Afforestation

Haryana is predominantly an agricultural state. About 80% of its land is under cultivation while 16% of land supports other uses like habitations, roads, railways, institutions, canals, etc. As most of the area is under agriculture and other infrastructure, the notified forest area is only about 3.90% of its geographical area and there is limited scope to increase the notified forest area through land acquisition and other means. In order to increase the Forest and Tree Cover, the forest department has undertaken a massive plantation programme on other government lands, institutional lands, panchayat lands, common lands, and other wastelands to bring more and more area under tree cover. Forest Department undertakes plantations on an average 20,000 ha area annual basis. Approximately 60% of the plantation is done outside the notified forests. Till 2012-2013, seedlings were also distributed to farmers, other government departments, institutions, schools, village panchayats etc. free of cost for planting on their lands. Due to large-scale plantation initiated by the forest department on non-forest lands as well as the adoption of tree farming by farmers, the forest & tree cover of the state has increased to 6.80% as per the State of Forests Report published by Forest Survey of India Dehradun in 2011. Forest Department has set a goal to achieve 20% of forest and tree cover in a phased manner in the state. This goal can be achieved only when major thrust is given to agroforestry and plantations on lands outside the notified forest areas.