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Tree cover across the Indian Himalayan Region declined by 2.27 per cent between 2021 and 2023, Union minister Kirti Vardhan Singh informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Friday.

 

Citing findings from the India State of Forest Report 2023, Singh said tree cover in the Himalayan region decreased from 15,427.11 sq km in 2021 to 15,075.5 sq km in 2023.

 

The Indian Himalayan region comprises 13 states and Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Assam and West Bengal.

 

Despite the decline in tree cover, the minister noted that the total carbon stock stored in forests across the region showed a marginal rise. According to the report, forest carbon stock increased from 3,272.68 million tonnes in 2021 to 3,273.10 million tonnes in 2023.

 

Singh emphasised that forest health cannot be assessed solely by the visible greenness or area of forest cover. “Forest health is influenced by multiple ecological and biophysical parameters and not merely by the greenness of forest areas,” he said.

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The Forest Survey of India (FSI), which prepares the biennial forest report, monitors several parameters to assess forest health, including soil depth, soil erosion, forest vegetation characteristics and threats to forest ecosystems.

 

These factors interact with each other and collectively determine the condition of forests at a given time, the minister said, adding that the detailed findings have been documented in the ISFR 2023.

 

The India State of Forest Report is released every two years by the Forest Survey of India under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and provides a comprehensive assessment of the country’s forest and tree resources. The latest report estimates India’s total forest cover at about 715,343 sq km, or 21.76 per cent of the country’s geographical area, while tree cover accounts for around 3.41 per cent.

 

The Himalayan region plays a critical ecological role as a biodiversity hotspot and a key water source for major rivers across South Asia. Environmental experts have often emphasised that monitoring forest quality, ecosystem health and climate resilience is essential for preserving this fragile mountain landscape.