What the 89.4 Per Cent Green Cover Figure Actually Means

The figure describes forest cover inside TTD's own 2,719-hectare enclosure, not across the whole Seshachalam range. TTD biodiversity conservation efforts apply inside that boundary alone. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu publicly congratulated the temple trust on the result in May 2026. It places TTD among the greenest institutional landholders in the country. Still, the headline number needs context. Roughly 2,431 hectares of that area carry actual forest vegetation. The rest includes the hill town, roads, queue complexes and pilgrim facilities. So the percentage measures a comparatively small, intensively managed pocket rather than a vast wilderness. That distinction matt

Who Runs TTD Biodiversity Conservation Efforts on the Ground

The TTD Forest Department has protected these hills since 1980, when the trust first drew up a bioaesthetic plan to green the sacred slopes. Today a Deputy Conservator of Forests supervises the wing. Below that sit four forest ranges, two in Tirumala and two in Tirupati, each under a Forest Range Officer. Deputy Range Officers, Forest Section Officers and field staff handle day-to-day protection. Although their work is unglamorous, it never stops. It covers fire watch, boundary patrol, nursery upkeep and the removal of dangerous or storm-damaged trees along pilgrim routes. The department also supplies the temple itself. Sandalwood logs, firewood and Darbha grass used in rituals come from the

Why TTD Biodiversity Conservation Efforts Target Acacia Trees

Greening drives from the 1980s onward stabilised the slopes quickly. However, they leaned heavily on fast-growing exotics such as Acacia auriculiformis and Acacia holosericea, alongside Senna spectabilis. Those species did their job, yet they created a second problem. That problem now sits at the centre of the current restoration plan. Forest officials describe these trees as allelopathic. In plain terms, they release compounds that suppress the germination of native seedlings and alter soil chemistry around them. As a result, a hillside can look green from the ghat road while supporting very little native life underneath. Roughly 576 hectares of the TTD enclosure now carry this invasive spr

How TTD Biodiversity Conservation Efforts Handle Wildlife Conflict

Seshachalam's forests hold elephants, leopards, bears and a wide range of snakes. Since millions of pilgrims move through the same landscape each year, conflict is not hypothetical. So the forest wing concentrates on separation rather than pure habitat work. During severe summers, staff dig saucer pits across forest areas and refill them with water. The logic is simple. If animals find water inside the forest, they are less likely to walk into the hill town looking for it. Three snake rescue teams stay on alert in the queue line premises. Staff also identify and remove dangerous trees, clear fallen trunks after storms and trim roadside branches so sightlines stay open. In July 2026, TTD and

What TTD Biodiversity Conservation Efforts Do Not Cover

This is the part official summaries skip, and it is worth stating plainly. TTD biodiversity conservation efforts stop at the enclosure boundary. The trust manages 2,719 hectares. The biosphere reserve spans about 4,756 square kilometres. Almost all of that wider landscape falls under the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department, not TTD. Red Sanders smuggling, for instance, is largely a policing and state forest issue across Seshachalam and Kadapa, not something the temple trust controls. Similarly, elephant movement in the Tirupati region is tracked by state wildlife authorities. Our report on the Andhra Pradesh elephant population estimation exercise sets out how that survey works. Urban pressure

How Pilgrims Can Support TTD Biodiversity Conservation Efforts

Small, everyday choices matter more here than most visitors assume. TTD has not announced a public volunteer registration scheme for forest work, so treat any website offering paid "eco-volunteer" slots as suspect. The genuinely useful contributions are available to everyone. Carry your plastic back down instead of leaving it on the steps or in the forest fringe. Never feed wildlife, including monkeys near the footpath rest points. Stay on marked paths, since off-trail walking compacts soil around regenerating saplings. Avoid buying Red Sanders curios of unverified origin, because that trade drives illegal felling. Check announcements on the official TTD channels rather than forwarded messag

How much forest does TTD actually manage in Tirumala?

TTD biodiversity conservation efforts cover about 2,719 hectares in the Seshachalam ranges. Roughly 2,431 hectares of that carries forest vegetation. The remainder includes the hill town, roads and pilgrim facilities. This area is separate from the far larger biosphere reserve administered by the state.

Is Tirumala's green cover really 89.4 per cent?

Yes, within TTD limits. The figure comes from the latest India State of Forest Report and applies to the trust's own enclosure, not to the whole Seshachalam range. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu publicly acknowledged the achievement in May 2026.

How do TTD biodiversity conservation efforts differ from state forest department work?

TTD biodiversity conservation efforts focus on a compact 2,719-hectare enclosure around the temple town, covering restoration, pilgrim safety and ritual timber supply. The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department handles the surrounding reserve, wildlife protection across districts and enforcement against Red Sanders smuggling. Both coordinate on leopard movement near footpaths.

Why is TTD removing Acacia trees if they are already green?

Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia holosericea and Senna spectabilis are exotic and allelopathic. They suppress native seedling growth and change soil chemistry, so the canopy looks healthy while biodiversity underneath stays poor. Removal happens in stages to avoid destabilising slopes during the monsoon.

Is Seshachalam a UNESCO biosphere reserve?

No. India notified Seshachalam as a national biosphere reserve in September 2010, and it was Andhra Pradesh's first. However, it is not part of UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Only 12 of India's 18 notified reserves carry that international recognition.

Can pilgrims join TTD tree-planting programmes?

TTD has not announced a general public volunteer registration scheme for forest work. Any site charging a fee for "eco-volunteer" slots should be treated as unverified. Check the official TTD portal for genuine announcements before responding to any such offer.

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Tirupati News May 21, 2026 · 11 min read · Updated Aug 25, 2026

TTD Biodiversity Conservation Efforts in Tirumala: What the 89.4% Green Cover Really Means

TTD biodiversity conservation efforts now span 2,719 hectares of the Tirumala hills, with 89.4% green cover and a five-phase restoration plan running to 2035.

By Krishna Srinivas · Senior Editor — City Desk (TMC & Civic Services)

Native forest cover on the Seshachalam slopes above Tirupati, where TTD manages 2,719 hectares under a ten-year restoration plan.

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