The twin steps of rehabilitation and plantation of degraded forest lands will require an annual investment of Rs 1,860 crore, stated the Union minister for environment and forests, T R Baalu. Baalu who was addressing members of the parliamentary consultative committee attached to his ministry in the Capital on Tuesday also disclosed that the latest assessment of the total forest cover in the country for the year 2000 has indicated a slight increase over previous declines. This he said is an encouraging trend.