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<p>India has witnessed an increase in its tree cover, forest cover, and carbon stock over the years, without any significant decrease in the rate of diversion of forests. This paper examines the law governing the additional forests that are added to the forest cover, in lieu of diversion of forests, and critically examines the compensatory afforestation regime in India. I suggest that there are indicators to show that loss of biodiversity and quality of forests due to the diversion of forests may not be adequately compensated by the existing mechanism of Net Present Value (NPV) and compensatory afforestation (CA). This can be deciphered in the manner in which forests are defined and in the underlying mechanism of CA. Further, despite claims that the local communities participate in forest protection and management, and despite the existence of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition and Forest Rights) Act 2006 (FRA), I suggest that tree plantation and compensatory afforestation in India may undermine the rights of the forest dwellers. A combination of these suggestions, I argue, is undermining forest sustainability in India.</p>

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Missing the forest for the trees: Implications of compensatory afforestation in India through an ecological and social lens

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年6月1日

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  • Ramakash Gujuluva Suriaprakash

摘要

India has witnessed an increase in its tree cover, forest cover, and carbon stock over the years, without any significant decrease in the rate of diversion of forests. This paper examines the law governing the additional forests that are added to the forest cover, in lieu of diversion of forests, and critically examines the compensatory afforestation regime in India. I suggest that there are indicators to show that loss of biodiversity and quality of forests due to the diversion of forests may not be adequately compensated by the existing mechanism of Net Present Value (NPV) and compensatory afforestation (CA). This can be deciphered in the manner in which forests are defined and in the underlying mechanism of CA. Further, despite claims that the local communities participate in forest protection and management, and despite the existence of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition and Forest Rights) Act 2006 (FRA), I suggest that tree plantation and compensatory afforestation in India may undermine the rights of the forest dwellers. A combination of these suggestions, I argue, is undermining forest sustainability in India.