Latest news with #IndiaStateofForestReport
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
In 10 years, Goa loses a fifth of its tree cover
Margao: The state has lost over a fifth or 22% of its tree cover in recent years. Centre's data shows that Goa's tree cover peaked at 334sqkm in 2010-11, but fell to 258sqkm by 2021-22 — a loss of 76sqkm over a decade. This represents a 22.8% drop from the peak coverage. According to the latest data released by the Union ministry of statistics and programme implementation in the 'EnviStats India 2025: Environment Statistics' report, Goa's tree cover peaked at 334sqkm in 2010-11, but declined to just 258sqkm by 2021-22 — a loss of 76sqkm over a decade. This represents a 22.8% reduction from the peak coverage. The data shows a significant initial recovery period from 2000 to 2010-11, when tree cover expanded from a mere 62sqkm to 334sqkm — a more than five-fold increase. However, this positive trend reversed sharply after 2010-11, with consistent year-on-year losses. The steepest decline occurred between 2015-16 and 2017-18, when tree cover dropped from 323sqkm to 272sqkm — a loss of 51sqkm in just two years. Experts said this period coincides with increased development pressures and infrastructure expansion across the state. The current tree cover of 258sqkm represents approximately 7% of Goa's total area of 3,702sqkm. Activists have already been calling for immediate action to reverse this trend and protect the remaining green cover in the state. The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 released by the Union environment ministry in Dec showed that from 2021 to 2023, Goa's total forest cover came down by 1.50sqkm or 150ha. Goa's total forest cover now stands at 2, loss of forest cover was higher in North Goa at 90ha, besides a loss of 60ha of forest cover in South Goa. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Greener side of Bastar as forest cover increases
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, in recent years, has been making headlines for Maoist-related campaigns involving security forces. At the same time, the extensive area has also witnessed the Chhattisgarh forest department's diligent engagement in achieving a remarkable feat of improving the forest cover density, reinforcing the region's reputation as a thriving green landscape. The India State of Forest Report (ISFR), published by the Forest Survey of India in Dehradun, reflects the results of these consistent efforts, including the utilisation of a satellite-based sensor with a spatial resolution of 23.5 metres. The report highlighted a significant enhancement in forest cover across multiple regions of the Bastar zone—an area larger than the state of Kerala and boasting several tourist attractions and sightseeing spots. With the acknowledged commitment to sustainable forest management and associated conservation initiatives in recent years, the forest department has undertaken various measures to enhance forest cover, thereby strengthening the green footprint. The progress in forest cover density is attributed to multiple factors, including continuous monitoring by the forest department, an effective soil and water conservation programme, removal of invasive weed species and community-led afforestation initiatives, as well as the deep-rooted environmental ethos of Bastar's tribal communities. 'The inspired vision of the Chhattisgarh government gave a boost to the state forest department's proactive and scientific approach that yielded impressive conservation results. The ISFR 2023 data reaffirms the state's commitment to sustainable forest where strategic interventions and active community participation has yielded a major boost on augmenting the forest cover', V Sreenivasa Rao, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force, told this newspaper. Several areas in Bastar have shown an upward transition in forest classification. Notable improvements are seen in Jagdalpur Circle — covering forest divisions of Bastar, Bijapur, Sukma and Dantewada and Kanker Circle that includes Keshkal, Bhanupratapur, south Kondagaon and Narayanpur forest divisions', a senior officer elucidated quoting the ISFR report. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis confirmed that approximately 152 sq km of forest area have transitioned from Moderate Dense Forest to Very Dense Forest. Additionally, 93 sq km of land have improved from non-forest to open forest, while 156 sq km have progressed from open forest to moderate dense forest.
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Govt's effort to conserve biodiversity yields results
Lucknow: The UP govt has intensified efforts to conserve and promote biodiversity across the state. UP now boasts the highest number of dolphins in the country and the number of tigers in the state too has increased from 173 in 2018 to 205 in 2022. To check illegal turtle poaching besides enforcement, awareness is being raised about the role turtles play in maintaining aquatic ecosystems. Whilenatural habitats are being preserved, dedicated breeding centres have been established in Sarnath and Kukrail. Given that the Ganga is a natural home to many turtle species, focus is being placed on districts along its banks, including Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Hapur, Bijnor, Amroha, and Bulandshahr. Govt is focusing on planting trees along major rivers and around Amrit Sarovars. Since 2017–18, over 204.65 crore saplings were planted and this year, govt aims to plant another 35 crore. Special plantation along the Ganga is being carried out under the Ganga Van initiative. This year, over 14 crore saplings will be planted along the Ganga, Yamuna, Chambal, Betwa, Ken, Gomti, Chhoti Gandak, Hindon, Rapti, Ramganga and Son to the India State of Forest Report 2023, the forest area in UP has grown by 559.19 square kms. Govt is also protecting wetlands important for biodiversity. The Jatayu Conservation Centre has been set up in Gorakhpur to save vultures, which are natural cleaners of environment and are becoming endangered. Because the state has nine types of farming climates, it has a wide range of plants and has one national park and over 24 wildlife sanctuaries. A state biodiversity board has also been set up. UP is home to 56 types of mammals, 552 species of birds, 47 reptiles, 19 amphibians and 79 types of fish. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, in India, around 97 mammals, 94 bird species and 482 plant species are at risk of extinction. Between 1970 and 2018, the population of wild animals fell by 69%. It is estimated that 5% to 10% of insect species—around 2.5 to five lakh types—disappeared in 150 years. This is a serious environmental crisis because about 75% of crops and 85% of wild plants depend on birds and insects for pollination.
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
PWD forms teams for prompt clearance of uprooted trees in Delhi
The Public Works Department has formed 11 quick response teams (QRTs) under the Delhi Disaster Management Authority to ensure prompt and effective response to emergencies arising due to fallen and uprooted trees. In May, rain and thunderstorms wreaked havoc across Delhi-NCR — the intense storms also killed over 10 people across Delhi-NCR, while around 200 trees were uprooted. As per officials, the QRTs will have to coordinate with the department concerned in a swift and coordinated manner and remove these trees immediately. 'During the monsoon and heavy winds, such incidents take place. When trees get uprooted, they fall on electrical poles and wires, which also sometimes leads to mishaps… To avoid such incidents, these teams will be on alert and will take action during such emergencies,' said officials. Each team will have three engineers who will work in three shifts from 6 am to 2 pm, 2 pm to 10 pm and 10 pm to 6 am. The teams will be in place till September 15. On why trees fall during storms, experts have said that apart from the weather, issues ranging from root damage, poor or irregular pruning, widespread concretisation around trunks, termite attacks, unscientific cabling, and a lack of updated data on tree health have all added to the problem. For context, Delhi has 147 sq km of tree cover that falls outside forest areas. This is around 9.8% of Delhi's geographical area as per the India State of Forest Report (IFRS) 2023.
Hindustan Times
09-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
India's forest, tree cover at 25.17% due to large scale plantation works: Govt to UN
The forest and tree cover of India is now 25.17% of its geographical area because of key national initiatives, the latest India State of Forest Report told the United Nations Forum on Forests at the UN headquarters in New York from May 5-9. 'India reported a consistent increase in forest and tree cover, now encompassing 25.17% of its geographical area as per the latest India State of Forest Report as a result of key national initiatives like the restoration of land under the Aravalli Green Wall, a 7.86% increase in mangrove cover over the past decade, afforestation of over 1.55 lakh hectares under the Green India Mission, and plantation of 1.4 billion seedlings under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (Plant4Mother) campaign,' the environment ministry said on Friday. India also joined a high-level panel on 'Valuing Forest Ecosystems in National Policy and Strategy' at the UN, where it shared findings from pilot studies in Uttarakhand and Rajasthan, and tiger reserves. These studies quantified ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water provisioning, and biodiversity conservation using frameworks such as the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA). While acknowledging challenges in valuing non-market services, India emphasised the need to integrate ecosystem valuation into national planning for informed forest governance and long-term ecological sustainability. India's forest and tree cover encompasses 8,27,357 sqkm — 25.17% of the country's geographical area — as of 2023, according to the India State of Forest Report released by the Union environment ministry in December last year. Of this, around 21.76% is forest cover whereas tree cover is around 3.41%. The last such report, which is supposed to be released biennially, came out in 2021. Compared to 2021, there is an increase of 1445 sqkm — an area as large as Delhi — in the total forest and tree cover of the country, the report said. HT reported on December 24 that 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 addressed the degradation of large tracts of forestland, increase in plantations and lack of clarity in status of so-called unclassed forests — all of which could have serious impacts on biodiversity, people dependent on forests and ecosystem services provided by old-growth forests, experts said. According to the report released on Saturday, 40,709.28 sqkm of land has degraded between 2011 and 2021, from very dense and moderately dense to open forests.
