Reinventing Forest Conservation Efforts in India

India stands at a critical juncture where the ambitions of economic growth and ecological sustainability must converge. With the Green India Mission’s target to restore 25 million hectares of degraded forests by 2030, the focus has shifted from mere tree planting to fostering ecological resilience. However, challenges such as declining forest health due to climate change, limited community participation, and underutilization of funds continue to inhibit progress. India must therefore prioritise community involvement, native species restoration, capacity building, and innovative financing mechanisms to secure the future of its forests and fulfill its climate commitments. 

What are the Key Drivers Behind India’s Evolving Forest Conservation Strategy? 

• Enhanced Focus on Increasing Forest and Tree Cover: According to the India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR), India’s total forest and tree cover stands at 827,357 sq km, covering 25.17% of the geographic area.  
  • Notably, forest cover grew by 156 sq km and tree cover by 1,289 sq km from 2021 to 2023.  
  • States like Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan have led gains in forest area, reflecting effective afforestation and restoration efforts. 
  • 19 States/UTs have forest cover above 33% of their area; Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Manipur have forest cover above 75%. 
• Carbon Sequestration and Climate Goals: India’s forests act as vital carbon sinks, currently absorbing about 30.43 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, reflecting an increase of 2.29 billion tonnes since 2005.  
  • This growing carbon absorption capacity plays a pivotal role in achieving India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement. 
  • To further enhance this capacity, the government has launched initiatives such as the Green India Mission (GIM)-Updated Framework, which aims to restore 25 million hectares of degraded forest and non-forest land by 2030, marking a significant scale-up of earlier restoration targets. 
  • This ambitious restoration effort directly supports India’s climate pledge to create an additional carbon sink capable of absorbing up to 3.39 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2030, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to sustainable land management, ecological restoration, and long-term climate resilience. 
• Government-Backed Afforestation and Restoration: The Green India Mission (GIM) has allocated over ₹900 crore to states for planting and restoration work on 1.55 lakh hectares, including focused efforts on mangrove rehabilitation through the MISHTI scheme, which has restored over 22,500 hectares of coastal land.  
  • The National Afforestation Programme (NAP), launched in 2000 and now merged with the Green India Mission (GIM), promotes people’s participation in tree plantation and ecological restoration of degraded forests.  
    • With an investment of about ₹3,982 crore, NAP has facilitated afforestation over more than 2 million hectares across States and UTs, including a sub-mission focused on enhancing tree cover in urban and peri-urban areas. 
  • National Forest Policy mandates a goal of a minimum one-third of land under forest/tree cover nationally. 
  • The ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign inspired millions nationwide to plant trees in honour of their mothers, resulting in over 1.4 billion seedlings planted. 
• Expansion and Strengthening of Wildlife Corridors: To maintain biodiversity and wildlife connectivity, critical corridors such as the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Corridor (Assam), Rajaji-Corbett Tiger Corridor (Uttarakhand), and Western Ghats corridors have been expanded and strengthened.  
  • These corridors protect endangered species like tigers, elephants, Nilgiri Tahr, and sloth bears, supported by reforestation with native species over thousands of hectares. 
• Community Participation and Livelihood Enhancement: Recognising the role of forest-dependent communities, especially tribal populations, India promotes Joint Forest Management Programs and the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY). 
  • PMVDY enhances livelihoods by supporting 300 tribal Self-Help Groups (SHGs) through skill development, infrastructure support, and market linkages for Minor Forest Produce (MFP).  
  • This participatory approach improves local stewardship and poverty alleviation. 
• Digitisation and Technology-Driven Governance: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has promoted the digitisation of forest boundaries across 25 states and union territories, enabling better monitoring and planning.  
  • Advanced satellite-based fire alert systems and geospatial monitoring underpin real-time forest management, while data from ISFR guides evidence-based policymaking. 
  • Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in India to implement an AI-based Real-Time Forest Alert System (RTFAS) on a pilot basis, enabling active forest management, early detection of deforestation, and rapid response to illegal activities and forest fires. 
• Forest Fire Prevention and Management: The government has implemented the Forest Fire Prevention & Management Scheme, incorporating modern remote sensing and GIS technologies, operated by the Forest Survey of India (FSI).  
  • As a result, forest fire incidents have decreased from 223,333 in 2021-22 to 203,544 in 2023-24, improving forest health and reducing damage to biodiversity and rural livelihoods. 

What are the Major Challenges Undermining India’s Forest Conservation and Management Efforts? 

• Deforestation and Forest Land Diversion: India continues to face net forest loss due to diversion of forest land for infrastructure and industrial projects.  
  • The MoEFCC has approved the diversion of 1,73,984.3 hectares of forest land for non-forestry purposes between 2014–15 and 2023–24. 
  • Between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2025, a total of 78,135.84 hectares of forest land were approved for diversion to non-forest purposes. 
    • Among the states, Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest diversion with 17,393.65 hectares, followed by Odisha (11,033.08 ha), Arunachal Pradesh (6,561.47 ha), Uttar Pradesh (5,480.43 ha), and Chhattisgarh (4,092.01 ha). 
  • These figures highlight the intensifying developmental footprint on India’s forests, emphasising the need for stricter ecological safeguards and sustainable land-use planning. 
• Inadequate Implementation of Forest Rights: Several years after the implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (FRA) — introduced in January 2008 — forest-dwelling communities still face major challenges in securing their legal rights. 
  • To date, only three states have made notable progress in recognising Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights, with Maharashtra standing out as the only state where these rights have been effectively operationalised. 
  • This reflects the slow and uneven implementation of the FRA across India, undermining its core objective of empowering forest-dependent communities and promoting inclusive forest governance. 
  • A case study in Budaguda Gram Panchayat, Odisha, shows how denial of community rights led to conflict with forest authorities.  
  • Illegal timber extraction and encroachments continue to deplete forests. States like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have witnessed surges in unlawful logging and a 146% rise in encroachments in recent years.  
• Monoculture Afforestation and Biodiversity Loss: Large-scale monoculture plantations of non-native species such as eucalyptus and teak are reducing biodiversity and degrading soil fertility.  
  • The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 highlights that much of the recent increase in forest cover comes from plantation forests, not natural regeneration.  
  • This reduces ecosystem resilience to pests and climate variability, particularly in central India. 
  • The spread of invasive species like Lantana camara—which now covers 40% of tiger reserves—and Prosopis juliflora disrupts native vegetation and wildlife habitats.  
  • States such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu struggle with widespread infestations, reducing fodder availability and complicating restoration.  
• Human–Wildlife Conflicts and Habitat Fragmentation: Habitat loss and fragmentation from development projects push wildlife into human settlements, increasing conflict incidents.  
  • Between 2019 and 2024, approximately 2,829 people lost their lives in elephant attacks across India, with Odisha recording the highest number of fatalities. 
  • In 2023–24, a total of 121 elephants died in India — including 94 due to electrocution, 9 from poaching, 1 from poisoning, and 17 in train accidents. 
  • Between 2019 and 2024, over 2,727 human deaths occurred due to elephant attacks. 
  • States like Assam are using AI-based early warning systems and community vigilance groups to reduce conflict, but coexistence challenges persist in forest fringe areas. 
• Climate Change and Increasing Forest Fires: Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of forest fires globally. 
  • Erratic rainfall and rising temperatures exacerbate the vulnerability of montane and dry deciduous forests.  
  • Between 2001 and 2022, the world lost approximately 126 million hectares of forest cover due to wildfires, reflecting a sharp surge in fire-induced forest loss over the past two decades and highlighting the growing impact of climate change and land-use pressures on global ecosystems. 
  • Forest fires now account for nearly 44% of annual tree cover loss (2023–2024) — almost double the share of around 26–29% recorded between 2001 and 2022.  
  • Regions like the Garhwal Himalaya have seen repeated wildfire incidents, degrading biodiversity, watersheds, and soil stability, thus threatening livelihoods. 
  • Limited funding, technical capacity, and community involvement hinder effective control.

What Effective Measures can be Adopted to Ensure Sustainable Forest Conservation and Management in India? 

• Strengthen and Modernise Legal Frameworks: India should rigorously enforce and update forest laws such as the Forest Conservation Act, including the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Amendment Rules, 2025, which streamline forest land approvals, promote compensatory afforestation, and incorporate safeguards for critical mineral mining.  
  • These legal enhancements will modernise forest governance and align with global climate and biodiversity goals. 
• Empower Communities and Indigenous Peoples:  India must decentralise forest governance by fully implementing the Forest Rights Act to recognise and empower forest-dependent communities, particularly tribal groups.  
  • Through participatory forest management, community stewardship can reduce illegal activities, improve biodiversity conservation, and enhance livelihoods, reflecting best practices under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 
  • Massive campaigns like ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ demonstrate the power of citizen engagement in forest conservation.  
    • India should bolster formal environmental education and celebrate the International Day of Forests annually to foster a culture of stewardship and scientific curiosity. 
• Prioritise Ecological Restoration with Native Species:  India should phase out monoculture plantations in favour of restoring native forests and diverse ecosystems.  
  • The Green India Mission’s focus on mixed-species restoration must expand across states, promoting ecosystem connectivity and climate resilience in line with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. 
  • The government must implement targeted action plans to control invasives like Lantana camara, which threaten core tiger reserves and other critical habitats.  
    • Combining scientific research with local knowledge, these efforts will restore native plant communities, enhance wildlife habitat quality, and maintain ecosystem balance as per global biodiversity targets. 
• Integrate Agroforestry and Climate-Smart Farming Practices:  India should fully implement the National Agroforestry Policy to encourage sustainable land-use systems that improve productivity, sequester carbon, and provide alternate livelihoods.  
  • Linking agroforestry with millet cultivation and drought-resistant farming supports climate adaptation and food security in vulnerable regions. 
  • India must invest in climate-adaptive forest management, including fire danger rating systems, drought-tolerant species plantations, and ecosystem services improvement projects.  
    • These measures, supported by international funding and cooperation like the World Bank-backed Ecosystem Services Improvement Project (ESIP), will make forests more resilient to climate extremes, fulfil Paris Agreement commitments, and secure vital carbon sinks. 
• Adopt Advanced Technology for Surveillance and Monitoring:  Scaling up real-time monitoring tools such as satellite imaging, drones, GPS, and AI will enable early detection of illegal logging, forest fires, and habitat encroachment.  
  • The Forest Survey of India’s use of MODIS sensor data for forest fire alerts is a positive example.  
  • Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology, widely used in countries like the United States and Canada, enables precise 3D mapping of forest canopy, biomass estimation, and detection of forest degradation.  
    • Its adoption in India can significantly complement satellite-based monitoring, leading to more accurate ecological assessments and data-driven forest management. 

Conclusion:  

In “The Religion of the Forest,” Rabindranath Tagore beautifully observed that “the forest teaches us enoughness- the principle of equity, showing how to enjoy nature’s gifts without exploitation or accumulation.” To honour this ethos, India should focus on integrating ecological restoration, empowering local and indigenous communities, leveraging advanced technology, and strengthening legal frameworks for forest protection.

Drishti Mains Question: “Degradation of forests is a silent crisis in India.”Critically examine the success and limitations of India’s restoration and afforestation policies.