Question

The minimum forest cover necessary to maintain ecological balance is _____.

• A. 50% of the total land area
• B. 40% of the total land area
• C. 33% of the total land area
• D. 25% of the total land area

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

33% of the total land area

India is one of the few countries which has a forest policy since 1894. The policy was revised in 1952 and again in 1988. The main plank of the revised forest policy of 1988 is protection, conservation, and development of forests. In accordance with this goal, the NPP has a target of keeping 33% of land area under forest in India because that percentage is regarded as the minimum required for maintaining the ecological balance in a country. The actual forest area is approximately 22% but the policy hoped to increase that percentage to 33%.