Conservation of Natural Resources

Compensatory afforestation has a simple rule: cut a forest, plant one back. India has hit that target 85% of the time since 2019. Its protected-area network covers just over 5% of the country. This article covers how India conserves its natural resources — through protected areas and mandatory afforestation — and where each effort falls short.

Conservation: Ambition vs. Delivery

EnvEco0012

Protected Areas

5.32% covered

1,015 protected areas, March 2025

Aichi Target called for 17%.
India remains far short of that goal.

CAMPA Afforestation

85% achieved

1,78,261 of 2,09,297 hectares, 2019-24

₹38,516 crore approved.
Governance gaps flagged in spending.

The pattern: India has strong conservation law, but the scale of protection and the quality of spending both lag the targets set on paper.

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Must Know

• As of March 2025, India’s Protected Area Network has 1,015 protected areas: 107 National Parks, 573 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 115 Conservation Reserves, and 220 Community Reserves.
• Together, these cover about 5.32% of India’s geographical area — roughly 1,75,169 km².
• India also runs 58 Tiger Reserves and 18 Biosphere Reserves, each under its own dedicated framework.
• The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 created CAMPA. It requires afforestation whenever forest land is diverted for non-forest use.

Good to Know

• India’s 5.32% falls well short of the Aichi Target of protecting 17% of land area — a global biodiversity goal.
• Between 2019-20 and 2023-24, National CAMPA approved ₹38,516 crore for state afforestation plans.
• States achieved 1,78,261 hectares of compensatory afforestation, against a target of 2,09,297 hectares. That’s about 85%.
• A Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee flagged governance gaps in how some states actually spent their CAMPA funds.

Test Yourself

Please wait…

1. As of March 2025, roughly what share of India’s geographical area falls under its Protected Area Network?

1.35%

5.32%

17%

25%

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Great to Know

• CAMPA’s 85% looks close to the target. But that figure counts area planted, not ecosystem quality restored. A newly planted patch isn’t the same forest as the one it replaced.
• The protected-area shortfall is a scale problem, not a legal one. India already has strong conservation law. It simply hasn’t designated enough land under it yet.
• CAMPA’s governance gaps show a familiar pattern. Money approved and released doesn’t guarantee money well spent. That’s exactly why independent oversight bodies like the Central Empowered Committee matter.
• For the legal and institutional structure behind India’s conservation efforts — including the Gadgil Committee and the Western Ghats debate — see EnvEco0003 — India’s Conservation Framework.
• For CAMPA’s full history — the 2001 Supreme Court order, the 2016 statute, and its fund-utilisation controversies — see EnvEco0051 — CAMPA.
• For India’s protected-area figures broken down by category (National Parks, Sanctuaries, Tiger Reserves) rather than aggregate coverage, see EnvEco0014 — Wildlife in India.