The valley of Kashmir has been the blessed with numerous natural bounties. Forest is one such gift. Often called by the moniker, the green gold, it maintains the concentration of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere . As per the National Forest Policy, 33 per cent of country’s geographical area should be under forest cover. In India, only 24 per cent of the geographical area is under forests, while as 10.14 per cent of the total geographical area is covered by forests in Kashmir.

Dense forests are found everywhere particularly in outer and inner Himalayan ranges. They have a multidimensional role to play. They provide timber, firewood, and fibre grass and also maintain ecological balance and life support system. But due to unhindered and unplanned intervention of humans, a drastic slump in the forest area has been witnessed.

I roamed in the woods to document the thinness of forests in my area.