M.P. forest dept eyes to restore 37 lakh-hectare degraded forest area

This is proposed to be done in 10 years through plantation

The forest department of Madhya Pradesh has decided to restore 37 lakh hectares of degraded forest area through plantation in the next 10 years, an official said on Thursday.

This proposed forest restoration programme has even received recognition from the Centre as it has been sent as an entry from India to the United Nations' initiative flagship identification programme for forest restoration, he said.

"The forest department has planned to restore 37 lakh hectares of degraded forest area in the next 10 years," MP's Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Development and Joint Forest Management) Chitranjan Tyagi said.

The forest area in Madhya Pradesh is cumulatively spread across 95 lakh hectares of land, out of which 37 lakh hectares of areas have tree density less than 0.4%, which is categorised as degraded forest area, he said.

Talking to PTI on the sidelines of a two-day workshop on 'Rehabilitation of degraded forest ecosystems in Madhya Pradesh: Emerging scenario and way forward' that began on Thursday, Mr. Tyagi said, the forest produce, including timber and firewood, contributed to around Rs 18,000 crore of the state's GDP.

The M.P. forest department and State Forest Research Institute Jabalpur jointly organised the workshop on the completion of 100 years of forestry research in Madhya Pradesh.

With the joint efforts of the local public and the forest department, 3.41 lakh hectares of degraded forest area has been restored as of now, he said.