Why in news?

The 18th biennial State of Forest Report (ISFR-2023) highlights a marginal gain of 156 sq km in forest cover and a significant increase of 1,289 sq km in tree cover since 2021.

For the first time, India’s green cover has surpassed the 25% threshold, with 8,27,357 sq km (25.17%) of the country under forest (21.76%) and tree (3.41%) cover. Dense forests constitute 4,10,175 sq km of the total.

What’s in today’s article?

• Trends in Forest and Tree Cover Growth
• Forests within forest
• Forest Balance Sheet: Insights from ISFR-2023
• Implications of Forest Cover Trends

Trends in Forest and Tree Cover Growth

• Calculation
  • Since 2001, tree patches smaller than 1 hectare have been measured separately as tree cover.
• Trend
  • The latest ISFR-2023 report shows the sharpest growth in tree cover, rising from 2.91% in 2021 to 3.41% in 2023, marking a 0.5 percentage point increase in two years.
  • In contrast, forest cover growth has slowed, increasing by only 0.05 percentage points since 2021.
• Implication
  • This aligns with the diminishing growth trend since forest cover surpassed the 20% threshold in the early 2000s.
  • Between 2003 and 2013, forest cover grew by 0.61 percentage points (from 20.62% to 21.23%).
  • On the other hand, the next decade saw only a 0.53 percentage point increase to 21.76%.

Forests within forest

• Classification of Forest Types in India
  • In India, tree patches measuring 1 hectare or more with a minimum canopy cover of 10% are classified as forests, irrespective of land use or ownership.
  • Forests are categorized based on canopy density:
    • Very Dense Forests (VDF): Canopy density ≥ 70% (classified since 2003).
    • Dense Forests: Canopy density ≥ 40%.
    • Open Forests (OF): Canopy density between 10-40%.
    • Non-Forest (NF): Areas with < 10% canopy density, including shrubs.
• Dynamic Changes in Forest Density
  • Forests undergo transitions across density categories due to factors like climate and biotic pressure. For example:
    • A VDF may thin to a Moderately Dense Forest (MDF).
    • An OF may improve to an MDF.
    • Forests may degrade to NF or shrub areas, indicating deforestation.
• Limitations of Aggregated Data
• While aggregated data reflects the quantum of different forest types, it fails to capture the dynamic transformation of forests, where natural forests degrade, disappear, or are replaced by plantations.
• Plantations often grow faster but do not replicate the ecological richness of natural forests.
• Tracking Forest Change
  • Since 2003, ISFR reports include a “change matrix”, detailing forest transitions across categories.
  • This data highlights broad trends over two decades, reflecting the dynamic nature of forest ecosystems.

Forest Balance Sheet: Insights from ISFR-2023

• Dense Forest Losses (2003-2023)
  • India has lost 24,651 sq km (6.3%) of its dense forests since 2003, equivalent to nearly half the size of Punjab.
  • Key trends:
    • 2021-2023: 3,913 sq km lost (larger than Goa).
    • 2013-2023: 17,500 sq km lost.
    • 2003-2013: 7,151 sq km lost.
• Plantation Gains Offset Dense Forest Losses
  • Rapid transformation of 15,530 sq km of non-forested or scantly forested land to dense forests over the past two decades has offset these losses.
  • Experts suggest these gains are predominantly plantations, as natural forests do not grow this quickly.
    • 2021-2023: 1,420 sq km of plantations became dense forests.
• Management and Density Improvements
• Better management practices have allowed Open Forests (OFs) to improve into Moderately Dense Forests (MDFs) over the last decade.
• Combined with plantation gains, this has kept the dense forest cover largely stable.
• The “change matrix” records a net increase of 1,370 sq km of dense forest between 2003-2023.
• 716 sq km of gains were recorded in the 2021-2023 cycle alone.
• Data Revisions and Paper Gains
  • India’s dense forest cover officially grew by 21,601 sq km (6%) between 2003-2023.
  • However, this figure includes 20,232 sq km of revisions made in previous ISFR reports (2005, 2009, 2015, and 2021), raising questions about the accuracy of these gains.
• Key Observation
  • While plantations and management practices stabilize dense forest cover on paper, the ongoing disappearance of natural dense forests highlights the need for improved conservation measures.

Implications of Forest Cover Trends

• Criticism of Plantation-Based Forest Growth
  • The apparent growth in forest cover through the replacement of natural dense forests with plantations has drawn criticism from experts.
  • Key issues include:
    • Uniformity and Vulnerability: Plantations typically consist of trees of the same age and species, making them susceptible to fire, pests, and epidemics.
    • Barrier to Natural Regeneration: Plantations hinder the regrowth of biodiverse natural forests, which provide a broader range of ecological benefits.
• Ecological Superiority of Natural Forests
  • Natural forests outperform plantations in several ways:
    • Biodiversity: Natural forests support more species and complex ecosystems.
    • Carbon Stock: They store significantly more carbon, both in trees and soil, compared to plantations.
• Climate Challenges of Plantation Forests
  • Rapid Growth Assumption: In 2018, the UNFCCC flagged India’s assumption that plantations reach the carbon stock level of natural forests in just eight years, which is unrealistic.
  • Short-Term Gains, Long-Term Risks: Plantations grow quickly and are promoted to meet carbon targets. However, they are often harvested prematurely, undermining long-term climate goals.
• Conclusion
  • While plantations may stabilize forest cover on paper and provide short-term carbon benefits, they fail to replicate the ecological and climate advantages of old natural forests, emphasizing the need for better conservation strategies.