State of forest report appears not to have been scientifically prepared, says citizens’ group

The 18th India State of Forest Report released in December appears not to have been scientifically prepared and seems to convey the false impression that the country’s forests are in good health, a group of prominent citizens said in an open letter to the environment ministry on Monday.

The projected increase of 156.41 sq km forest cover and 1,445.81 sq km of forest and tree cover appears to be an incorrect assessment, the Constitutional Conduct Group said.

The letter said: “We observe with great alarm that while our forests are steadily deteriorating, with reports that India ranks second, globally, in deforestation, losing, in 10 years from 2013 to 2023, 1.49 million hectares of trees, the ISFR presents a rosy picture, lulling us into a state of complacency.”

The reality, the group said, is that deforestation was contributing significantly to the climate crisis “leading to frequent extreme weather events, forest fires, great loss of human and animal life, and huge economic losses”.

The group said that the 2023 India State of Forest Report, released about a year late, is a cause for concern due to its flawed reporting and because it revealed a significant reduction in the quantity and quality of forest cover.

‘Flawed reporting’

The methodology followed in the report to evaluate forest cover…

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