Environmental activists and conservationists in the city have reason to cheer — there has been a marginal improvement in the forest cover in the State.
Even as World Forest Day is being celebrated on Saturday, a report says the forest cover has increased by 219 kilometres (0.17 per cent) from 23,625 km in 2011 to 23,844 km in 2013.
A comparative study of the ‘India State of Forest Reports’ by the Dehradun-based Forest Survey of India shows this increase.
The report, covering a wide range of topics including tree cover, urban tree resources and mangroves cover, could be read as a report card of conservation efforts carried out all over the country.
The report cites better protection and conservation as the main reasons for the increase in the forest cover.
The report finds the tree cover in the State has increased by a miniscule 0.11 per cent. The tree cover in 2013 was 4,866 km against 4,718 km in 2011.
Jayashree Vencatesan, managing trustee, Care Earth, crediting the Forest Department for this improvement, said the State has been way ahead in protection, conservation and restoration of forest areas. She also credited the Tamil Nadu Bio Diversity and Greening Project, a project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The satellite-based study also brings to focus the decrease in moderately dense forests due to various factors, including encroachments.