This story is from January 14, 2022

Gadchiroli, Chandrapur lost over 18 sq km forest cover in 2 years

Gadchiroli, Chandrapur lost over 18 sq km forest cover in 2 years
Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Bhandara and Washim districts overall lost forest cover by 21.44 sq km but Gondia, Buldhana, Yavatmal, Wardha, Akola and Amravati have registered an overall gain of 16.8 sq km
The biennial India State of Forest Report-2021 shows state’s forest cover has increased by 30 sq km, but it has depleted in forested districts of Chandrapur and Gadchiroli, which are home to majority of tigers in Vidarbha, ‘mainly due to encroachments’. It also points to ‘failure’ of 33cr plantations

Nagpur: While the overall forest cover in Maharashtra has gone up by 30 sq km, the forested districts of Chandrapur and Gadchiroli have lost an area over 14 sq km and 4 sq km. Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Bhandara and Washim districts overall lost forest area by 21.44 sq km.
Other districts of the region, including Gondia, Buldhana, Yavatmal, Wardha, Akola and Amravati have registered an overall gain in forest cover by 16.8 sq km.

The report also mentions that forest areas in Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts as extremely fire-prone.
The data was revealed in the biennial India State of Forest Report (ISFR)-2021 that was released on Thursday. The last report was published in 2019. The state recorded an increase of 13 sq km of very dense forest (VDF) and 17 sq km of moderately dense forest (MDF) as compared to 2019.
VDF means tree canopy density is 70% and above, MDF is density between 40%-70%, open forest (OF) is density between 10%-40%, scrub includes density less than 10% and non-forest are all lands not included in above classes and also water bodies.

This is the 17th ISFR derived by the way of wall-to-wall mapping of the country’s forest cover using remote sensing techniques, sample plot-based national forest inventory, and special studies carried out at the national level. For the first time, the report has covered tiger reserves and their corridors.
PCCF & member-secretary Pravin Srivastava said the report portrays an optimistic picture in the state. “If you evaluate the figures, there is net gain of 4 sqkm in mangrove cover in Maharashtra, which second to Odisha.”
“Secondly, Maharashtra has topped in tree cover (patches of size less than one hectare outside recorded forest area) in the country with an increase of 1,302 sq km, which means good work was done to increase plantations. The reduction in open forest means parts of it must have been added in MDF,” Srivastava said.
State wildlife board member and Satpuda Foundation chief Kishor Rithe said though increase in forest cover by 30sq km is a good thing, “an analysis of the report shows that barring Assam and Odisha there is no satisfactory rise in VDF elsewhere”.
Pointing towards loss of forest cover in Chandrapur and Gadchiroli, Rithe said encroachments seem to be the bone of contention. “These are the two districts that house 90% of our tigers. Based on the latest report the state now needs to take corrective steps,” said Rithe.
“VDF and MDF not increasing substantially is a worrying factor. Neighbouring MP also registered a loss of 11 sq km and a whooping 132 sq km in VDF and MDF, respectively,” said Rithe.
Gadchiroli forest officials admitted on the condition of anonymity that encroachments under Forest Rights Act-2006 is the main reason why forest cover has been going down consistently. The report also cautions about the growth of invasive species in 1,640 sq km of the state’s recorded forest areas.
“The loss of forest cover in the five districts exposes tall claims of the forest department about 70-80% survival rate of 33 crore plantations. How has tree cover gone up when lakhs of trees have been cut for road
widening and other projects?” said green crusader Ansuya-Kale-Chhabrani.
The state’s bamboo cover too has gone down by 1,882 sq km to 13,526 sq km.
INFOBOX
COUNTING THE GREEN CANOPIES
BOX 1
* Geographical area | 3,07,713 sq km
* Number of districts | 35
* Number of hills districts | 7
* Number of tribal districts | 12
FOREST COVER
* Very Dense Forest (VDF) | 8,734
* Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) | 20,589
Open Forest (OF) | 21,301
Scrub | 4,189
Non-forest | 2,52,491
(Area in sq km)
+++++++++++++++++++
BOX 2
* 42.34 sq km | Forest area lost in 16 districts
Major Losers
* Gadchiroli | 14.12 sq km
* Thane | 5.15 sq km
* Sindhudurg | 4.30 sq km
* Chandrapur | 4.19 sq km
* Beed | 2.48 sq km
* Nagpur | 1.59 sq km
* Bhandara | 1.17 sq km
BOX 3
# 2021 Assessment
* VDF
8,721 sq km (2019)
8,734 sq km (2021)
Gain | 13 sq km
* MDF
20,572 sq km (2019)
20,589 sq km (2021)
Gain | 17 sqkm
* OF
21,485 sq km (2019)
21,475 sq km (2021)
Loss | 10 sq km
* Scrub
4,256 sq km (2019)
4,247 sq km (2021)
Loss | 9 sq km
++++++++++++++
BOX 4
Tree Cover
10,806 sq km (2019)
12,108 sq km (2021)
Gain | 1,302 sq km
End of Article
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