Green Goal: U.P. aims high with 36.50 cr sapling plantation on Saturday
While the state is aiming to plant 36.50 cr saplings in the latest edition of the mass single-day plantation, UP had cumulatively planted 37.16 cr saplings in similar drives between 2017 and 2021.
The massive target of 36.50 crore sapling plantation in a single day on Saturday on the path to the state achieving 15% green cover by 2027 stems from optimism born out of the about 79% survival rate of saplings planted by the forest department between 2017-2021 in Uttar Pradesh (according to the plantation monitoring report). Currently, U.P’s green cover is at 9.23%.
Already, work has begun on reducing the death rate among planted saplings, which stands at over 20 for every 100.
“After the plantation drive, we will start the ‘save trees’ drive to ensure the survival rate remains high. Identified plantation spots, ensuring irrigation and safety of saplings will be ensured,” said Uttar Pradesh forest minister Arun K Saxena.
Survival of saplings planted during the mass plantation drive is the key to carbon sequestration targets of Uttar Pradesh.
While the state is aiming to plant 36.50 crore saplings in the latest edition of the mass single-day plantation, Uttar Pradesh had cumulatively planted 37.16 crore saplings in similar drives between 2017 and 2021. As many as 29.17 crore of these saplings have survived.
The third-party evaluation report on survival of plantation done by other departments is awaited.
“Over 168 crore sapling have been planted in seven years where 75%-80% of plants remain secure. It is result of the efforts made in 7 years that Uttar Pradesh is going to get ₹200 crore as carbon credit and 25,000 farmers will be honoured,” chief minister Yogi Adityanath said after a virtual interaction with public representatives including gram pradhans, panchayat presidents, mayors and municipal council presidents.
Indeed, Uttar Pradesh is racing towards 175 crore (1,750 million) fresh plantations by 2025-26 for a dual aim--to have 15% green cover and sequester 72 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide.
The state’s green cover according to Forest Survey of India (FSI) report 2021 is recorded at 9.23% or 55.59 lakh acre of the total land area of Uttar Pradesh, which increased from 8.93% or 53.61 lakh acre in the FSI report released in 2015, a year after assessment was done in 2014.
To achieve the target of 15% green cover in the state, U.P. needs to add another 34.35 lakh acre to the existing number, taking the total to over 90 lakh acre.
“We are getting close to the target and fast,” said SK Sharma, principal chief conservator of forest, Uttar Pradesh.
He explained the FSI report in 2014-15 was based on plantation done till 2009. This is because a sapling takes five-seven years to be able to grow big enough to be picked up by satellite and included in green cover data. Similarly, the 2021 report included plantation data till 2016.
“By 2027, we will achieve the target of 15%. This means the assessment that will be able to include saplings planted in 2025 will reflect 15% total green cover for Uttar Pradesh,” said Sharma.
“We hope the FSI’s 2024 plantation report will include plantation till 2021, which will give a considerable rise to green cover as major plantation has been done after 2017. Also, a quantum jump will be seen by 2025 in the state, when plantation done till 2023 will be on record in satellite images,” he said.
Between 2017 and 2023, a total of 168.14 crore saplings were planted with an average survival rate of above 75%, assessed by the forest department. Between 2015 and 2021, the state’s green cover increased by 79,400 hectare and forest officials assume a rise of at least 1.20 lakh hectare in green cover in the 2024 report and over two lakh hectare in the next one.
Between 2014 and 2023, a total of 184.43 crore saplings were planted. Officials say this will be reflected in the 2025 FSI report as survey and assessment of the same will begin this year.
“The survival rate of the saplings planted by forest department in 2021-22 reached 83.40%. This will further rise in the coming years,” a senior forest official said.
To ensure protection of planted saplings, several new initiatives have been planned. Plantation along the border with Nepal and other states is one such initiative.
Mitra Van (friend forest) will be developed at 35 places in U.P. bordering Nepal or other states such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
Heritage tree gardens are another such initiative. Here, saplings from 948 heritage trees in the state will be planted. Eleven districts will have these heritage tree gardens.