What is compensatory afforestation? | Explained

📌 Summary:

• The National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) has approved four projects to conserve river dolphins, snow leopards, Indian rhinoceroses and wild water buffaloes, along with initiatives to preserve wildlife and green cover nationally

• CAMPA was set up under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016, and works as a regulatory body to utilise compensatory afforestation funds

• Two-tier structure: each State and Union Territory has its own CAMPA body undertaking localised projects, while National CAMPA provides broad policy guidelines and technical oversight

• Definition: compensatory afforestation is the practice of replacing forest land converted for infrastructure projects, in order to maintain green cover

• Operating principle: compensation happens on a 'land by land' and 'trees by trees' basis

• Legal trigger: any proposal seeking prior Union government approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 must include a comprehensive compensatory afforestation scheme, duly approved by the competent authority of the concerned State or UT administration

• Critical caveat flagged: the practice cannot be used as a justification for large-scale projects that alter a region's ecosystem — it is a mitigation tool, not a licence for diversion

• Balance sought: compensatory afforestation is an effective way to remain sustainable while undertaking necessary developmental projects

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 — Environment: conservation, environmental legislation, EIA and forest governance; GS2 — Centre-State institutional arrangements in environmental administration.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• CAMPA operates under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016
• Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 governs diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes
• Compensation follows the 'land by land' and 'trees by trees' principle
• The four species covered by the newly approved projects: river dolphin, snow leopard, Indian rhinoceros, wild water buffalo
• The Gangetic river dolphin is India's National Aquatic Animal

🔑 Key Term: Compensatory Afforestation — the mandatory raising of forest on non-forest or degraded forest land, in lieu of forest land diverted for non-forest use, funded through payments made by the project proponent into the CAMPA fund.