Tamil Nadu notifies 100 new Reserved Forests adding 13,494 hectares since 2021

The Tamil Nadu government notified 100 new Reserved Forests across 10 districts between 2021 and 2025 under the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882, adding approximately 13,494.95 hectares of legally protected forest. The expansion strengthens India's forest governance and biodiversity compliance, signaling rising regulatory expectations around regional environmental performance for businesses.

The Tamil Nadu government notified 100 new Reserved Forests across the state between 2021 and 2025 under the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882, following field surveys, rights-settlement processes, and statutory compliance. This adds approximately 13,494.95 hectares (135 sq km) of new Reserved Forest, increasing the total from around 26,450 sq km to 26,585 sq km within four years. The notifications span 10 districts including Dindigul, Dharmapuri, Madurai, Kallakurichi, Theni, Sivagangai, Namakkal, Nilgiris, Salem, and Tenkasi, with the Highways Forest block in Theni the largest at 2,836.33 hectares.

The expansion affects ecological corridors and biodiversity near key protected areas such as Mukurthi National Park and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, supporting water security and wildlife habitat integrity. It contributes to Tamil Nadu's forest and tree cover of 24.47 percent, moving toward the 33 percent target in India's National Forest Policy (1988). Local communities are affected through rights settlement by Forest Settlement Officers, which accounted for land rights before conferring legal protection, strengthening community trust and forest governance across the affected districts.

Businesses and policymakers should monitor how legal protection enables enhanced monitoring and enforcement against deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and illegal resource extraction. Affected entities should track the state's progress toward the 33 percent National Forest Policy target, which influences carbon sequestration and climate-risk mitigation. The move sets a precedent for other Indian states prioritizing ecological security within sustainable development goals, signaling strengthened environmental governance that could shape regional carbon management strategies and habitat protection priorities for investment in green infrastructure.

Key figure — New Reserved Forest area: approximately 13,494.95 hectares added across 10 districts