Counting trees: Better data needed to know if India's forests have grown

India's forest cover has increased by 1,540 square kilometre (sq km) between 2019 and 2021, according to the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR). Whether this increase is because of a growth in natural forests--which are biodiverse--or because of plantations and monoculture--which cannot replace a natural forest's biodiversity--is unknown, as the report lacks these details.

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) undertakes an assessment of India's forests every two years. It defines forests to include all patches of land where the tree canopy exceeds 10% and the area exceeds 1 hectare, irrespective of how that land is used, its