India, Sept. 23 -- The Supreme Court's recent directive to states and union territories to define "forest" has once again pushed this debate into the national spotlight. How India defines a forest will shape the future of ecological security, conservation policies, and land-use planning in one of the world's most biodiverse yet densely populated countries

The debate over defining a forest in India remains a complex issue with far-reaching implications for conservation policy, ecological security and land-use planning. This matter has recently resurfaced in national discourse following a Supreme Court directive instructing that all states and union territories must define the term "forest", encompassing its dictionary meaning, and underta...