Forest Cover of India

India is one of the rare countries that keeps track of its forests regularly using a scientific method. This helps a lot with making plans, policies, and evidence-based decisions. India’s forests are as diverse as its culture, from the tall evergreen trees in the Western Ghats to the thick jungles in the Northeast.

In this article, we’ll look into the forests of India, learning about why they’re important, what’s being done to protect them, and the problems they’re up against.

Total Forest Cover in India 2023

As of 2023, the total forest cover in India was approximately 715,292 square kilometers, which accounts for around 21.54% of the total geographical area of the country. This data is based on the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) released periodically by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India.

Forest Cover in India State Wise

State/UTs details of Forest Cover as per ISFR 2021

(Area in square kilometre)
S. No	State/UT	Geo-graphical Area (GA)	Total Forest Cover	Percentage of Geographical area	Change in Forest Cover w.r.t ISFR 2019	Change Percentage w.r.t. 2019 assessment	Scrub
1	Andhra Pradesh	1,62,968	29,784	18.28	647	2.22	8,276
2	Arunachal Pradesh	83,743	66,431	79.33	-257	-0.39	797
3	Assam	78,438	28,312	36.09	-15	-0.05	228
4	Bihar	94,163	7,381	7.84	75	1.03	236
5	Chhattisgarh	1,35,192	55,717	41.21	106	0.19	615
6	Delhi	1,483	195.00	13.15	-0.44	-0.23	0.38
7	Goa	3,702	2,244	60.62	7	0.31	0
8	Gujarat	1,96,244	14,926	7.61	69	0.46	2,828
9	Haryana	44,212	1,603	3.63	1	0.06	159
10	Himachal  Pradesh	55,673	15,443	27.73	9	0.06	322
11	Jharkhand	79,716	23,721	29.76	110	0.47	584
12	Karnataka	1,91,791	38,730	20.19	155	0.40	4,611
13	Kerala	38,852	21,253	54.70	109	0.52	30
14	Madhya Pradesh	3,08,252	77,493	25.14	11	0.01	5,457
15	Maharashtra	3,07,713	50,798	16.51	20	0.04	4,247
16	Manipur	22,327	16,598	74.34	-249	-1.48	1,215
17	Meghalaya	22,429	17,046	76.00	-73	-0.43	663
18	Mizoram	21,081	17,820	84.53	-186	-1.03	1
19	Nagaland	16,579	12,251	73.90	-235	-1.88	824
20	Odisha	1,55,707	52,156	33.50	537	1.04	4,924
21	Punjab	50,362	1,847	3.67	-2	-0.11	34
22	Rajasthan	3,42,239	16,655	4.87	25	0.15	4,809
23	Sikkim	7,096	3,341	47.08	-1	-0.03	296
24	Tamil Nadu	1,30,060	26,419	20.31	55	0.21	758
25	Telangana	1,12,077	21,214	18.93	632	3.07	2,911
26	Tripura	10,486	7,722	73.64	-4	-0.05	33
27	Uttar Pradesh	2,40,928	14,818	6.15	12	0.08	563
28	Uttarakhand	53,483	24,305	45.44	2	0.01	392
29	West Bengal	88,752	16,832	18.96	-70	-0.41	156
30	A & N Islands	8,249	6,744	81.75	1	0.01	1
31	Chandigarh	114	22.88	20.07	0.85	3.86	0.38
32	Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu	602	227.75	37.83	0.10	0.04	4.85
33	Jammu & Kashmir	2,22,236	21,387	39.15	29	0.14	284
34	Ladakh		2,272	1.35	18	0.80	279
35	Lakshadweep	30	27.10	90.33	0.00	0.00	0.00
36	Puducherry	490	53.30	10.88	0.89	1.70	0.00
Total		32,87,469	7,13,789	21.71	1,540	0.22	46,539

Highest Forest Percentage State in India

The state of Madhya Pradesh has one of the largest forest covers in India and in terms of percentage, the forest cover of Mizoram is at 85.41 percent, is one of the most forest rich state.

The lowest forest cover is in the state of Haryana, at 1588 square kilometers, at 3.59 percent of total geographical area of the state.

Importance of Forest Cover in India

Essential to India’s environmental well-being are its forests. The following lists their significance:

• Climate change mitigation: Forests absorb carbon dioxide, one of the major greenhouse gases. This helps control the environment and prevent global warming.
• Water Security: Forests are an important part of the water cycle. They collect rain, control its flow, and prevent flooding. Groundwater sources are also restored.
• Soil conservation: Tree roots bind soil particles together, limiting wind and rainfall. This is especially important given that much of India’s territory is vulnerable to desertification.
• Biodiversity: A variety of plants and animals, including many endangered species, find a home in the forest. They are necessary to preserve ecological unity.
• Livelihood: Millions of people in India depend on forest income, especially those living in tribal communities. Non-timber forest products (fruits, berries, medicinal plants), fuelwood and timber are provided.
• Tourism: Forests are popular tourist attractions that generate income and employment in the tourism industry.
• Clean Air: As biogas filters, forests purify pollutants and release oxygen. Maintaining clean air is important, especially in cities.

What is the India State of Forest Report?

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) prepares the biennial India State of Forest Report (ISFR). FSI is an entity under the jurisdiction of the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change.

• Information regarding India’s forest cover is included in the study. It contains information on species composition, forest cover changes over time, tree density, and forest area.
• Data on the amount of mangrove cover, increasing stock, and carbon stock in forests are also included in the study.

How has India’s Forest Cover Changed Over the Years?

India’s forest cover grew from 19.53% in the early 1980s to 21.71% in 2021. The 2021 State of Forests Report for India:

• The country’s forest and tree cover grew by 2,261 square kilometres, or 0.28%, since the latest assessment in 2019, according to the study.
• In total, 80.9 million hectares of forest and tree cover covered India, making up 24.62% of the nation’s land area.
• 7,13,789 sq km, or 21.71% of the country’s total area, are covered by forests.
• The percentage of the country’s land covered by trees is 2.91%.
• According to the study, forests covered more than 33% of the land in 17 States and Union Territories.

Key Findings of the India State of Forest Report 2021

The following list includes some of the noteworthy features from the India State of Forest Report 2021:

Forest Cover

The states with the most forest cover in the nation in terms of area:

• Madhya Pradesh,
• Arunachal Pradesh,
• Chhattisgarh,
• Odisha, and
• Maharashtra.

According to the percentage of total land area covered by forests, the top five states are:

• Mizoram,
• Arunachal Pradesh,
• Meghalaya,
• Manipur, and
• Nagaland.

Mangrove Cover

• India’s mangrove area grew by 17 square kilometres in 2019 over the previous estimate.
• 4,992 square kilometres make up India’s total mangrove cover.

Bamboo Cover

• Since the last evaluation in 2019, India’s bamboo-bearing area has grown by 39,454 million culms (stems).
• 53,336 million culms of bamboo are found in India’s entire area under cultivation.

States with Highest Increase in Forest and Trees

• The country continues to have a growing amount of trees and woods. There has been an increase in the area by 1,540 square kilometres throughout the past two years.
• From 67% in 2019 to 7,13,789 Sq.km (21.71% of the country’s geographical area), India’s forest cover has grown.
• “Tree cover” is the collective name for all tree patches less than one hectare that is found outside of the officially recognised forest area. This holds for dispersed trees as well as all other tree shapes.
• More trees currently cover 721 square km.
• The states with the largest increases in forest cover are Odisha (1.04%), Telangana (3.07%), and Andhra Pradesh (2.22%).
• Five Northeastern states—Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland—have seen a decline in their amount of forest cover.

Forests that are Prone to Fire

• Forest fires can occur in 35.46% of India’s forested area. Out of them, 7.85% are very highly prone, 11.51% are very prone, and 2.81% are extremely prone.
• By 2030, increasing temperatures and a changing climate will affect 45–64% of India’s forests.

Carbon Stocks

• It is predicted that 7,204 million tonnes of carbon are stored in the nation’s forests. Since 2019, there has been an increase of 79.4 million tonnes.
• The amount of carbon stored in the forest ecosystem after being removed from the atmosphere is known as the forest carbon stock.
• The soil and living biomass are often where the sequestered carbon is kept.
• To some extent, though, it is also kept in the form of trash and dead wood.

Threats to India’s Forest Cover

India’s woods are under several dangers, both natural and man-made. A look at the main offenders is as follows:

• Deforestation is the permanent removal of trees to create room for mining, agriculture, and the construction of infrastructure (roads, dams). This may or may not be lawful.
• Land Degradation: Unsustainable activities that cause desertification include overgrazing by cattle and excessive fuelwood harvest. These actions can lower the quality of forests.
• Climate Change: The forests of India are suffering from rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, and a rise in the frequency of catastrophic weather events like wildfires.
• Illegal Activities: Poaching, industrial encroachment, and illegal logging by the “timber mafia” are a few examples of unlawful activities that lead to the loss and degradation of forests.
• Policy Issues: It may be challenging to conserve forests due to conflicting regulations and lax enforcement measures.

Each of these risks has a cascading impact. Deforestation and degradation lead to biodiversity loss, ecological imbalance disruption, and increased susceptibility to droughts and floods. This might start a vicious cycle and exacerbate the impacts of climate change.

Conservation Initiatives and Policies for Forest Protection

• To save forests and preserve ecological balance, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) established new regulations in 2022.
• These guidelines supersede previous ones from 2003.
• They concentrate on creating committees to oversee projects and carry out conservation work.
• A project screening committee reviews projects that might include the exploitation of forest land. It advises state governments on initiatives and has frequent meetings.
• The committee examines the location of proposals and verifies that they are complete.
• Review periods vary depending on the project and might be anywhere from 60 to 150 days.
• The committee comprises a district collector and a forest conservator, under the direction of a nodal officer.
• A further body called the Advisory group provides recommendations to the Central Government on matters related to forest conservation.
• By the rules, regional offices also create Regional Empowered Committees.
• Projects that require approval from regional offices must include the use of up to 40 hectares of forest area or be linear, such as roads and highways.
• Compensatory afforestation, or CA, is required when forest land is used for uses other than forest production. Companies must provide alternative land or rebuild damaged areas by reforesting them.
• The resolution of disputes about forest rights and land diversion is currently the responsibility of the states.
• In less serious circumstances, environmental regulation violations may result in fines rather than jail time.
• The Indian Penal Code addresses grave offences including causing significant harm or death.
• Penalties for infractions of the Environment Protection Act, particularly those about single-use plastic, are upheld by the regulations.
• An Environment Protection Fund will get a part of the penalties that are collected.
• The Environment Protection Act of 1986, which gives the Central Government the authority to guard the environment, stop pollution, and control industry, is one of the most significant environmental laws and regulations.
• With community involvement, the National Afforestation Programme seeks to recover damaged wood.
• Aiming to expand the amount of forest cover, the India Forest Policy of 1952 established rules for both the preservation and use of forests.
• It divided woods into four categories: Village woods, National Forests, Protection Forests, and Treelands. Each category had a distinct function.

Governmental Efforts to Encourage Forest Cover

The GoI has launched several initiatives to promote forest conservation and its management.

• National Mission for a Green India

This is one of the eight missions included in the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).

It was introduced in February 2014.

• National Afforestation Program (NAP)

It has been applied to the reforestation of degraded forest regions since 2000.

The MoEFCC implemented the program.

• Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA)

This was introduced in 2016.

90% of the fund will go to the states, while the remaining 10% will be held by the centre.

• National Action Programme to Combat Desertification

This was implemented in 2001 by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change.

This was launched to address the concerns of rising desertification and to take necessary initiatives.

• Green India Mission

It is a centrally sponsored scheme.

It aims to increase forest and tree cover in the nation and improve the quality of forest ecosystems.

The mission focuses on increasing forest cover in 5 million hectares of forest and non-forest lands.

• Joint Forest Management

It’s a project for community-based forest management. Local people are involved in the management and conservation of forests through this programme. It aims to:

Promote the sustainable use of forest resources.

Ensure the participation of local communities in forest conservation.

Related Reads

• Conservation of Forest and Wildlife in India
• Forest
• Types of Forests in India

FAQs on Forest Cover of India

What is the total forest cover in India?

The total area covered by forests and trees in the nation is 24.62%. 7,13,789 sq km, or 21.71% of the country’s total area, are covered by forests.

What is India’s current forest cover?

According to the most recent ISFR 2021, the nation’s total forest cover is 7,13,789 square kilometres, or 21.72% of its total land area.

Which Indian forest is the most extensive?

Tropical dry deciduous trees come after tropical wet deciduous trees. Therefore, more than 60% of India’s forest land is covered by deciduous forests.

What nation has the most forest cover?

With 815 million hectares of forest, Russia is home to the biggest amount of forest. The greatest forested areas are found in Brazil, the United States, Canada, China, Australia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, each covering more than 100 million hectares.

The state with the most forest cover is which?

Madhya Pradesh has the most amount of forest cover in the nation, followed by Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. The top five states in terms of the proportion of their total area covered by forests are Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Nagaland.