Guwahati: A recent report by Global Forest Watch (GFW) paints a concerning picture of tree cover loss in Assam‘s border forests.
While the state lost a total of 324,000 hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2023, a significant chunk – 50,009 hectares (12.23%) – occurred specifically in reserved forests bordering neighboring states.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The report pinpoints Barak Valley forests as the most impacted over the past four years (2020-2023). Notably, border forests have experienced a much steeper decline in tree cover compared to general areas within Assam.
Among bordering states, Arunachal Pradesh witnessed the highest total tree cover loss in border areas over the past 23 years (2001-2023) at 19,382 hectares (16.60%). Nagaland followed with 16,965 hectares (15.27%), Meghalaya with 3,798 hectares (8.65%), Mizoram with 7,253 hectares (7.69%), Tripura with 1,965 hectares (6.70%), and Manipur with 1,646 hectares (5.79%).
Focusing on the most recent four years (2020-2023), Mizoram’s bordering forests in Assam saw the highest loss at 3,160 hectares, followed by Nagaland (3,788 hectares), Meghalaya (1,173 hectares), Arunachal Pradesh (1,141 hectares), Tripura (490 hectares), and Manipur (395 hectares).
Notably, Assam’s neighboring states have also experienced significant tree cover loss. Over the past 23 years, Mizoram lost 312,000 hectares, Arunachal Pradesh lost 262,000 hectares, Nagaland lost 259,000 hectares, and Manipur lost 240,000 hectares.
This alarming trend of deforestation in Assam’s border forests poses a serious threat to the ecological balance of these sensitive areas.