Kashmir has lost 40.61 square kilometers of forest cover in just two years, a decline largely driven by infrastructure and development projects, according to the latest Forest Survey of India (FSI) report.
Jammu and Kashmir’s forest cover stood at 21,346.39 square kilometers in 2023, down from 21,387 square kilometers in 2021.
Over the past decade, 60-70% of deforested land has been used for roads, military infrastructure, and tourism-related construction.
Tourist hotspots like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg have seen increasing encroachment, with official approvals often enabling construction. Gulmarg alone lost 727 hectares of forest to 198 projects, resulting in the felling of nearly 1,850 trees. In Jammu, more than 21,000 trees were sanctioned for removal, with 8,150 already cut.
The Jammu-Katra Expressway consumed 36 hectares of forest land, while the new J&K High Court complex in Raika-Bahu—dubbed “the lungs of Jammu”—will see 38,000 trees felled from 40 hectares.
Srinagar’s expansion has also taken a toll. The Ring Road project led to the cutting of 1.10 lakh privately owned trees, including Chinar, Walnut, and Mulberry, causing a financial loss of ₹13.76 crore.
In Pulwama and Anantnag, numerous Chinar trees were removed, while over 200 poplar trees near Amar Singh College were cut, sparking public outcry.
Large-scale projects continue to threaten forested areas. The Ujh Multipurpose Hydropower Project alone will result in the removal of over 2.14 lakh trees.
The 220 KV Srinagar-Leh transmission line in Ganderbal has already led to the felling of 700 trees, while contractors working on the Zojila Tunnel project cleared more than 300 trees without proper authorization.
Adding to the crisis, forest fires have become frequent, with 4,156 incidents recorded between November 2023 and June 2024—an average of 17 fires per day. Between 2001 and 2023, the region lost 952 hectares of tree cover to fires and another 3,230 hectares due to other causes.
The deforestation crisis is further exacerbating climate change impacts.
Kashmir is experiencing erratic snowfall and unusually warm winters, with January temperatures deviating from historical norms. Mountain communities, particularly the poor, remain the most vulnerable to these environmental shifts.