Geo-tagging of forest locations raises concerns over trespassing
Forest officials in Kerala are concerned about the unauthorized geo-tagging of remote forest locations on Google Maps, which is encouraging illegal trespassing by tourists. The Forest department is seeking to remove these pins to prevent human-wildlife conflicts and protect protected areas.
Why it matters
The intersection of digital mapping platforms and environmental conservation highlights new challenges in managing protected wilderness areas from unregulated tourism.
The unauthorised geo-tagging of remote forest locations has become a concern for the State Forest department, as tourists are increasingly trespassing into forests and often getting lost in the wilderness.
A total of 23 locations inside reserve forests in Kozhikode have been geo-tagged and pinned as tourist attractions on Google Maps by users. Forest officials say such listings could mislead the public and lead to trespassing into reserve forests.
The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Kozhikode has written to the Kerala Forest department’s IT wing, flagging the misleading information and seeking advice on removing the geo-tagged locations.
“Several locations within the forest areas under the Kozhikode division have been marked by individuals on web mapping and navigation platforms. These include viewpoints and waterfalls. Crowds are drawn to these locations, leading to unlawful entry into reserve forests,” said Kozhikode DFO Joshil M.
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