Plant a Tree For Mother: Increase Forest Cover, Save Earth

 Forests, wildlife and our environment are our heritage. It has to be passed on in a better condition than what we received from our forefathers to our children and grandchildren.

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Launching a campaign "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" (One tree in the name of mother), PM Sri Narendra Modi planted a "Peepal" (Ficus religiosa) tree in Buddha Jayanti Park, New Delhi. Calling upon people the world over, he wrote on X, "...call upon everyone, in India and around the world, to plant a tree in the coming days as a tribute to your mother...".  He urged people to plant trees for the broader welfare of society and the whole world. Following suit, UP CM Yogi Adityanath Ji rolled out a programme of grand plantation drive “Vrikksharopan Jan Abhiyan 2024” and declared a grand drive to plant 36.51 crores of saplings in Uttar Pradesh. 

Forests in Ancient India

India has been the land of Sages and Ascetics who used to contemplate and philosophise on various aspects of life, sitting in the lap of nature amidst deep forests. Indian culture, tradition and ethos revolved around forests which played a vital role in human lives sans their commercial exploitation.

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Hermitages were established in deep forests where spiritual rituals and Yagya were frequently performed besides running "Gurukuls" and imparting education to the seekers. Trees were equated with "Brahma" the Supreme, hence considered sacred and people were ordained to save and protect them. The religious affiliations protected and nurtured trees, forests, and appurtenances. Antediluvian Indian civilizations and cultures emphasized the importance of forests and their components including wildlife. Indian society and its ethos attach great importance to trees and consider them not only living beings but view them as God. There has been a harmony between humans and the natural world of forests since ancient times. It is evident from the facts that the priceless treatise, written in the solitude of deep forests came to be known as “Aranyaks”. 

Forests During the British Era

Till the arrival of the British East India Company followed by the clinching of British rule lasted for about two centuries, life remained in harmony with nature. With the advancement of time, however, the thinking tilted more towards the economic and commercial value of forests. The British perceived great potential in forests as wealth. With this primary aim in mind, they tried to extract the maximum and started milking the country's forests by institutionalising them. Conservator of Forest was posted in Bombay (now Mumbai) and a department was established. Insidiously the Forest Act 1865 was enacted which was further amended in 1878 to group forests under the head "Reserve Forest"; before that the forests had been classified as Reserve Forest and Unclassified Forest. Whereas the former was limited to the government, the latter was open to the masses. The restriction compartmentalised the forests and forbade access by the people. It was done to stop the local population from their rights which became their "privilege". Forests which had been their nourishers for centuries were restricted; accessing them was not organic for people. This was the point of time when the exploitation of forests and their resources started. Their values were degraded from a living entity to the object of consumption. Forests were ruthlessly cleared for timber which was to be exported to England.  

Forests After Independence

Post-independence, the Government of India promulgated a policy in 1956 on forests recognising the importance of people's necessities, ecology and the environment. Forest Policy of 1956 though could not meet the aspirations to conserve and repristinate them. It was later replaced by the National Forest Policy 1988 envisaging that 33% of the geographical area should be under tree or forest cover. According to the norm, 1/3 of the plains and 2/3 of the hill area needed forest/tree cover. As of now, the total forest cover in India is 7,13,789 square kilometres (2024). Considering the total geographical area of the country as 32,87,263 square kilometres, the total forest cover in India is 21.71%, much less than the fixed norms despite an increase in forest cover from 2019 to 2021. Parallel to it, with about 2,41,000 square kilometres of geographical area, Uttar Pradesh should have about eighty thousand square kilometres of forest cover. However, the forest cover in the state is a mere 14,818 square kilometres which is 6.15%, much less than Bihar which has 7.84% forest cover. It is a serious cause of concern and sincere work to stop forest destruction to mitigate the loss and grow new ones is required. 

Despite the grim picture of forests narrated above, the growth of forest cover in states/UTs like Lakshadweep, Manipur, Tripura, Goa et cetera is heartening. 

Vicious Cycle

Although there are many causes of receding forest cover, the most important one is increasing demand due to a constantly swelling population. Indiscriminate urbanisation and the resultant craving for housing needs along with appurtenants necessary for a civic society causing agricultural land to recede. The decreasing agricultural land causes encroachment of forests and it dangerously pushes the forest cover further. Consequently, it leads to habitat destruction, loss of edible grass for herbivores which are the staple food for carnivores and forces wild animals to venture out of the forests giving rise to avoidable man and animal conflicts. It is a vicious cycle which causes loss of human life and property apart from being dangerous for the survival of wildlife. Besides the evident causes, the illicit felling of trees and poaching of vulnerable wild animals to satiate cupidity becomes a catalyst in wiping the forest covers and loss of ecology. 

Forests are Vital

Forests are vital in keeping the water cycle running, help to hold and recharge groundwater plus optimally run the weather cycle. Additionally, they effectively help in carbon sequestration as they are also effective carbon sinks. Clearing them is bound to affect it all. Receding tree cover is manifested in the disturbed weather cycle.

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The weather is becoming harsh. During the past summer aestival, the temperature shot up sharply and touched fifty degrees Celsius in some areas of the country. It has been attributed to the fast-depleting forest covers. Likewise, the pluvial deluge and resultant colossal loss of life and property have also been credited to the waning forests and green cover. Tree felling has many severe side effects too. Besides ruthlessly killing a mute but friendly creature, it destroys the local ecosystem dependent upon that tree or trees. Nature recuperates the loss by her self-healing capacity, but the rapid pace of Holocene destruction gives scanty time for repair and replenishment. Human contribution, therefore, becomes necessary. 

Forests and Human Beings

The relationship of human beings with trees and forests is organic and primordial. The fringe villages around a forest take many advantages from them. Fuel wood, fodder and minor forest produce are the source of income and sustenance for the villagefolks.

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Banning the use of forests would mean cutting off the roots of many villagers from forests and in turn, causing difficulties for them. Realising it, a renowned ecologist Ajit Kumar Banerjee, developed the concept of JFM (Joint Forest Management) which became a big success and has since been implemented in the rest of the country. JFM has elevated the status of locals who became “co-owners” of the forests and had more rights rather than being treated as “trespassers” and “thieves”. This has underlined the need for people’s participation. 

In urban areas where the open spaces are scanty and houses are getting smaller, row houses do not permit space to plant trees around. It makes community plantation programmes imperative. The community plantation gives a sense of attachment to each participating individual with the planted trees and they happily take the onus for care and maintenance. 

  

A Necessary Evil

Various developmental works necessitises tree felling. No development, however, is greater than the loss of green cover. Whereas trees and forests make a well-knit ecosystem necessary for life and survival, development eases our lives; development and eco-balance, hence need to go hand in hand. A sapling needs years to become a full-grown tree. As far as possible, tree felling needs to be avoided. Keeping these vital things in mind, engineering drawings should be made. Meet the loss of tree cover, Compensatory Afforestation is an effective tool, but sometimes on the pretext of something or the other, the process used to be entangled in the bureaucratic cobweb and delayed. Compensatory afforestation is applicable on the forest land permitted to be used for non-forestry purposes. To speed up the process and manage the funds CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Management and Planning Authority) was established under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act 2016. The Authority has been functioning since 2018. The Authority is broadly responsible for Afforestation, Reforestation and conservation of forests in addition to managing funds for the purpose. It also helps States carry out the function.

Apart from compensatory afforestation in big projects, efforts to increase green cover have also been taken up by Municipal Corporations and Development Authorities at the local level. Large green areas have been created; some of them serve as parks for the recreation of people, whereas some are like open forests.  People have been sensitised and awareness drives have been launched impacting the mindset and people’s interest in planting trees to increase and conserve verdure cover. The involvement of people is essential for a programme to succeed; active or passive participation of people in plantation and awareness drives is crucial and contributes to planting and post-plantation care for saplings till they grow to become trees. It needs an honest effort not a mere show. Plantation is not an event; it’s a collective and genuine effort to repristinate the planet we call our home - Earth. 

Important Thing to Remember

The importance of trees and their protection doesn't need to be repeated. While doing community plantations in urban areas by the people, care needs to be taken so that no superficial, flippant organisation or body can usurp the cause for their gaudy show. The deafening cacophony of narcissistic din by certain has to be ignored. Forests, wildlife and our environment are our heritage. It has to be passed on in a better condition than what we received from our forefathers to our children and grandchildren.

"Hazaaron Saal Nargis Apni Benoori Pe Roti Hai; 

   Badi Mushkil Se Hota Hai Chaman Mein Deedavar Paida." 

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Desertification and Land Degradation: A Lot More Needs To Be Done

Amidst the cacophony of shrieking news channels about crime, lynching, scams, elections and related abuses by leaders there came a soothing piece of news in print. The news is encouraging for all the environment lovers who want it safe, viable and clean. As per unconfirmed news, the government is mooting to create a 'Green Wall' to increase the green cover and curb desertification. Keeping the magnitude of the problem, it is a welcome step and deserves to be appreciated.  

The desertification is a problem, for it extends its arms and insidiously engulf the tillable land. It is because of the degraded land which is on the rise in India. ISRO, in it's 'Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India' released in 2016, has pointed out an increase in the land degradation of 1.87 Mha (0.56%). The atlas says that between 2011 and 13 out of the total 328.72 million hectares (Mha) geographical area of the country, 96.40 Mha (29.32%) is under land degradation whereas it was 93.53 Mha (28.76%) in 2003 to 05. It may sound insignificant but it is certainly consternating and needs urgent attention. The worst affected areas are the states of  Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. In some wherein, more than 50% of the total area is degraded facing the threat of desertification.

The waning of topsoil and decreasing its thickness merely to a few inches causes the land degraded, making it unsustainable for life because of its low water-absorbing/retaining capacity and nutrients. The loosened topsoil gets easily washed off either by wind current or rain, leaving the land barren. The degraded land thus loses its ability to trap carbon dioxide - the 'Green House Gas' - primarily responsible for the rise of environmental temperature. The adverse effects of global warming need no elaboration. It is a vicious cycle. 

Denudation is the major cause of land degradation. The depleting forest cover, haphazard land use, excessive grazing et cetera are responsible factors contributing to denudation. The extreme weather conditions also add significantly to the process of degradation of forests and then of the land. The extreme weather conditions like perennial floods, droughts and rising temperature are near defenestrating the economy besides adversely affecting the biodiversity of the county. The fact that several vital flora and fauna are either on the brink of extinction or have already been extinct is a cause of consternation. The fast-changing scenario is a devastating shock for bio-clock. The earth may witness 'Holocene Extention' lest it is not addressed. 

Forests are not a mere conglomerate of trees and twiners on a patch of land. They are vibrant entities which sustain life-forms by establishing a complex food web. It takes years to grow a forest. Each component of the ecosystem is interdependent. It is why forests and related fauna have been treated with the utmost reverence since ancient times in Indian society. It is not strange why they have been given the place of God and worshipped by the people. Our ancient holy scriptures copiously praise them and underline their importance. An urge to save the forest is neither rhetoric nor emotional. It is the necessity of time, even in terms of a materialistic angle as well. The forests cannot be equated with plantation wherein planting of trees is taken up systematically and artificially. Such plantations, though increase the green cover, do not instantly fill the void of forests. Done with bonafide intention, however, planting new saplings and their care is the right step in the right direction. 

The adverse effects of desertification and degradation attracted the world's attention. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was established in 1994. Conference of Parties (COP) with 197 member countries was made supreme decision-making body of UNCCD. The decisions of COP are legally binding on the member countries. The 14th summit - COP14 - was held in New Delhi. In the summit, ended on 13-September-2019, participating countries adopted 'Delhi Declaration' wherein they expressed their commitment, besides other things, for the restoration of ecosystem and also recovering 26 Mha of degraded land in India. Raising the concern while addressing the summit, Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi said that climate change was leading to land degradation of various kinds. 

As has been pointed out above, one of the most crucial areas Rajasthan needs prior attention. The daunting task to check the progress of the desert towards the east can be achieved by creating wind barriers in the form of a thick plantation. The green cover is to be restored and created including the degraded Arawali region. An idea to develop a 'Green Wall' is the replication of 'The Great Green Wall' of Africa which was mooted a decade ago. Though in Africa it was not fulfilled completely because of the involvement of many countries, in India the 'Green Wall' would probably be 1400 Km long and 05 Km wide, stretching from Porbandar to Panipat covering entire Arawali range and beyond. Completed, it will be able to check the spread of the desert beside being able to effectively contain the land degradation and its restoration. 

The forests and wildlife is a concurrent subject in the Constitution of India. Though the decisions of the Center has an overriding effect on the State's decision, their involvement is natural. Keeping harmony and larger national interest in mind the work of 'Green Wall' is to be taken up. Ours is a vast country, home to 18% of the world's population. There is a need for infrastructure development, agriculture, housing, sanitation, education and health. This creates a lot of pressure on our valuable forests. Additionally, illicit felling is a sore. An estimated 1.6 Mha of forest cover has been cleared during the last 18 years. The forested area has increased albeit marginally. It is, however, equally important to have a clean and healthy environment as well.