Worrying trend of forests degrading, point out experts

The country's green cover may be increasing according to the headline findings of the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 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 ecosystem services provided by old-growth forests, experts said.

- Jayashree Nandi

Degradation of forests According to the report, released Saturday, 40,709.28 sq km has seen degradation between 2011 and 2021, from very dense and moderately dense to open forests, and 5,573.02 sq km has seen degradation from very dense, moderately dense and open forests to scrub type. Most worryingly, 46,707.11 sq km has seen very dense, moderately dense, open, and scrub type forests degrading to non-forests.

Very dense forests (VDF) have a canopy density of ≥ 70%; Moderately dense forest (MDF) between 40% and 70%; Open forest (OF), between 10% and 40%; and Scrub type, less than 10%. Non-forest lands are cropland, settlements and other areas. Forest canopy density is the proportion of the ground covered by the crowns of trees, a measure of how dense the forests are.

"A land bank of approximately 92,989 sq km (basically the sum of all the areas that have seen degradation) has been identified for "density upgradation" within recorded forest areas. As per the report this will be used for "enrichment planting" through forestry interventions -- likely through compensatory afforestation programs, which presents a bigger problem," said Prakriti Srivastava, retired IFS and former principal chief conservator of forests, Krithika Sampath and Prerna Singh Bindra, conservation researchers.