Why in the news? 

India’s tree planting schemes have garnered attention as part of the country’s efforts to combat climate change and restore degraded ecosystems. However, these initiatives face several challenges and criticisms.

Recent Trends of Special Conservation Drives:

• Increased Initiatives: There has been a surge in global and national tree planting drives, such as the “One Trillion Project” by the World Economic Forum, Pakistan’s “10 Billion Tree Tsunami,” China’s “Great Green Wall,” and the “Bonn Challenge” to restore degraded landscapes.
• High Media Attention: These drives often feature catchy slogans and glamorous campaigns that attract substantial media attention and public involvement.
• Annual Events: India celebrates Van Mahotsava annually in July, aiming to promote tree planting and environmental conservation.

Issues Associated with These Drives:

• Limited Community Participation: Many programs lack significant involvement from local communities, affecting their effectiveness and sustainability.
• Post-Planting Measures: Insufficient focus on post-planting care and monitoring hinders the success of tree planting efforts.
• Monoculture Risks: Some drives promote monoculture, which can be detrimental to biodiversity and carbon sequestration.
• Ecological Impact: Inappropriate tree planting in non-deforested areas like grasslands or animal habitats can damage ecosystems, increase wildfire risk, and exacerbate global warming.

India’s Accountability and Challenges Toward Environmental Goals:

• Achievements: India claims to have fulfilled its Paris Agreement commitments and achieved an additional carbon sink of 1.97 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
• Encroachment and Loss: Approximately 10 million hectares of Indian forests are under encroachment, and about 5.7 million hectares have been lost for non-forestry purposes.
• Dependence on Forests: Nearly 27.5 crore people rely on forests for subsistence, highlighting the importance of sustainable management.
• Restoration Goals: India aims to restore 26 million hectares of degraded forests by 2030, but faces challenges such as encroachment and the need for effective tree planting strategies.

Way forward: 

• Community Involvement: Need to foster local participation in tree planting drives by involving communities in planning, execution, and ongoing maintenance.
• Monitoring and Maintenance: Try to implement robust post-planting monitoring and care systems to ensure the survival and growth of planted trees.
• Policy and Strategy Improvements: To address criticism of mass planting drives, India needs to prioritize adequate financing, active community participation, and technical considerations in forestry and restoration strategies.

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