Bhubaneswar: Odisha Forest Cover – The extent of land covered by forests – grew by 537 km in the last two years, the third highest among Indian countries after Andhra Pradesh (647 Km Square) and Telangana (632 square kilometers), India (632 Km square), India State of Forest Report 2021 released on Thursday said.
The increase in the state in the last two years was to double the increase in the previous two years 2017-2018 when it had been up 237 square kilometers.
Odisha forest cover has grown by 1.04% significant in the past two years compared to the growth of 0.22% of the state since 2019, the two-year report said.
In addition to Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telengana, Karnataka and Jharkhand reported an increase in forest cover while other countries showed a decline.
Odisha now has a forest covering more than 51,156 of 1.55,707 square kilometers.
The report links growth in five states for better conservation and protection measures, afforestation and agroforestry.ODISHA also fulfills the national mandate having at least one of the three forest cover, which is 33.50% compared to the national average of 21.71%.
Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
Of the 30 odisha districts, forest cover has declined in Malkangiri, Dhenkanal, Sundargarh, Rayaganada and Keonjhar while it has increased in the other.
The survey said 1,134 square square land non-forest has forest cover that can be seen.
Carry out eight square kilometers rise in mangrove forests or salted tolerant plant varieties along the coast, which are the highest among countries.
Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada and Ballasore have recorded the increase in mangrove forests.
The report connects it with natural regeneration and plantations along the banks of the river near the estuary.
Similipal in Odisha has the second largest forest cover (2,562.86 square) after Nagarjunsagar (2,932.95 Km square) among 52 tiger reserves in this country.
Statement of the Odisha Forest Department said the joint forest management initiative by the state government along with a green scheme such as the increase in green cover and mahanadi green mission, funds under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme of Mahatma Gandhi, district mineral funds and the Odisha mining development company used to make green cover .