In 2015, forest cover all over India increased by 3,775 sq km--six times the size of Mumbai--as compared to 2013, according to the State of Forests Report.

The highest increase was in Tamil Nadu (2,501 sq. km) followed by Kerala (1317 sq. km), Jammu and Kashmir (450 sq. km) and Karnataka (289 sq. km).

The greatest reduction in forest cover were in Mizoram (306 sq. km), Uttarakhand (268 sq. km) and Telangana (168 sq. km).

Source: India State of Forests Report 2015

Notes with the data: Forest areas include all tree species including bamboos, orchards, coconut, palm etc, within recorded forest, private, community or institutional lands.

The change can be attributed to conservation measures, management interventions, harvesting of short ‘rotational’ plantations, clearances in encroached areas, biotic pressures, shifting cultivation and more, the report said.

State-wise reasons for the change can be found here.

(Shah is a reporter/writer with IndiaSpend.)

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