Even as Gurugram witnessed rapid urban expansion over the past decade, it lost 15 hectares of its already limited natural forest cover, according to the latest data released by Global Forest Watch (GFW).
The district is among several in Haryana that have recorded a steady decline in natural forests since 2001. In 2025 alone, the state lost 30 hectares of natural forest, resulting in an estimated 6.9 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
The figures assume significance as Haryana already has the lowest forest cover among all Indian states. According to the Forest Survey of India’s India State of Forest Report 2021, only 3.6% of the state’s geographical area is officially classified as forest.
Global Forest Watch estimates that Haryana had about 39,000 hectares of natural forest in 2020, accounting for just 0.89% of its land area. Between 2019 and 2021, the state’s tree cover declined by 8%, shrinking from 1,565 sq km to 1,425 sq km.
District-wise data since 2001 shows Panchkula suffering the highest loss of natural forest at 190 hectares, followed by Ambala (72 hectares), Yamunanagar (51 hectares), Kaithal (27 hectares), Kurukshetra (22 hectares), Gurugram (15 hectares), Jind (14 hectares), Faridabad (10 hectares), Jhajjar (8 hectares) and Palwal (7 hectares). Panchkula and Ambala together account for nearly 58% of Haryana’s cumulative natural forest loss during the period.
Agricultural expansion emerged as the biggest driver of forest loss, accounting for 220 hectares. It was followed by settlements and infrastructure development (52 hectares), natural disturbances (20 hectares) and logging (18 hectares).
The data also points to a worrying trend: nearly 88% of the forest loss occurred in areas where deforestation is considered permanent, indicating that these lands are unlikely to revert to natural forests.
Overall, Haryana lost 450 hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2025 — about 1% of the tree cover it had in 2000.
While official state figures indicate a net increase of 8,700 hectares of tree cover between 2000 and 2020, GFW and ecologists have consistently pointed out that satellite-based tree cover assessments include plantations, farm trees and roadside greenery. As a result, gains in overall tree cover can mask the continued disappearance of natural forests, which are ecologically far more valuable.
For Gurugram, where development pressure continues to intensify and natural green spaces remain scarce, the latest figures highlight the widening gap between urban growth and long-term environmental sustainability.
