Western Ghats: TN adds 74 sq km to forest cover, Kerala depletes forest area by 24 sq km

Tamil Nadu added the most to the country's forest over, increasing its total forest cover by 74 sq km in the Western Ghats region, through regeneration of forest areas and extensive plantation in and outside forests.

Neighbouring Kerala, on the other hand, reported a 24 sq km decline in its forest cover in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats region, the `India State of Forest Report 2009 & 2011' showed.

In Maharashtra, total forest cover decreased by three sq km in very dense forest, 19 sq km in moderately dense forest and increased by 18 sq km in open forest, leading to a 4 sq km net loss of forest cover at 50,646 sq km.

In Goa, total forest cover was up around 7 km, mainly because of an increase of mangrove forest, at 2,219 sq km.

In Karnataka, open forest are increased by six sq km while are under moderately dense forest cover declined by two sq km, thereby resulting in a four sq km increase in total forest cover to 36,194 sq km.

Tamil Nadu increased its total forest cover by 74 sq km, the highest in the country, through regeneration in forest areas and extensive plantation activities in and outside forests. Its forest cover increased from 23,551 sq km to 23,625 sq km.

Neighbouring Kerala, on the other hand, depleted its total forest cover by a whopping 24 sq km for a small state. This was mainly due to rotational felling of eucalyptus, teak, acacia mangium, rubber and shade bearing trees in the gardens. Its total forest cover declined from 13,324 sq km to 17,300 sq km.

Gujarat saw its forest cover decline by one sq km, due to private felling, to 14,619 sq k, while in Dadra & Nagar Haveli the area under forest cover remained unchanged at 211 sq km.