Assam's Forest Cover Declines by 83.92 Sq Km: ISFR 2023

Assam has recorded a forest cover loss of 83.92 sq km between 2021 and 2023, as revealed in the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released by Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav.

The "recorded forest area" in the state experienced a decline of 86.66 sq km during this period. In total, the eight Northeastern states saw a collective forest cover loss of 327.30 sq km, with Mizoram facing the highest decrease of 178.42 sq km, the report said.

The report highlights that Assam's canopy density within the "recorded forest area" has deteriorated across 1,699 sq km. Despite this, India saw a 1,445 sq km increase in total forest and tree cover from 2021 to 2023, signaling an overall improvement in the country's green cover.

Meghalaya is also facing a concerning decline in forest cover, with a loss of 84.07 sq km between 2021 and 2023, as per the ISFR 2023. This decline is part of a broader deforestation trend across the ecologically vital Northeastern region, which accounts for 21.08% of India’s total forest and tree cover, despite occupying just 7.98% of the country’s land area.