World News (not involving animals)

[Amnon242]

...The bulk of the increase in forest cover – about 3800 sq km – was in just one state, the report shows, and is partly attributed to a correction in previous survey data.In fact, India may be losing quality forests. Dense forests are degrading into scrub or sparsely covered forest areas in many states, says the report. “Moderately dense” forest cover – areas with a tree canopy density of between 40-70% – shrank by 1991 sq km in the two-year period, while “open forests” with less than 40% canopy increased by 7831 sq km.Another potential worry: the Himalayan northeastern region, which holds one-fourth of the country’s forests, has seen a small decline of 627 sq km in forest cover.India’s total forest cover now stands at 697,898 sq km or 21.23% of the country’s area. That’s well short of the official goal to get cover up to 30% of land area (in February, the government approved a £4.46m project to increase forest area)."
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/b...er-numbers


~~The report does for the first time talk about where the increase in forest cover is taking place. It is taking place largely outside lands that are designated as forest lands on land records. This suggests that these are not healthy forests which can hold rich biodiversity but probably mere plantations. The quality of these new forests are suspect replacement for the decently well-wooded forests the country is losing. The report shows nearly 2,000 sq km of moderately dense forests either degraded, got thinned down or just chopped off in the two years under assessment.

http://www.business-standard.com/article...137_1.html


Does anybody have more info on this?


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