Nagaland’s Forest Cover Shrinks by 10% in Past Decade‑plus, Threatening Biodiversity

Nagaland’s forest department has reported a decline of roughly ten percent in the state’s forest cover over the past ten to fifteen years, according to an official statement. The assessment, based on satellite and ground surveys, highlights a steady contraction of wooded areas that once stretched across the hilly terrain.

The loss of forest area is raising concerns among ecologists because Nagaland hosts a high concentration of endemic flora and fauna. Shrinking habitats threaten species such as the hoolock gibbon, clouded leopard and numerous orchid varieties, while also undermining ecosystem services like water regulation and soil protection.

The department official warned that continued degradation could push several species toward local extinction and urged the state government to accelerate afforestation programmes, strengthen enforcement against illegal logging, and involve local communities in conservation efforts.