Tue May 06 05:27:20 UTC 2025: ## Goa’s Ecological Crisis: Study Reveals Extensive Land Degradation and Biodiversity Loss
**PANAJI, GOA, May 6, 2025** – A new study published in *Nature* reveals a significant decline in Goa’s forest cover and biodiversity, highlighting the urgent need for ecological conservation in the region. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, found that 54.41% of the central Western Ghats in Goa is highly ecologically sensitive. Since the 1990s, the total forest cover has decreased by 3.75%, with a 10.98% reduction in evergreen forests, primarily due to market forces and globalization.
The study, titled “Insights into the linkages of forest structure dynamics with ecosystem services,” points to large-scale land cover changes as the main culprit, leading to land degradation and deforestation. This has resulted in the conversion of perennial water bodies to seasonal ones, impairing vital ecosystem services. Goa’s desertification is also alarming, with degradation escalating to 37.32% in 2011-13.
The researchers emphasize the region’s exceptional ecological significance, noting its rich biodiversity, including approximately 7% of the Western Ghats’ endemic flowering plant species. However, unplanned development, particularly rapid urbanization in cities like Panaji and Mormugao, and industrial expansion in areas like Verna, has led to ecosystem fragmentation, biodiversity loss, and a significant reduction in open spaces. Agricultural expansion has further contributed to the problem.
The study concludes that the poor understanding of the value of Goa’s forest ecosystems in the policy-making process is a key factor driving the degradation. The researchers call for urgent action, including natural capital accounting and valuation of ecosystem services, to mitigate the ongoing environmental crisis and address the decline in agricultural productivity linked to environmental degradation. They argue that balancing economic growth with ecological conservation is crucial for Goa’s future.
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