Recently, the Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate

Change released the ‘India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR

2023) at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun.

About ISFR (India State of Forest Report)

Published biennially by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) under the
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Forest Survey of India (FSI):

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) is a government organization

that monitors and assesses India’s forest resources:

Mandate: The FSI’s main role is to regularly survey and assess

the country’s forest resources.

History: The FSI was established on June 1, 1981, replacing

the Preinvestment Survey of Forest Resources (PISFR), which
was started in 1965.

First report was published in 1987; the 2023 report is the 18th
edition.

The report contains information on forest cover, tree cover,

mangrove cover, growing stock, carbon stock in India’s forests,
instances of forest fire, Agroforestry, etc.

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Forest Cover Mapping

Definition: Land more than 1 hectare in area, with a tree canopy
and density of more than 10%, “including tree orchards, bamboo,
palms etc.

Classification of Forest:
Very Dense Forest (VDF): Canopy density ≥70%.

Moderately Dense Forest (MDF): Canopy density 40–70%.

Open Forest (OF): Canopy density 10–40%.

Scrub: Canopy density < 10 %, generally with shrubs

interspersed with trees.

Data Source: Utilizes satellite imagery from ISRO’s LISS-III

sensor on IRS Resourcesat satellites.

Key Highlights
 Area Increase
Category
(Sq Km) (%)

Increase in Forest Cover 156.41 0.05%

Increase in Total Forest and Tree

1,445.81 0.18%
Cover (Green Cover)

Forest and Tree Cover in India:

Total Forest and Tree Cover: 8,27,356.95 sq km (25.17%
of India’s geographical area).

Forest Cover: 7,15,342.61 sq km (21.76% of geographical

area).

Tree Cover: 1,12,014.34 sq km (3.41% of geographical

area).

Mangrove Cover:
Total Mangrove Cover: 4,992 sq km (0.15%) of the
geographical area.

Net Mangrove Cover decrease from 2021: 7.43 sq km

Decrease: Highest losses in Gujarat (-36.39 sq km).

Increase: Andhra Pradesh (+13.01 sq km) and

Maharashtra (+12.39 sq km).

State Rankings: Largest Forest and Tree Cover Area

State Forest & Tree Cover (sq km)

1. Madhya Pradesh 85,724

2. Arunachal Pradesh 67,083

3. Maharashtra 65,383

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Top States by Increase in Forest and Tree Cover (2021–
2023)

State Increase in Area (sq km)

1. Chhattisgarh 684

2. Uttar Pradesh 559

3. Odisha 559

4. Rajasthan 394

State Rankings: Highest Percentage Forest Cover

Percentage of Geographical Area

Rank State
Covered

1 Lakshadweep 91.33%

2 Mizoram 85.34%

Andaman & Nicobar

3 81.62%
Islands

States with Maximum Changes in Forest Cover

Category State Change (sq km)

Maximum Increase Chhattisgarh +684

Maximum Decrease Madhya Pradesh -612

Carbon Stock:
Total carbon stock: 7,285.5 million tonnes.

Increase of 81.5 million tonnes since 2021.

Soil organic carbon accounts for 55.06% of the total

stock.

Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Areas (WGESA):

Forest cover in Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Areas:
44,043.99 sq km (73% of WGESA).

Loss over 10 years: 58.22 sq km.

Forest Cover in the North Eastern Region:

The total forest cover in the North Eastern Region is
1,74,394.70 square kilometers, which is 67% of the
 geographical area of this region.

The North Eastern Region recorded a decline of 327.30

square kilometers in forest cover.

Mizoram recorded an increase of 178 square kilometers

in forest cover.

Forest Cover in Hill Districts:

The total forest cover in hill districts of India is
2,83,713.20 square kilometers, which accounts for 40% of
the geographical area of these districts.

The forest cover in hill districts has increased by 234.14

square kilometers since 2021.

Agroforestry:
The total tree green cover under agroforestry in India is
estimated at 1,27,590.05 square kilometers.

There has been an increase of 21,286.57 square

kilometers in agroforestry tree green cover since 2013.

The total growing stock under agroforestry is estimated

at 1,291.68 million cubic meters, showing a 28.56%
increase compared to 2013.

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India’s National Commitments Related to

Forests and Environment:
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris
Agreement:
India aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3
billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2030 through
afforestation and tree cover enhancement.

Current progress: Achieved an additional 2.29 billion

tonnes of carbon sink since 2005.

Green India Mission (GIM):

Aims to increase forest/tree cover by 5 million hectares
and improve the quality of another 5 million hectares.

Focuses on ecosystem restoration, biodiversity

conservation, and enhancing forest-based livelihoods.

Community Participation: Joint Forest Management (JFM):

Engages local communities in forest protection,
afforestation, and sustainable management.

India’s Global Commitments Related to Forests

and Environment
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) (1992): The UNFCCC is an international treaty aimed
at addressing climate change and its impacts.
As a party to the convention, India is required to report on
greenhouse gas emissions and activities related to land
use, forestry, and land-use change (LULUCF).
 Kyoto Protocol (1997): Operationalizes UNFCCC by mandating
industrialized nations to reduce GHG emissions with specified
targets.

Paris Agreement (2015): Focuses on limiting global warming

below 2°C (preferably 1.5°C) and emphasizes the role of forests
in climate mitigation and adaptation.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): SDG 15 (“Life on Land”)

targets forest conservation and restoration; other relevant SDGs
include SDG 14, 1, 2, 3, 6, and 13.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Negotiated and signed

at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and came into
force in 1993.
Obligates India to conserve biodiversity, promote
sustainable use, and achieve Aichi Biodiversity Targets,
including forest habitat conservation (Target 5).

New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF): Launched in 2014 at

the United Nations Climate Summit
Aims to halve deforestation by 2020, end it by 2030, and
promote sustainable forest management and restoration.

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD):

Adopted in 1994 and entered into force in 1996.
Legally binds nations to combat desertification, drought
impacts, and promote sustainable land management.

Bonn Challenge: Launched in 2011 by the German government

and IUCN
Global effort to restore degraded lands, with India
committing to restore 26 million hectares by 2030.

Asia Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC) (1949): A regional

commission of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO) that provides a forum for countries to
discuss forest issues.

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971): Recognizes the

ecological importance of wetlands, including mangroves, and
promotes their conservation and sustainable use.

Challenges Highlighted in the India State of

Forest Report (ISFR) 2023
Decline in Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) and Open Forest (OF):
Significant reductions observed in MDF and OF areas across
various states due to urbanization, agricultural expansion, and
infrastructure projects.

Deforestation in Eco-Sensitive Zones: In the Western Ghats,

forest cover in the eco-sensitive zones reduced by 58.22 sq km
over a decade.
Declines in forest areas in biodiversity hotspots pose a
risk to ecological balance and species preservation.

Forest Fire Vulnerability: Increasing instances of forest fires have

led to degradation of large forest areas, affecting biodiversity and
regeneration capacity.
Top three Stares where fire incidences have been
observed the most in 2023-24 season are Uttarakhand,
Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
 About 32.06% of forests are classified as “highly fire-
prone”​

Pressure on Forest Resources: Rising demand for timber, non-

timber forest products (NTFPs), and fuelwood continues to exert
unsustainable pressure on forest ecosystems.

Fragmentation and Habitat Loss: Infrastructure projects, mining,

and urban sprawl contribute to habitat fragmentation, particularly
in the Himalayan and Western Ghats regions.

Management and Monitoring Gaps: Lack of comprehensive

monitoring and enforcement mechanisms in forested areas
exacerbates issues such as illegal logging and encroachment.

Unsustainable Resource Use: Overextraction of Non-Timber

Forest Products (NTFPs), grazing, and wood collection lead to
forest degradation.

Biodiversity Loss: Habitat loss and poaching are causing

declines in native flora and fauna, particularly in biodiversity
hotspots like the Western Ghats.

Pressure on Forest Resources: High dependency of rural and

tribal communities on forest products exacerbates resource
depletion.

Desertification: Deforestation contributes to desertification and

soil erosion, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions.

Eco-sensitive Zone Reduction: Forest cover in ecologically

sensitive regions such as the Western Ghats has shown a
consistent decline over time.

Way Forward for Addressing Threats to India’s

Forests
Strengthen Policy Implementation: Enforce existing forest
conservation laws like the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and
ensure strict penalties for violations such as illegal logging and
encroachment.

Promote Sustainable Forest Management (SFM): Implement

scientific forest management practices that balance
conservation with resource utilization, including sustainable
harvesting of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs).

Community Participation: Enhance the involvement of local

communities and tribal populations through programs like Joint
Forest Management (JFM) to ensure sustainable use and
conservation of forest resources.

Combat Climate Change and Invasive Species: Develop adaptive

strategies to mitigate climate impacts on forests, including
reforestation with native species and managing invasive plants
like Lantana camara.

Expand Afforestation and Restoration Efforts: Scale up initiatives

like the Green India Mission and Bonn Challenge to restore
degraded landscapes and enhance carbon sequestration.

Utilize Technology for Monitoring: Leverage satellite imagery, GIS

mapping, and real-time forest fire alert systems for effective
monitoring, assessment, and response to threats.
 Focus on Biodiversity Hotspots and Mangroves: Prioritize
conservation in ecologically sensitive areas like the Western
Ghats, Northeast India, and mangrove ecosystems to preserve
biodiversity and enhance resilience against climate change.

Awareness and Education: Promote public awareness about the

significance of forest conservation through campaigns like “Ek
Ped Maa Ke Naam”.

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Conclusion
India’s forests are critical for ecological balance, biodiversity,
and climate mitigation. Addressing the challenges of
deforestation, degradation, and climate change requires robust
policies, community engagement, and technological
interventions. A sustainable and inclusive approach will ensure
the preservation and restoration of forests for future
generations.

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