India State of Forest Report 2019 has been prepared by Forest Survey of India (FSI). It is a biannual report. The report is prepared after mapping of forests and trees through satellite. Key highlights of the report are as follows:
- the forest area has increased by 3976 kilometers and the area of trees by 1212 square kilometers in two years.
- the three states where forest area has grown the most include Karnataka (1025 km), Andhra Pradesh (990 km) and Kerala (823 km).
- It has also mentioned in the report that the forest area of the northeastern states has decreased except Assam.
- A marginal increase in forest cover was recorded in Himachal, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Bihar.
- The report shows that the forest area has also increased in the infertile regions of Rajasthan.
- Jammu and Kashmir grew 371 sq. km of forest cover while Himachal Pradesh grew 334-sq. km of forest area.
- The report highlights that all hill districts of India has 2,84,006 sq. km of forest area which is 40.30% of the total geographical area of all hill districts of the country.
- The mangrove cover increased by 54sqKm, with Gujarat and Maharashtra registering the largest improvements.