India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023

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The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), is a biennial publication prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI). Established in 1981, the FSI is headquartered in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The report provides a comprehensive assessment of India’s forest and tree cover, offering insights into changes over the past two years and highlighting trends in forest management and conservation.

Key Findings

Forest and Tree Cover

• The total forest and tree cover in India has increased to 25.17% of the country's geographical area. This includes:
  • Forest Cover: 21.76%
  • Tree Cover: 3.41%
• The Northeastern region remains the leader with 67% forest and tree cover relative to its geographical area.

Changes Compared to 2021

• Increase: The total forest and tree cover expanded by 1,445 sq km compared to 2021. States with the maximum increase include:
  • Chhattisgarh: 683.62 sq km
  • Uttar Pradesh: 559.19 sq km
  • Odisha: 558.57 sq km
  • Rajasthan: 394.46 sq km
• Decrease: States with the highest reductions in forest cover are:
  • Madhya Pradesh: 612.41 sq km
  • Karnataka: 459.36 sq km
  • Ladakh: 159.26 sq km
  • Nagaland: 125.22 sq km

States with Largest Forest Cover

• By Area: Madhya Pradesh > Arunachal Pradesh > Chhattisgarh
• By Percentage:
  • Lakshadweep: 91.33%
  • Mizoram: 85.34%
  • Andaman & Nicobar Islands: 81.62%
• Above National Average: Nineteen states and Union Territories have forest cover above 33% of their geographical area, with eight states/UTs exceeding 75% forest cover (e.g., Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland).

Special Categories

• Mangrove Cover: Mangrove forests occupy 4,992 sq km (0.15% of India’s area), showing a slight decrease of 7.43 sq km compared to 2021.
• Bamboo Bearing Area: India’s total bamboo-bearing area is estimated at 1,54,670 sq km, reflecting a significant increase of 5,227 sq km from 2021. Madhya Pradesh has the highest bamboo-bearing area, followed by Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Key Terms and Definitions

• Recorded Forest Area: Areas officially recorded as forests in government records.
• Forest Cover: Land with tree canopy density above 10%, covering at least one hectare, including plantations.
• Tree Cover: Trees outside recorded forest areas in patches smaller than one hectare.
• Dense Forests: Forests with a canopy density of 40% or more.
  • Very Dense Forests (VDF): Canopy density of 70% or higher.
  • Open Forests (OF): Canopy density between 10-40%.
• Trees Outside Forests (TOF): Trees growing outside recorded forest areas, regardless of patch size.