Explained: Which countries have the most trees?

As per a study by Nature journal. it is estimated that the world has 3.04 trillion trees and India has a tree population of 35 billion.

New Delhi, Jun 5: Trees are of immense ecological importance as it provide habitat for half the world's known terrestrial plant and animal species. It is also highly significant component of biodiversity and carbon storage in many other ecosystems such as woodlands, grasslands, as well as artificial and urban environments.

Studies say that trees, which is one of the most familiar forms of life for all humans, are visible and measurable indicators of the health of an ecosystem. It represents the largest part of the earth biomass. Also, it provides a wide range of products of huge value to local livelihoods, national economies and global trade.

Some of the valuable tree products are: Timber, fuelwood, wood pulp, medicinal and aromatic products, fruits and nuts.

Trees work as ecosystem engineers by providing many ecosystem services through water purification, erosion prevention, flood defence, carbon sequestration, air temperature control, and regulation of air quality.

With nearly 60,000 species in existence, it constitutes a very diverse group and form the most diverse habitats on the planet. A huge number of other species (epiphytic plants, fungi, birds, mammals, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, etc) depend on their presence. Hence, their protection leads to enormous benefits to humans and wildlife alike.

Which Country has the Highest Number of Trees?

A rough estimate states that the world has close to 3.04 trillion trees, a study by Nature journal said in 2015. It means there are 422 trees per person. Although 10 billion trees are being cut each year, there are more trees now than 100 years ago as most countries have been managing their forests well, thereby improving tree growth.

As per the figures published in Nature journal, Russia is the world's tree leader with 642 billion trees followed by Canada (318-361 billion trees), Brazil (302-338 billion), the United States (222-228 billion), and China (140-178 billion). Interestingly, Finland takes the top position in the list of countries with the highest density with more than 72,000 trees per square kilometre.

The research is based on a combination of satellite imagery, on-the-ground inventories, and computer modeling.

India's Forest Cover and Trees

India's forest and tree cover has risen by 2,261 square kilometers in the last two years with Andhra Pradesh growing the maximum forest cover of 647 square kilometers, according to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021 released in January, this year.

According to the report, India's total forest and tree cover is now spread across 80.9 million hectares, which is 24.62 per cent of the geographical area of the country. The top five states in terms of increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km), Telangana (632 sq km), Odisha (537 sq km), Karnataka (155 sq km) and Jharkhand (110 sq km).

The gain in forest cover or improvement in forest canopy density may be attributed to better conservation measures, protection, afforestation activities, tree plantation drives and agroforestry, the report said. Area-wise, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.

However, India (population, 1.267 billion) had a tree population of only 35 billion, leading to just 28 trees person, a research claim.

The Common Species of Trees in India

Chir pine (Pinus roxburghii), Teak (Tectona grandis), Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo), Sandal (Santalum album Linn.), Babul (Acacia nilotica), Khair (Acacia catechu), Safed Siris (Albizia procera), Ardu (Ailanthus excelsa), Acacia tortilis, Jatropha curcas and Neem (Azadirachta indica).