.webp "Uttar Pradesh Forest Cover ISFR 2023") |
| UP Green Cover |
Detailed Analysis of Uttar Pradesh’s Forest Cover
Growth: ISFR 2023
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has made significant
progress in enhancing its green cover, the India State of Forest Report
(ISFR) 2023. The 18th biennial edition released by the Forest Survey of
India under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,
provides a comprehensive assessment of India’s forest and tree resources. This
report, published on December 21, 2024, at the Forest Research Institute
in Dehradun, highlights significant environmental progress in Uttar Pradesh
(UP), a state with a geographical area of 2,40,928 sq km. The report
underscores UP’s efforts in increasing its green cover, positioning it as a
leader in national forestry initiatives.
Key Points
- Uttar Pradesh’s forest cover
increased from 14,927.37 sq km in 2021 to 15,045.80 sq km in 2023. - Tree cover rose from 8,510.16 sq km to 8,950.92 sq km, boosting overall
green cover to 23,996.72 sq km. - The state saw the second highest
increase in green cover nationally, at 559.19 sq km, after
Chhattisgarh. - Massive plantation drives, planting over
210 crore trees in seven years, contributed to this growth.
Understanding Green Cover Definitions
To contextualize the data, it’s
essential to define the terms used:
- Forest Cover: Defined as all lands more than one hectare with a tree canopy
density of 10% or more, including orchards, bamboo, and palms,
irrespective of ownership, legal status, or land use. These areas may not
necessarily be recorded as forest areas (RFA). - Tree Cover: Comprises all tree patches outside the forest area, less than one
hectare in extent, including scattered trees in rural and urban settings
not captured under forest cover. - Green Cover: The sum of forest cover and tree cover, providing a holistic view
of vegetated areas.
These
definitions, sourced from the ISFR 2023 report (India State of
Forest Report 2023), are crucial for understanding the data
presented.
Detailed Statistics and Analysis of Uttar Pradesh’s Forest Cover
The ISFR 2023 comparison with ISFR 2021 shows:
- Forest Cover: Increased from 14,927.37 sq km (6.2% of geographical area) in
2021 to 15,045.80 sq km (6.24%) in 2023, an increase of 118.43 sq km. - Tree Cover: Rose from 8,510.16 sq km (3.53%) to 8,950.92 sq km (3.72%),
adding 440.76 sq km. - Green Cover: Total green cover grew from 23,437.53 sq km (9.73%) to 23,996.72
sq km (9.96%), a net increase of 559.19 sq km, equivalent to 138,179
acres.
State Government Initiatives
The growth is attributed to the state government’s
proactive measures, including massive plantation drives and stringent tree
protection policies. Over the last seven years, the Yogi government has planted
more than 210 crore trees, a figure highlighted in the user’s data,
contributing extensively to the increase in tree cover. Sources from the forest
department, as mentioned, emphasized both plantation and protection as key
factors.
District-Level Contributions
The report
also details district-wise increases, with the top five districts
showing significant growth in green cover:
- Jhansi: 8,597 acres
- Amroha: 7,769 acres
- Etawat: 7,127 acres
- Kanpur City: 6,249 acres
- Bijnor: 3,343 acres
These
figures, in acres, reflect local efforts and were part of the user’s data,
adding granularity to the state-level statistics. Converting these to square
kilometers (1 sq km ≈ 247.105 acres) shows:
- Jhansi: ~34.79 sq km
- Amroha: ~31.44 sq km
- Etawat: ~28.85 sq km
- Kanpur City: ~25.29 sq km
- Bijnor: ~13.53 sq km
These
conversions, while not explicitly requested, provide a consistent unit for
comparison with state-level data.
National Comparison and Rankings
UP’s
increase of 559.19 sq km in green cover places it second nationally, behind Chhattisgarh (684 sq
km) and tied with Odisha (559 sq km), as confirmed by 18th India State of Forest Report 2023. This ranking was a point of verification
through web searches, ensuring accuracy. Additionally:
- UP recorded the maximum increase in
forest outside the Recorded Forest Area (RFA) at 79 sq km, ranking among
the top five states, with Gujarat leading at 241 sq km, followed by Bihar
(106.8 sq km), Kerala (95 sq km), and Assam (74.9 sq km). - UP is among the top three states for tree
cover, with 8,950.92 sq km, following Maharashtra (14,524.8 sq km) and
Rajasthan (10,841 sq km), as per the user’s data.
UP’s Forest and Tree Cover Data
To organize
the data effectively, here is a table summarizing the changes:
|
Category |
2021 (sq km) |
2023 (sq km) |
Increase (sq km) |
Percentage of Geographical Area (2023) |
|
Forest |
14,927.37 |
15,045.80 |
118.43 |
6.24% |
|
Tree |
8,510.16 |
8,950.92 |
440.76 |
3.72% |
|
Green |
23,437.53 |
23,996.72 |
559.19 |
9.96% |
Top Districts by Green Cover Increase
For district-level detail, another table:
|
District |
Increase (acres) |
Approximate Increase (sq km) |
|
Jhansi |
8,597 |
34.79 |
|
Amroha |
7,769 |
31.44 |
|
Etawat |
7,127 |
28.85 |
|
Kanpur |
6,249 |
25.29 |
|
Bijnor |
3,343 |
13.53 |
Conclusion and Future Implications
The increase in UP’s green cover
to 9.96% of its geographical area is a positive step towards environmental
conservation, aligning with national goals like the National Forest Policy,
1988, which aims for at least one-third of the land area under forest or tree
cover. Continued efforts in plantation and protection could further enhance
UP’s contribution to carbon sequestration and biodiversity, supporting India’s
commitments under the Paris Agreement and Bonn Challenge.
Key Citations