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Bengaluru sees 0.59% rise in forest cover, ranks among India’s greenest metros: Report
Bengaluru's forest cover now spans 89.61 square kilometers, positioning it among India’s greenest metropolitan areas.
Bengaluru has witnessed a notable rise in its forest cover, according to the India State of Forest Report 2023, which highlights a 0.59 per cent increase from the previous evaluation in 2021.
As reported by Bangalore Mirror, the city’s total forest cover now spans 89.61 square kilometers, positioning it among India’s greenest metropolitan areas, following Delhi (194.15 km²) and Mumbai (110.84 km²).
Bengaluru’s urban forest area has grown by 2.09 km², ranking second in the country for urban forest expansion, trailing only Ahmedabad, which gained 5.48 km², the report added.
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However, some other major cities have faced setbacks. Chennai and Hyderabad, for instance, saw reductions in their forest cover, with losses of 2.64 km² and 1.61 km², respectively.
Notably, Bengaluru does not have any areas designated as “Very Dense Forest” (VDF), where the canopy density exceeds 70 per cent, the report added. While the increase in green space is positive, forest fires have become an emerging threat. In 2023-24, Bengaluru Urban experienced 51 forest fire incidents, a rise from 44 the previous year. Meanwhile, Bengaluru Rural saw a decrease in such incidents, dropping from 169 to 124, as per the publication.
Karnataka’s forest cover
On a state level, Karnataka’s forest cover spans 1,91,791 square kilometers, making up 19.96 per cent of the state’s total area. While the state recorded an overall decline of 459.36 km² in its forest and tree cover, it continues to lead India in agroforestry, with a growing stock of 98.31 million cubic meters.
Karnataka saw a significant improvement in Reserved Forest Areas (RFA), adding 93.14 km² of forest cover in protected zones, the report added.
Satellite surveillance to tackle illegal forest encroachments
Recently, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre directed officials to take strict action using the new satellite surveillance system, the Forest Cover Change Alert System, aimed at preventing forest encroachment.
He instructed officials to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards encroachments, emphasising that no matter how influential the encroachers may be, stern action must be taken.
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