Forestry

• Forestry is defined as the theory and practice of all that constitutes the
creation, conservation and scientific management of forests and the
utilization of their resources.
• It includes all thinking and all actions pertaining to creation and
management of forests, including harvesting, marketing and utilization of
all forest products and services.
• It includes not only management of existing forests but also the creation
of new forests.
• FAO definition (Global forest resources assessment 2010) of a Forest:
Land spanning more than 0.5 ha with trees higher than 5 metres and
canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these
thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under
agricultural or urban land use.
• However, the definition of word “Forest” differs from region to region, and
country to country based on the objectives of management, land use,
vegetation type, composition, altitude, etc.
• A legal definition is different from an ecological definition.
• Union environment ministry has defined what constitutes a forest under
the Forest Conservation Act 1980 (FCA).
• The term ‘Forest Cover’ as used in ISFR refers to all lands more than one
hectare in area with a tree canopy of more than 10%, irrespective of land
use, ownership and legal status. It may include even orchards, bamboo,
palm etc and is assessed through remote sensing. On the other hand, the
term ‘Recorded Forest Area’ or ‘Forest Area’ refers to all the geographic
areas recorded as ‘Forests’ in government records.
• Recorded forest area mainly consists of Reserved Forests (RF) and
Protected Forests (PF), which have been notified under the provisions of
Indian Forest Act, 1927 or its counterpart State Acts. Besides RFs and PFs,
the recorded forest area may also include all such areas, which have been
recorded as forests in the revenue records or have been constituted so
under any state Act or local laws.
• A reserve forest or a protected forest in India are terms denoting forests
accorded a certain degree of protection. The term was first introduced in
the Indian Forest Act, 1927 in British India.
• Unlike national parks of India or wildlife sanctuaries of India, reserved
forests and protected forests are declared by the respective state
governments.
• At present, reserved forests and protected forests differ in one important
way: Rights to all activities like hunting, grazing, etc. in reserved forests are
banned unless specific orders are issued otherwise. In protected areas,
rights to activities like hunting and grazing are sometimes given to
communities living on the fringes of the forest, who sustain their
livelihood partially or wholly from forest resources or products.
• National Commission of Agriculture (1976) proposed that forests can be
classified into:
– Protection Forests
– Production Forests
– Social Forests
Protection Forests:
• The practices of managing the forests for their protection function are
called Protection forestry.
• In protection forestry, the object is to protect the site due to instability of
terrain, nature of soil, geological formations, etc.
• Such areas where manipulation of the forest cover is not desirable may be
classed as protection forests.
• The forests located on higher hill slopes, national parks and sanctuaries,
preservation plots, biosphere or nature reserves and wilderness areas may
be included under protection forests.
• The practice of forestry with a view to conserving flora, fauna, soil and
water, increasing water yields, reducing floods and droughts, amelioration
of climatic conditions, etc. is called Protection Forestry.
Production Forests:
• The practice of forestry with object of producing maximum quantity of
timber, fuel wood and other forest produce is called Production Forestry.
The production forestry can be further classified into:
(i) Commercial Forestry: Commercial forestry aims to get maximum
production of timber, fuel wood and other forest products as a business
enterprise.
(ii) Industrial Forestry: Industrial forestry aims at producing raw material
required for industry. In Production forestry, there is a greater concern for
the production and economic returns.
Social Forests
• Social Forestry is the practice of forestry which aims at meeting the
requirement of rural and urban population.
• The object of social forestry is to meet the basic needs of community
aiming at bettering the conditions of living through:
(i) Meeting the fuel wood, fodder and small timber requirements
(ii) Protection of agricultural fields against wind
(iii) Meeting recreational needs and
(iv) Maximizing production and increasing farm returns
Various forms of Social forestry are:
• Community Forestry: The practice of forestry on lands outside the
conventional forest area for the benefit of local population has been called
Community forestry. Community forestry seeks the involvement of
community in the creation and management of such forests.
• Farm Forestry: Farm Forestry is defined as the practice of forestry in all its
aspect on farms of village lands generally integrated with other farm
operations.
• Extension Forestry: Extension forestry which includes the activity of
raising trees on farm lands, villages wastelands and community forest
areas and on lands along the sides of roads, canal banks and railway lines
(Anon., 1976). More recently, there has been emphasis on dynamic land
use planning and efforts are made to maximise production on farmlands
under agroforestry.
• Agro-Forestry: Agro-forestry has been defined as a sustainable land
management system which increases the yield of the land, combines the
production of crops and forest plants and/or animals simultaneously or
sequentially on the same unit of land and applies management practices
that are compatible with the cultural practices of the local population.
• Recreational Forestry: More recently, there has been considerable
demand for Recreational forestry, which is defined as the practice of
forestry with the object of developing and maintaining forests of high
scenic value. Recreational forests are being developed near towns and
cities. The areas are being planted with flowering trees, shrubs and
creepers to provide forest atmosphere near towns and cities.
 Types of Forests Found in India
• Type # 1. Tropical Forest
• Type # 2. Sub-Tropical Forest
• Type # 3. Temperate Forest
• Type # 4. Alpine Forest
Tropical Forest
This type of forest is generally spectacular over the plain region in India.
Except is some high altitude zone, tropical forest are visible everywhere.
• Tropical wet evergreen forest
– Very tall trees, innumerable species, large number of epiphytes are
common in this type of vegetation. These forests are widely known as
rain forest of India. Major areas of occurrence are along the coast
lines, plateaus, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Major species include
toon, dhup, jamun etc.
• Tropical semi-evergreen forest
– Here, evergreen forests are mixed up with deciduous trees. This is the
transition zone between evergreen and deciduous forest. These
forests occur in Assam, West Bengal, Orissa. Major species are Haldu,
Kusum, Simul, Mango etc.
• Tropical moist deciduous
– For a very short span of the year, this forest remains deciduous. Major
areas of occurrence are Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh. Major
species are Badam, Haldu, Simul, Bijasal, Laurel etc.
• Tropical dry deciduous
– These are found in rainier areas of the Peninsula and the plains of
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
– In the higher rainfall regions of Peninsular plateau and the northern
Indian plain, these forests portray open stretches in which teak and
other trees interspersed with patches of grass. As the dry season
begins, the trees shed their leaves completely and the forest appears
like a vast grassland. Tendu, palas, amaltas, bel, khair, axlewood etc
are common trees of these forests.
• Dry tropical thorn forest
– This forest occurs in areas of low rainfall. Forest types are saprophytic
in nature. Trees are shorter than deciduous type. These forests mostly
occur in the scanty rainfall region of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana.
Most of the species are ‘acacia’ type.
Sub-Tropical Forest
• Sub-Tropical hill forest
– Most of the trees are having broad leaf, generally visible in the slopes
of the Himalaya, Nilgiri within altitude of 2,000 mts. Oak, Chestnuts
are common species.
• Sub-Tropical pine forest
– These forests are found comparatively on higher altitudes than hill
forest, & most by occur between 2,000-3,000 mts. Major species i.e.,
Oak, Rhododendron are mostly found in the North-Eastern hilly
states.
• Sub-Tropical dry evergreen forest
– This forest also occurs in the moderately high altitude area. Western
Himalaya and adjacent regions abound in this type of trees, scrub
forest is predominant. Height of the trees are very low. Olive is the
main species.
Temperate Forest
• Wet temperate forest:
– Mostly occur within eastern Himalaya and peninsular Plateaus. 1,000-
1,500 mts. altitude is favourable for the maximum growth of this
vegetation. Major species are Laurel, Oak, and Chestnut.
• Moist temperate forest:
– It develops above 2,000 mts. altitude. This type of forest is
widespread in Himalayas. Major species are Oak, Deodar, Fir, Maple
and Spruce.
• Dry temperate forest
– Due to pronounced dryness, vegetation growth is stunted here.
Vegetation types are mostly confined to Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim,
and hilly Uttar Pradesh. This type of vegetation consists of conifers
and xerophtic shrubs. Major species are Deodar, Oak, Maple.
Alpine Forest
• Alpine desert:
– In the snow-capped mountain of sub-Himalaya, though vegetation is
rare, some meadows and grasslands exist.
• Alpine meadows:
– Due to increased precipitation, grasslands evolved above 3,500 mts.
• Moist alpine forest
– Above 3,500 mts. Rhododendron, Birch and various ferns developed.
• Apart from these forests, from economic, social and ecological point of
view, some other forests are also important.
• Among these forests tidal forest, mangrove forest and swampy forest are
important.
• All these three varieties are characterized by the presence of saline water.
• Tidal forests are frequent in the deltaic regions of all major Indian rivers.
 Branches of Forestry
Forestry has five different branches:
1. Silviculture:
If refers to certain aspects of theory and practices of raising forests crops,
methods of raising tree crops, their growth and after care up to the time of final
harvesting.
2. Mensuration:
It deals with the measurement of forest produce eg. Dimension from volume, age
and increment of individual trees and forest crop.
3. Silvicultural system:
Process by which the crops constituting a forest are tended, removed and
replaced by new crops.
4. Management:
Practical application of sequence technique and economics to forest estate
for the production of certain desired results.
5. Utilization:
Branch of forestry which deals with harvesting, marketing conservation and
applying the forest produce to a variety of uses eg. Timber, fuel, charcoal,
pulp wood, ply wood.
The theory and practice of all that constitutes the creation conservation and
scientific management of forest and the utilization of their resources, based
on the aims or objectives, the forestry may be:
• Protection of Environmental forestry: Protection of land, regulation of
water cycle, Wild life conservation Modernization of climate conditions,
combination of above. Ex. Buddha Jayanti Park at New Delhi.
• Commercial or Production forestry: Timber and other raw materials.
• Social Forestry: Raising forests outside the traditional forest with the
involvement of society.
• Farms Forestry: Raising forest trees on farms lands. It is further classified
as:
– Non commercial farm forestry: raising of trees by individuals for
domestic needs (usually by the farmers)
– Commercial farms forestry: Farmers grow trees on commercial basis
on farmlands.
– Community forestry: Raising of forests of public or community land
• Urban forestry: Management of public and private owned lands in and
adjacent to urban centres. They have more aesthetic value.
• Agro Forestry: Cultivating forest trees along with agricultural crops.
 Silviculture
Silviculture pertains to the raising, development, care, reproduction and
overall management of forest crops.
Definition: If has been defined variously as follows:
• By Toumey and Korstain:
Silviculture is that branch of forestry which deals with the establishment,
development, care and reproduction of stands of timber.
• By Champion and Seth:
The terms silviculture, in English refers only to certain aspects of the theory
and practices of raising of forests crops.
• By Iffprt (IFR Dehradun)
The art and science of cultivated forests crops. On the other hands, silvics is
the study of trees and forests and biological entities, the laws of their growth
and development, and impact of environment on them. Thus, silviculture can
be described to include all practical and theoretical aspects of silvics.
Objects of Silviculture:
1. To derive environmental benefits: Soil and water conservation, control of
air and noise pollution, wild life conservation, regulation of climatic
condition, regulation of water cycle.
2. Raising species of more economic value: Industrial and economic growth
through.
3. Production of high-quality timer: Silviculture techniques help of avoid the
problem of crooked, malformed, disease or defective timber and thus
help to produce goods quality timber.
4. Production of more volume per unit area: Unmanaged forests may be too
dense or too open, less production, premature death of trees silviculture
helps to solve these problems.
5. Reduction of rotation period: In Unmanaged forests the rotation tends to
be longer.
6. Afforestation of blank areas: Waste lands can be used for forests
7. Creation of plantation: Man made forests or plantations may be created
in placed of natural forests.
8. Introduction of exotics: Successful introduction of exotic species is
possible.
9. Employment potential: In any plantation operation, the labour
component account for 60 to 70% of the total financial input.
10. Increase in the production of fuel and fodder: In development countries
like India it is important aspect.
11. Forest Industries: Resin for resin and turpentine industry, pulp wood for
paper industry, industrial wood for match and timber industry, railway,
etc, minor forests product based industries.
 Silvicultural Systems
• Silvicultural system is defined as method of silvicultural procedures
workout in accordance with accepted sets and silvicultural principles by
which crops constituting forests are tended, harvested and replaced by
new crops of distinctive forms or a planned Silvicultural treatment which is
applied to a forest crop, through-out its life, so that it assumes a
distinctive form.
• As silvicultural systems deals with the removal of a forest crop, its
replacement by a new crop and distinctive form and it’s tending, it has
following essential characteristics:
1) The pattern of felling to be adopted in harvesting a mature crop to be
regenerated.
 2) The method of regeneration to be adopted.
3) The tending of new crops.
• Silvicultural System is special tool or technique for achieving the objects of
Forest Management.
Classification of Silvicultural System
There are number of ways for classification, but most common is on the basis
of Mode of Regeneration and further classified according to pattern of felling
carried out in the crop.
Two Main Categories or Groups:
1) High Forest Silvicultural Systems
2) Coppice Silvicultural Systems
High Forests systems
• In this system the regeneration is normally of seedling origin, either
natural or artificial (combination of both) and where the rotation is
generally long.
• These are further classified on the basis of pattern of felling which, in turn
affects the concentration or diffusion of regeneration and the form or
character of the new crop produced.
• Many sub systems have been followed under this can broadly group in to
two systems such as clear felling systems and shelterwood systems.
The clear-felling system
• Under this system equal or equi-productive areas of mature crop are
successively clear-felled in one operation to be regenerated, most
frequently, artificially but some times naturally also.
• The systems is called taungya system in West Bengal, Uttara Pradesh,
Madya pradesh and Orissa.
Shelterwood systems
• As the regeneration is obtained under shelter of the over wood is called
Shelter Wood System and as over wood is removed in two or more
operations, these are called as systems of successive regeneration
forestry.
• In other word shelter wood systems involves gradual removal of the entire
stand in two or more successive feelings which extend over a part of
rotation.
• Shelterwood cutting refers to the progression of forest cuttings leading to
the establishment of a new generation of seedlings of a particular species
or group of species without planting.
Coppice Silvicultural Systems
• The coppice system is an even-aged silvicultural system for which the main
regeneration method is vegetative sprouting of either suckers (from the
existing root systems of cut trees) or shoots (from cut stumps). This
system is limited to hardwood species management.
• While clearcut, seed tree, shelterwood, and selection systems have often
been referred to as high forest systems because regeneration generally
originates from seed (even if planting occurs), the coppice system has
been referred to as a low forest system due to reliance on vegetative
reproduction.
 Forest Mensuration
• It is a branch of forestry that deals with the measurement of volume,
growth and development of individual trees and stands, and the various
products obtained from them.
• Since Forest Mensuration deals with the measurement of forest products,
the requirement must be studied from the point of view of both producer
and the user.
• Provide quantitative information regarding forest resources that will allow
making reasonable decisions on its density, use and management.
• Forest mensuration serves the following objects
– Basis for sale
– Basis for management
– Measurement for research
– Measurement for planning
• It involves all stakeholders i.e. Labors, buyers, sellers, contractors,
planners, managers/foresters and researchers.
• Applicable to any forest measurement problems of wildlife management,
watershed management, insect and disease incidence, recreation, tourism
and in fact, many of the mensurational aspects of multiple use forestry.
• Includes measurement of both standing and felled trees.
Scale of Measurement
• Nominal Scale: determination of equality (numbering and counting). Eg.
numbering of forest types in a stand map.
• Ordinal scale: determination of greater or less (ranking) eg. timber and log
grading.
• Interval scale: determination of the equality of intervals or of differences
(numerical magnitude of qty, arbitrary origin) eg. Fahrenheit temp., soil
moisture etc.
• Ratio scale: determination of equality of ratios (numerical magnitude of
qty., absolute origin) eg. length of objects, volumes, etc.
Bias, Accuracy and Precision
Bias
• refers to the systematic errors that may result from faulty measurement
procedures, instrumental errors, flaws in the sampling procedure, errors in
the computations, mistakes in recording, and so on.
Accuracy
• is the closeness of a measurement to the true value
• Success of estimating the true value of a qty.
• refers to the size of the deviation of a simple estimate from the true
population
Precision
• means the degree of agreement in a series of measurements.
• is the closeness of a measurement to the average value.
• Refers to the deviation of sample values about their mean.

Relationship among Accuracy (A), Bias (B) and Precision (P).

A² = B² + P²
Diameter measurement and its significance
• The most common diameter measurements taken in forestry are of the
main stem of standing trees, cut portions of trees and branches.
• Diameter measurement is important because it is one of the directly
measurable dimensions from which tree cross sectional area, surface area
and volume can be computed.
• The point at which diameters are measured will vary with circumstances.
• The most frequent tree measurement made by forester is diameter at
breast height (dbh).
• DBH is defined differently in different countries and situations. The
convention is now 1.3 m above ground level.
 Forest Management
• Forest Management is the way that forests and the trees within them are
protected and used to provide forest products and other benefits.
• In order to manage a forest, the different objectives must be decided
upon, and a work plan is made according to this.
• Just like any farm management, the work plan to manage a forest means
what work to do, where, when, and how.
• Before starting forest management, the capacity and working process of
those who are to do the work and benefit from it (user group) should be
considered.
Need for Forest Management
• Extinction of species
• Heavy Soil erosion
• Greenhouse Effect
• Flooding
• Landslides
• Degraded watershed
Methods of Managing Forests
• Afforestation
• Reforestation
• Sustainable forest management
• Agro Forestry
• Social Forestry
• Urban Forestry
• Forest Conservation through laws
• Joint Forest management
 Forest Economics
Economic benefits of Forests
• Direct benefits – Fodder, Flora, Timber, major and minor
forest produces, Employment, Industries
• Indirect benefits – Climate, Water supply, Soil erosion, Fauna,
Food
 Social Forestry
• ‘Social Forestry‘ as a term was used in 1976 by the National Commission
on Agriculture.
• The aim of the Commission was to use land of areas surrounding urban
settlements that have been deforested by human activities.
• The government encouraged the participation of the public to cultivate
surrounding land to meet their needs of food, fodder and fuel.
• Social forestry makes use of fallow and unused land so that deeper forests
that have been safeguarded so far are saved from exploitation.
• It involves the raising of fast-growing trees to meet the needs of fuelwood
and fodder.
• The village panchayats undertake this task with the help of local
population to plant trees on common lands, like borders of canals, along
the roads and on wastelands.
• Social forestry encourages development of gardens and landscapes.
• People benefit from such resource sharing and thus pressure on natural
resources is reduced.
Types of Social Forestry
1. Farm Forestry
2. Agro-Forestry
3. Extension Forestry
4. Community Forestry
5. Silviculture
 Agroforestry
• This is the combination of agriculture and tree growing in order to
produce both agricultural products and tree products on a commercial
basis.
• The purpose of this scheme is to gain positive interactions between the
two systems at both the pasture level and the enterprise level.
• Landholder can enter farm forestry on a small scale, whilst maintaining an
existing agricultural enterprise.
• Agro-forestry results in increased productivity, economic benefits, social
outcomes and the ecological goods and services.
• Biodiversity in agro-forestry systems is typically higher than in
conventional agricultural systems.
 Joint Forest Management
• JFM is the official and popular term in India for partnerships in forest
movement involving both the state forest departments and local
communities.
• The policies and objectives of Joint Forest Movement are detailed in the
Indian comprehensive National Forest Policy of 1988 and the Joint Forest
Management Guidelines of 1990.
• A village committee known as the Forest Protection Committee (FPC) and
the Forest Department enter into a JFM agreement.
• Villagers agree to assist in the safeguarding of forest resources through
protection from fire, grazing, and illegal harvesting in exchange for which
they receive non-timber forest products and a share of the revenue from
the sale of timber products.
• Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) have a key role in JFM efforts.
• NWFPs are integral to the lifestyle of forest-dependent communities.
• Medicinal plants have an important role in rural health.
• Small-scale forest-based enterprises, many of which rely on NWFPs,
provide up to 50 percent of the income for about 25 percent of India's
rural labour force.
• At the national level over 50 percent of forest revenue and about 70
percent of forest export revenue comes from NWFPs, mostly from
unprocessed and raw forms.
• NWFP earlier à Low intensity ; NWFP now à extensive
Therefore, State à NWFP control and monopoly
• The first NWFP brought under state control was tendu leaves (for bidi).
 Forest policy and legislation in India
Forest Policy of 1894 –
• Voelekar, Superintendent of Forests, submitted a report to the
Government on “Improvement of Indian Agriculture”
• On the basis of recommendations of this report, the Government of India
declared the forest policy on 19 October 1894.
• Uniform system for the management of the forests which were mostly the
properties of the Princely States, nawabs and zamindars.
• The Circular noted that the forests of India were the property of the State.
• The sole object of the management of forests was to promote the general
well-being of the people as a whole and regulate benefits to the people
living within and in the vicinity.
The National Forest Policy of 1952 –
• The pressure on all forms of land, including forests, had increased due to
the rapid increase of population.
• The new policy replaced the policy of 1894.
• The policy prescribed that it was desirable to have one-third of the total
land area for maintaining as forests.
• This policy called for a detailed survey for the proper land use.
• Soil conservation aspects were emphasised in this policy.
• It urged the forest tribes to be weaned away from the practice of shifting
cultivation.
• Based on functions, the forests were classified as protection forests,
national forests, village forests and tree-lands.
The National Forest Policy of 1988 –
• Rapid growth of population had been the cause of huge additional
requirements of food, fuel wood, fodder, timber and other products of
forestry.
• Forestry which was in ‘State List’ was brought under ‘Concurrent List’ after
then Forty-Second Amendment of the Indian Constitution in 1976.
• Fundamental duties were included in the Constitution and the seventh
one is “to protect and improve natural environment including forests,
lakes, rivers, wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.”
• Three new directive principles were added and one is related to the
promotion of natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, wildlife
by the State.
• The constitutional amendments were considered a landmark because they
enabled the Central Government to issue guidelines for the management
of forests.
• In order to consolidate depleted forest areas, the Government of India
passed the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 making it mandatory to get
prior concurrence of the Government of India for diversion of any forest
land for non-forest use.
• National Commission on Agriculture, constituted in 1972, gave its final
recommendations in 1976.
• Recommendations included all aspects like forest policy, forest protection,
production forestry, social forestry, wildlife management, forest-based
industries and so on.
• The problem of wildlife conservation was analysed in the policy. It was
accepted in the policy that forest management must include prescriptions
for the conservation of wildlife.
The Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 –
• This Act was enacted to provide with protection for the wild animals and
birds.
• This Act provided for stringent punishment for offences.
• Extends to the whole of India, except the State of Jammu and Kashmir
which has its own wildlife act.
• There are six schedules which give varying degrees of protection.
• Schedule I and part II of Schedule II provide absolute protection and
offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties.
• The penalties for Schedule III and Schedule IV are less and these animals
are protected.
• Schedule V includes the animals which may be hunted. These are
Common crow , Fruit bats, Mice & Rats only.
• Schedule VI contains the plants, which are prohibited from cultivation and
planting.
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 –
• To fight the problem of pollution
• Aritcle 48A (DPSP)
• Article 51A(g) (FD)

Biological Diversity Act, 2002

• United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), 1992
• Sustainable use
• Fair and equitable benefits sharing
• Three tier structure from national to local level.
The Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of
Forest Rights) Act, 2006 –
• Forest Rights Act, 2006 à Restitution of deprived forest rights
• To both individuals and community
• Empowers local self governance
• Nodal Agency for implementation MoTA
• National parks and sanctuaries have been included along with Reserve
Forest, Protected Forests for the recognition of Rights.
• The Act has defined the term “minor forest produce” to include all non-
timber forest produce of plant origin.
• Gram Sabha has een designated as the competent authority for initiating
the process of determining the nature and extent of individual and
community forest rights.
National Green Tribunal (NGT) –
• National Green Tribunal Act, 2010
• For effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental
protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.
• India is third country in the world to full fledged green tribunal followed by
New Zealand and Australia.
• NGT is mandated to dispose cases within six months of their respective
appeals.
 India State of Forest Report 2017
• Released In February 2018 by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEFCC).
The forest cover has been classified according to the tree canopy density:
• Very dense forest: All lands with tree canopy density of 70% and above.
• Moderately dense forest: All lands with canopy density of 40% and more
and less than 70%.
• Open Forest: All lands with tree canopy density of 10% and more but less
than 40%. More than 1 hectare area
• Scrub: Degraded forests land with canopy density less than 10%. 8th in
terms of yearly forest gain
• Non forests: The land which is not included in any of the above classes.
• Prepared by- The Forest Survey of India (FSI) ;
conducted once in 2 years
• Released by-The Ministry of Environment, Forest and
climate change
• Total forest and tree cover in India is 24.39 per cent
of the geographical area of the country.
• Tree cover is 93,815 sq.km (about 2.85% of the total
Geo Area)
• India’s total forest cover is 708,273 sq.km (about
21.54% of India’s total Geographical Area)
• India- 10th in the world w.r.t forest cover
• There has been an increase of 6778 sq km or 0.94%
in forest covers at the national level
• Very dense forest: 2.99% of the total
geographical area.
• Moderately dense forest: 9.38% of the total
geographical area.
• Open Forest: 9.18% of total geographical
area.

North East Forest Cover:

It comprises of 8 states and is one of the 18
biodiversity hotspots of the world. The region
with just 7.98% of the total geographical area of
the country accounts for one fourth of the forest
cover.
• the mangrove cover in the country is 4921 sq km which is 0.15% of the total
geographical area of the country
• The only category that has registered a decline in the latest assessment is the
Moderate Dense Forest.
• The latest ISFR report includes information about
water bodies in forests, a new feature.
• Rank 1 in Forest Cover- Madhya Pradesh
• Rank 1 in forest cover as a % of GA of the state-
Lakshadweep
• Rank 1 in increase In forest cover- Andhra
Pradesh
• The total mangrove cover stands at 4,921 sq km
and has shown an increase of 181 sq km from
2015 to 2017.