In 2017, Meghalaya's forests constituted 76.4% of the state's total area but faced degradation, with
a 1.2% decrease (142 km2) in forest area and a 157 km2 increase in open forest rate to 42% from 2013
to 2017. This degradation resulted in adverse impacts such as reduced timber and non-timber forest
production, soil erosion, and river sedimentation, which has negatively affected local communities.
To address these issues, the Project for Community-Based Forest Management and Livelihoods