Guwahati, Dec 21: Northeast India, a critical biodiversity hotspot, has suffered a staggering net loss of 3,132.27 square kilometres of forest cover between 2013 and 2023, according to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023.
The report reveals that despite contributing significantly to the country’s overall forest and tree cover, the region’s forests are facing unprecedented challenges. Among the eight Northeastern states, Arunachal Pradesh has recorded the steepest decline, losing 1,084.52 sq km of forest cover in the past decade.
Despite covering only 7.98% of India’s land area, the Northeast contributes a significant 21.08% of the country’s total forest and tree cover. Yet, deforestation and habitat fragmentation remain persistent threats to the region’s conservation efforts.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav released the report today at the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun. Published biennially by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) since 1987, the ISFR provides a detailed assessment of the nation’s forest and tree resources.
While the Minister highlighted a nationwide increase of 1,445 sq km in forest and tree cover since 2021, the Northeast—a region of immense ecological significance—registered a concerning loss.
From 2013-2023, Nagaland (794.88 sq km) and Manipur (375.7 sq km) have also seen substantial losses, attributed to factors such as shifting cultivation and deforestation. However, Mizoram witnessed a relatively modest decline of 87.7 sq km over the same period, indicating some stability in its forest management practices.
Scotland of the East- Meghalaya too suffered a forest loss of 274.64 sq km in the same period.
Conversely, Assam reported a gain of 748.65 sq km, making it the only Northeastern state to record an increase in forest cover.
“The decadal change in forest cover is of significant importance due to its impact on various ecological, environmental, and socio-economic aspects. Monitoring these changes is essential as these affect biodiversity, climate and water cycles. The change in forest cover also has substantial implications on carbon sequestration, soil fertility, and watershed stability” the report says.
From 2021-23, the Northeast lost 327.30 sq km of forest cover.
Meghalaya, often called the “Scotland of the East,” accounted for 84.07 sq km of the decline. Although the report did not specify the causes of Meghalaya’s loss, deforestation in the region is frequently linked to human activities such as agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, and settlement growth. Traditional Jhum cultivation (shifting cultivation), a practice involving the clearing of forest land for temporary farming, continues to be a major factor. While this practice holds cultural importance, its ecological consequences for Meghalaya’s forests are severe.
“A prevalent agricultural technique in this region is known as shifting or Jhum cultivation. This method involves the conversion of forest areas into agricultural areas by local communities,” the report noted.
Among the Northeastern states, Nagaland recorded the highest forest loss with 125.22 sq km from 2021-23, followed by Tripura with 100.22 sq km, and Assam with 83.92 sq km.
The report also pointed out the impact of large-scale rubber plantations in Tripura, which have expanded rapidly over the last decade due to favourable growing conditions. “Rubber cultivation has raised concerns about biodiversity loss as vast areas of natural forests have been converted into monoculture plantations, disrupting ecological balance,” it stated.
