A recent study by IIT Bombay has shed light on India’s alarming forest cover trends between 2015 and 2019. The numbers are stark: for every square kilometer of forest gained, the country lost 18 square kilometers. That’s a net loss no state managed to avoid.
The research, led by Prof Raaj Ramsankaran of IIT Bombay in collaboration with SASTRA Deemed University, analyzed digital forest cover maps from the Copernicus Global Land Service. The findings reveal a troubling imbalance in forest conservation efforts.
Some states fared better than others in adding forest cover. Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Rajasthan accounted for nearly half of the 56.3 sq km gained. But losses were far more significant. Tamil Nadu and West Bengal alone contributed to almost half of the 1,032.89 sq km lost.
Here’s the kicker: over half of the newly added forests are fragmented islets. These patches lack structural connectivity, meaning they don’t support healthy ecosystems the way continuous forests do. Dr Vasu Sathyakumar, one of the researchers, emphasized the need to move beyond quantity-based afforestation. “Our results clearly show that most of the newly added forests were islets, highly fragmented and ecologically vulnerable,” he said.
The ecological impact is profound. Large, unbroken forests are biodiversity powerhouses. They’re resilient, self-sustaining, and provide long-term socio-economic benefits. Fragmented forests, on the other hand, struggle to support wildlife. Take tigers, for instance. They need vast, connected habitats to thrive without human conflict.
Interestingly, the Forest Survey of India (FSI) reports paint a different picture. They indicate an overall increase in forest cover. But Ramsankaran explains why this isn’t necessarily conflicting data. FSI uses different criteria, like a 10% canopy cover threshold and lower-resolution satellite imagery. Crucially, it doesn’t assess forest connectivity.
The CGLS dataset used in this study applied a 15% canopy threshold and 100-meter resolution. With over 85% global accuracy, it offers a reliable basis for connectivity analysis. “If FSI’s data were made available in GIS-compatible format, our methodology could be readily applied to it,” noted Dr Sathyakumar.
The team has proposed a new framework using remote sensing data and open-source tools. This could help map forest connectivity at state and national levels, offering a clearer picture of India’s green infrastructure.
Forest conservation isn’t just about planting trees. It’s about planting them in ways that restore ecosystems. As this study shows, quality matters as much as quantity.