The Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, released the India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023) on 21 December at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun.
- This biennial report, published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) since 1987, provides an overview of India’s forest and tree resources.
- The ISFR 2023 is the 18th edition in the series.
Key Findings of ISFR 2023:
Forest and Tree Cover:
- Total Forest and Tree Cover: 8,27,357 sq km, which constitutes 25.17% of India’s geographical area.
- Forest Cover: 7,15,343 sq km (21.76%).
- Tree Cover: 1,12,014 sq km (3.41%).
- Increase in Cover: An increase of 1,445 sq km in forest and tree cover compared to the previous assessment.
State-Wise Analysis:
- Top States with Maximum Increase in Forest and Tree Cover:
- Chhattisgarh: 684 sq km.
- Uttar Pradesh: 559 sq km.
- Odisha: 559 sq km.
- Rajasthan: 394 sq km.
- Top States with Maximum Increase in Forest Cover:
- Mizoram: 242 sq km.
- Gujarat: 180 sq km.
- Odisha: 152 sq km.
- Largest Forest and Tree Cover (Area-Wise):
- Madhya Pradesh: 85,724 sq km.
- Arunachal Pradesh: 67,083 sq km.
- Maharashtra: 65,383 sq km.
- Largest Forest Cover (Area-Wise):
- Madhya Pradesh: 77,073 sq km.
- Arunachal Pradesh: 65,882 sq km.
- Chhattisgarh: 55,812 sq km.
- Highest Percentage of Forest Cover (Geographical Area):
- Lakshadweep: 91.33%.
- Mizoram: 85.34%.
- Andaman & Nicobar Islands: 81.62%.
Mangrove Cover:
- Total Mangrove Cover: 4,992 sq km.
Bamboo Resources:
- Bamboo Bearing Area: 1,54,670 sq km, an increase of 5,227 sq km compared to 2021.
Growing Stock:
- Total Growing Stock: 6,430 million cubic meters (cum).
- Inside Forests: 4,479 million cum.
- Outside Forests: 1,951 million cum.
- Increase: 262 million cum compared to the previous assessment.
Timber Potential:
- Annual potential timber production from trees outside forests: 91.51 million cum.
Carbon Stock:
- Total Carbon Stock in Forests: 7,285.5 million tonnes.
- Increase: The carbon stock has shown a positive growth compared to previous reports, supporting India’s climate goals.
States/UTs with Notable Forest Cover:
- 19 States/UTs have over 33% of their geographical area under forest cover.
- 8 States/UTs with more than 75% forest cover: Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Manipur.
