Why in the News?

• Madhya Pradesh has become the first state to implement an Artificial Intelligence (AI) based real-time forest alert system as a pilot project.

Key Points:

About Forest Alert System:

⇒ It is a system based on Google Earth Engine, AI models and multi-temporal satellite data .

⇒ Madhya Pradesh has implemented this technology on a pilot basis in sensitive forest divisions such as Shivpuri, Guna, Vidisha, Burhanpur and Khandwa districts.

⇒ There are plans to expand it at the state level in the future.

⇒ This system will enable proactive forest management by timely detection of forest encroachment, land use change and forest degradation.

Features:

⇒ Satellite images from three different dates obtained from Google Earth Engine will be analyzed.

⇒ Indexes like Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ( NDVI), Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) will be used to identify the changes .

⇒ Significant changes to the land (e.g., cropping, construction, harvesting) will be flagged by the AI model and recorded as polygon alerts .

⇒ The app will have features like GPS tagged photos, voice notes, comments, geofencing, distance measurement .

⇒ Filters such as date, density and area will also be available on the dashboard, making it possible to get specific information.

⇒ Field workers can upload photos, GPS locations, and voice recordings through the app.

Initiatives Taken by India for Sustainable Forest Management:

Government-Led Programs:

• Green India Mission (GIM): Increased forest cover by 0.56% between 2017 and 2021.
• National Agroforestry Policy (2014): Encourages tree planting on private farmland to reduce pressure on natural forests.
• Trees Outside Forests in India Program: Encourages tree planting on non-forest lands by involving private stakeholders to boost green cover.
• Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA): Funds reforestation where forests are diverted for industrial use.

Corporate & Community Efforts:

• CSR-Driven Plantations: Companies in automobile, cement, and energy sectors undertake afforestation to offset emissions.
• Agroforestry for Livelihoods: Farmers integrate timber, fruit, and medicinal plants with crops for additional income.