Log production and trading of these products, both legal and illegal are a major determinant of forest depletion. Timber, fuel wood and other forest produce are exploited from the forests at the higher rates. The worst of all is the Illegal logging this is prompted by the increasing market for timber and the poor compliance to the laws on the exercise of forestry. This not only poses greatest threat to the forests but also reduces the long-term ability to govern the forests sustainably.
Infrastructure Development
Increase in the constructions of roads, highways and railways have been a major cause of deforestation in several regions in India. Such projects involve massive use of forest land; therefore, leads to the fragmentation and destruction of habitats. Similarly, building of dams and hydel projects have flooded large tracts of forests causing displacement of flora and fauna and inhabitants.
Forest Fires
The primary threat to the Indian forests could be either natural or anthropogenic fires. And whereas some fire may originate from natural causes like lightning. Fire burning of crop residues, careless use of lighted cigarettes, and arson on farms involving fire as a tool in land preparation are some of the causes. These fires not only destroy vast forested areas but also disrupt ecosystems and contribute to air pollution.
How India can overcome these challenges
The reforestation process in India needs to involve both the direct planting and management of tree resources combined with the control of conditions that cause deforestation in the country. Here are several strategies that India can adopt to overcome these challenges and enhance its forest cover:
Building policy environments
Hence, sufficient policy frameworks are core for forest preservation intervention. Further, India should maintain and improve practices that put effective policy measures for sustainable management of land and forests. Peculiar to this light, the recent Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, which addresses measures for enhancing the protection of the forests, is commendable. Furthermore, it is necessary for the government to regulate laws forbidding such acts as; Illegal logging, and experts encroaching on forests’ space more closely.
Education for Agro and Social Forestry
Agroforestry, the practice of integrating trees with crops and livestock, can enhance forest cover while providing economic benefits to farmers. Apart from the latter this approach also ensures multiple income sources and contributes to the health of the soil and organisms. Programs which include social forestry management and use of trees plantations embraced by locals cut down on deforestation and make the participants more responsible. These practices can be promoted by offering farmers and communities some tangible rewards or form a Technical Extension Services.
Reforestation and afforestation initiatives
A major tool in the attempt to achieve these goals is reforestation, or planting trees in areas where they were cut down, and afforestation, or planting trees in areas which are not forested. Government of India should increase reforestation and afforestation programmes at the national and state level. Some of the programs being undertaken include the Green India Mission that focuses on the regeneration of forest and rehabilitation of degraded area. Moreover, engaging the private sector and other stakeholders such as the NGO can increase the impact and number of such interventions.
Enhancing Urban Green Spaces
The urbanization is one of the major causes of deforestation; however, the process provides perfect prospects for growing greens. Urban green areas including parks, urban woods and green ways can be incorporated into the urban planning system. Not only do green spaces beautify the urban fabric of cities; they also include the benefits of purifying the air, reducing those urban heat island effects, and offering recreational spaces. It is therefore important that sustainability plan of the municipalities should include the development and management of public green spaces.
Community Engagement
People’s participation is very central to most forest conservation programs. Increasing the stake of local communities in forests and their involvement in managing and decision making will likely result in improved performance of the forests. As it stemmed from previous works, the local management practices such as the Joint Forest Management (JFM) committees could successfully work in different area. Strengthening of these committees and formation of new advanced committees can be helpful in improving the community based forest management system.
Leveraging Technology and Innovation
Sophisticated instruments can indeed be useful in the supervision of forests. Techniques such as remote sensing, geographic information system (GIS) and satellite images can supply useful statistic on change in forest cover and define the area’s most vulnerable to deforestation. The above technologies should therefore be developed in India to improve efficiency in forest monitoring. Also, there is the availability through research and innovation that sustainable policy management in the forest will lead to increased conservation.
Addressing Climate Change
It will be critical to alert and engage societies about climate change that harms forests. India must include the forest conservation as one of strategies in its climate policies because forests play crucial roles in absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and manipulating climatic conditions. This concept can fulfil both climate mitigation and forest protection objectives like the Bonn Challenge that seeks to bring 150 million hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes to restoration.
Public Awareness and Education
A large part of increasing people’s support for the conservation of forests is education about the value of forests and the significance of protecting them. Awareness and sensitization programs through school based programs, cooperative community outreach programs and through mass media can go along way in educating the public about the importance of forests with relation to existence in the planet. Increase awareness on sustainable resource consumption and promoting change for the consumer preference can also a lot of difference.
Enhancing the level of forest cover needs an integrated and participatory strategy that aims at identifying and mitigating factors contributing to deforestation and enhance on sustainable forest uses. India needs to focus on rebuild and sustaining the green cover by improving its polices, supporting agro forestry and social forestry, increasing the scale of re-forestation, improving the green cover in cities, incorporating technology support and getting the communities on board. And through all these, the nation can meet its environmental agendas and secure the future existence of forests in the country.