Environment and Ecology
Tamil Nadu added 24 reserve forests in past two years.
- Tamil Nadu has added 24 reserve forests, covering an area of 3,585.3 hectares, in the past two years, according to the Forest Department.
- Under the Green Tamil Nadu Mission, which aims at increasing tree and forest cover from 23.69% to 33%.
- The State had notified reserve forests in eight districts – Dindigul, Dharmapuri, Madurai, Namakkal, the Nilgiris, Kallakurichi, Sivaganga and Theni in 2021-2023 under Section 16 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882.
- The State had also established over 250 nurseries to nurture seedlings.
- “In addition, the mission helps create thousands of green jobs, especially for rural women”.
Note:
- The focus could also be on agroforestry, wherein tree plantation could be done on private cultivable land.
- Urban reserve forests have to be improved as there are a lot of developmental activities taking place.
- As urban areas expand, there will be water issues. Forests can augment groundwater supply.
Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
- An Act to provide for the conservation of forests and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto.
