The most recent report on the condition of India’s forests, the India State of Forest Report (ISFR), was issued in 2019 by the Ministry for Environment, Forests and Climate Change. The ISFR is published every two years by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), which falls under the Ministry’s purview. The report provides a comprehensive review of the forest and tree cover, bamboo resources, carbon stock, and forest fires within the country.
For the first time, the 2019 report assessed not just the quantity but also the quality of forest cover. The evaluation revealed the biodiversity of the forests, listing the different types of flora discovered. It also established a national forest inventory that compiles information on forest yield.
Key Findings: Forest Cover
The ISFR uses the density of tree canopies and area size to determine forest cover. Any land patch with a tree canopy density over 10% and more than one hectare in area is included in the country’s total forest cover. As of the 2019 report, this coverage amounts to 7,12,249 sq km or 21.67% of the country’s geographical area.
When broken down by area, the top five states for forest cover were Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra. However, when it comes to the percentage of a state covered by forest, Mizoram led with 85.4%, followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 79.63% and Meghalaya at 76.33%.
Changes in Forest Coverage: Increase and Decrease
Interestingly, the report noted significant changes in forest coverage. Five states — Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh — demonstrated a substantial increase in forest coverage, while the North Eastern Region showed a decline. Forest cover in this region equals 1,70,541 sq km or 65.05% of its geographical area, marking a decrease of 765 sq km or 0.45%.
Assam and Tripura were the only states in the North Eastern Region whose forest coverage did not decrease. On the contrary, these states showed an increase in their forest cover.
Forest Coverage in Tribal Districts
The total forest cover in tribal districts equates to 4,22,351 sq km, 37.54% of the geographical area of these districts. Contrary to the overall trend, there has been a decrease in the recorded forest area/green wash (RFA/GW) of 741 sq km within the tribal districts, but an increase of 1,922 sq km outside these areas. The report linked the drop in tree cover inside forests to tribal populations receiving land titles, while the rise in trees outside forest areas was attributed to an increase in tree plantation and afforestation activities.
| Forest Cover Change | Area |
|---|---|
| Decrease in RFA/GW | 741 sq km |
| Increase outside tribal districts | 1,922 sq km |
Increase in Tree Cover and Carbon Stock
Tree cover, which includes tree patches of less than one hectare outside recorded forest areas, accounts for 95,027 sq km or 2.89% of India’s geographical area. Maharashtra recorded the highest increase in tree cover, largely due to horticulture.
In addition to forest and tree cover, the report also assessed India’s carbon stock. The total carbon stock was estimated at 7124 million tons, marking an increase of 42.6 million tons from the previous assessment. This development suggests that India is on track to achieve its Paris Agreement commitment of creating 2.5 -3 billion carbon sinks.
The Importance of Wetlands, Forest Produce and National Forest Policy
Wetlands located within the RFA/GW comprise 8.13% of the total number. State-wise, Gujarat boasts the most extensive area of wetlands within RFAs, followed by West Bengal.
Regarding forest produce, Maharashtra remains the highest consumer of fuelwood from forests where dependence for fodder, small timber and bamboo is highest in Madhya Pradesh.
The National Forest Policy of 1988 illustrates the country’s environmental conservation efforts. It underscores the mission to maintain environmental stability, conserve the natural heritage, and increase forest/tree coverage through massive afforestation and social forestry programs. The policy also advocates for a large-scale public movement to achieve these goals and reduce pressure on existing forests.