UP's efforts towards environmental protection being validated by national reports: Govt

Uttar Pradesh is steering ahead towards environmental protection and green-cover expansion, with its efforts being validated by national environmental reports, the state government said on Thursday.

According to a statement issued by the government, as part of this "green revolution", the flagship mega-plantation campaign -- "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0" -- has set a new record in 2025 by planting more than 37.21 crore saplings in a single year.

This contributes to the more than 240 crore saplings planted across the state over the last eight years.

According to the forest department, the overall survival rate for the saplings planted between 2021-22 and 2024-25 is 86.67 per cent. This figure has shown a consistent improvement annually, rising from 76.87 per cent in 2021-22 to a remarkable 96.06 per cent in 2024-25.

Since 2017, Uttar Pradesh has witnessed an increase of approximately 5 lakh acres (about 2,023 sq. km) in its green cover. The combined forest and tree cover has expanded from 9.18 per cent to nearly 10 per cent of the state's geographical area. Specifically, the tree cover increased by roughly 2 lakh acres between 2017 and 2021, with an additional 1.38 lakh acres added from 2021 to 2023, totalling nearly 3.38 lakh acres to date, the statement read.

Furthermore, a Forest Survey of India (FSI) report from Dehradun reveals Uttar Pradesh's contribution to climate action. By 2023, the state's tree cover outside designated forest areas increased by 3.72 per cent, surpassing the national average of 3.41 per cent. The state also recorded a 2.46-per cent rise in the forest carbon stock, which is almost double the national average of 1.13 per cent, the statement added.