What is a forest?

What does the word ‘forest’ mean to you? For most of us, be it anywhere in the world, it means a dense expanse of trees where human habitat is less and animals call it their home. Surely, one can put this various ways but broadly, isn’t this what a forest means? Trees are what makes these woods.

But trust our Indian Govt is seek a new definition.  Having cut down forests to build roads and other projects, there is now major confusion – the environment minister wants to define what exactly makes a forest.  This entire mumbo-jumbo of forest and non-forest has led to the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) cracking its brains to find a new definition. The MoEF has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) it needs two more months to finalize the parameters for classifying an area as a forest

The MoEF had asked States to respond back with their version, their parameters of a forest so that a comprehensive definition encompassing the entire country could be made. Not all States have responded - states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar and Jammu and Kashmir have not submitted their comments to the MoEF to enable them to finalize their report.

A new definition for forest? This can happen only in India!