DIMAPUR — While India’s overall forest cover increased by 7,449 square kilometres between 2017 and 2021, according to the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR), Nagaland experienced a concerning 238-square-kilometre decrease during the same period.
The ISFR, released by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), reported a total national forest and tree cover of 713,789 square kilometres, which is 21.71% of India’s geographical area.
Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, cited this data in Parliament on Monday to address concerns about increased carbon emissions from deforestation. He attributed differences between the ISFR and Global Forest Watch (GFW) data—which shows a 23,300-square-kilometre loss of tree cover in India since 2000—to differing definitions of forest cover and tree cover.
He also highlighted that the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, was amended through a gazette notification dated August 4, 2023 and the revised provisions came into effect on December 1, 2023.
“The amendments are being implemented to promote the conservation, management and restoration of forests, support ecologically sustainable development, ensure ecological security, preserve cultural and traditional values related to forests and address economic needs while advancing carbon neutrality,” he said.
However, data provided by the minister in the parliament revealed a gradual decrease in Nagaland’s forest cover.
In contrast to the national trend, from 12,489 square kilometres in 2017, the state’s forest cover dropped to 12,486 square kilometres in 2019 and further decreased to 12,251 square kilometres by 2021.