India and Japan held the seventh Joint Working Group meeting on forests in Bengaluru. Discussions covered Trees Outside Forests, forest genetics, germplasm conservation, tree breeding and improved planting material.
The policy significance is easy to miss. India’s climate and restoration targets depend not only on notified forests but also on tree cover across farms, cities, roadsides and other landscapes. Genetic diversity and quality planting material also affect resilience, productivity and long-term ecological outcomes.