FOREST COVER IN INDIA

NAME:SASHREEK A
CLASS:11 E
ROLL NUMBER:

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMINER

1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank my Principal,Mr

Aloysius D Mellow and my Vice Principal
Ms.Elizabeth Joseph N and my Economics
Teacher Ms.Juhi Parashar for giving me an
opportunity to do such a wondeful
project.

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 INDEX

Sr no Topic Page Teacher’s

Number Acknowledgement
04
01 INTRODUCTION
05
02 TOP FIVE
STATES WITH
HIGHEST AND
LOWEST
FOREST COVER
IN THE
COUNTRY
19
03 CAUSES FOR
DECREASE IN
FOREST COVER
MEASURES ADOPTED BY 23
04 THE GOVERNMENT TO
INCREASE FOREST COVER
Bibliogrphy 24
05

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 INTRODUCTION
Forestry in India is a significant rural industry and a major environmental
resource. India is one of the ten most forest-rich countries of the world.
Together, India and these other 9 countries account for 67 percent of total
forest area of the world. India's forest cover grew at 0.20% annually over
1990–2000, and has grown at the rate of 0.7% per year over 2000–2010, after
decades where forest degradation was a matter of serious concern. As of 2010,
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates India's
forest cover to be about 68 million hectares, or 22% of the country's area The
2013 Forest Survey of India states its forest cover increased to 69.8 million
hectares by 2012, per satellite measurements; this represents an increase of
5,871 square kilometres, of forest cover in 2 years. However, the gains were
primarily in northern, central and southern Indian states, while north eastern
states witnessed a net loss in forest cover over 2010 to 2012. In 2018, the total
forest and tree cover in India increased to 24.39% or 8,02,088 km2. It
increased further to 24.56 percent or 807,276 square kilometres in
2019.Unless India makes major, rapid and sustained effort to expand electricity
generation and power plants, the rural and urban poor in India will continue to
meet their energy needs through unsustainable destruction of forests and fuel
wood consumption. India's dependence on fuel-wood and forestry products as
a primary energy source is not only environmentally unsustainable, it is a
primary cause of India's near-permanent haze and air pollution. Forestry in
India is more than just about wood and fuel. India has a thriving non-wood
forest products industry, which produces latex, gums, resins, essential oils,
flavours, fragrances and aroma chemicals, incense sticks, handicrafts, thatching
materials and medicinal plants. About 60% of non-wood forest products
forestry industry in India is in non-wood forest products category.

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TOP FIVE STATES HAVING HIGHEST FOREST COVER IN
INDIA:

Madhya Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Chhattisgarh
Odisha
Maharashtra

1)MADHYA PRADESH
Located in Central India, Madhya Pradesh is the second largest State covering
an area of 3,08,252 square km which is 9.38% of the geographical area of the
country and is bordered on the west by Gujarat, on the northwest by
Rajasthan, on the northeast by Uttar Pradesh, on the east by Chhattisgarh, and
on the south by Maharashtra. The State lies between 21°17' N to 26°52' N
latitude and 74°08' E to 82°49' E longitudes. Physiographical the State can be
divided into four regions, viz the low lying areas in north and north-west of
Gwalior, Malwa Plateau, Satpuda and Vindhyan Ranges. Madhya Pradesh has a
subtropical climate. The annual rainfall ranges 800 mm to 1,800 mm and the
annual temperature varies from 22°C to 25°C. The State is drained by a number
of rivers, which include Narmada, Tapti, Son, Betwa, Shipra and Chambal. The
State has 50 districts, of which 21 are tribal districts. The State does not have
any hill district. Based on the interpretation of IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS III
satellite data of the period Oct 2017 to January 2018, the Forest Cover in the
State is 77,482.49 sq km which is 25.14 % of the State's geographical area. In
terms of forest canopy density classes, the State has 6,676.02 sq km under
Very Dense Forest (VDF), 34,341.40 sq km under Moderately Dense Forest
(MDF) and 36,465.07 sq km under Open Forest (OF). Forest Cover in the State
has increased by 68.49 sq km as compared to the previous assessment
reported in ISFR 2017. The State has reported extent of recorded forest area
(RFA) 94,689 sq km which is 30.72% of its geographical area. The reserved,

5
protected and unclassed forests are 65.36%, 32.84% and 1.80% of the
recorded forest area in the State respectively. However as the digitized
boundary of recorded forest area from the state covers 88,956.01 sq km
2)Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is known as the land of the rising sun with reference to its
position as the eastern most State of India. It gained Union Territory status on
20th January 1972 and was renamed Arunachal Pradesh on 15th August 1975.
Arunachal Pradesh got full statehood on the 20th February 1987. It is the
largest State in the North Eastern region and 15th largest in the country with
an area of 83,743 square km, which is 2.54% of the geographical area of the
country. The State lies between 26°28' N to 29°30' N latitude and 91°30' E to
97°30' E longitude and stretches from snow-capped mountains of the Eastern
Himalayas in the north to the plains of Brahmaputra valley in the south. The
State shares international boundaries with Bhutan to the West, China to the
North & Northeast and Myanmar to the east. The States of Assam & Nagaland
share the Southern border of Arunachal Pradesh. The five major rivers viz
Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, Lohit and Tirap divide the State in to five major
valleys. Climate varies from temperate in the northern part to warm and
humid in the southern part. The annual rainfall ranges between 2,000 mm to
8,000 mm and the annual temperature varies from below 0°C to 31°C. There
are 16 districts in the State and all are classified as hill and tribal districts.
Arunachal Pradesh is a forest rich State in Eastern Himalayan region of the
country. The State has about 20% species of country's fauna, about 4,500
species of flowering plants, 400 species of pteridophytes, 23 species of
conifers, 35 species of bamboos, 20 species of canes, 52 species of
Rhododendron and more than 500 species of orchids. As per the Champion &
Seth Classification of Forest Types (1968), the forests in Arunachal Pradesh
belong to 11 Type Groups which are further divided into 23 different Forest
Types.Forests are the mainstay of the economy and the livelihoods of local
people have been closely linked and heavily dependent on forest resources
since time immemorial. Cane and bamboo are found in abundance. However,
with increasing population, developmental activities and practices like
jhuming, the pressure on forest resources is consistently increasing, leading to
their degradation and affecting regeneration and productivity. Tropical rain
forests are found in the foothills and hills in the east along the border with
Myanmar. The northern parts of the State is covered with Alpine forests. The
diversity of topographical and climatic conditions has favoured the growth of
6
luxuriant forests, which are home to myriad plant and animal forms, adding
beauty to the landscape.Recorded Forest Area (RFA) in the State is 51,407 sq
km of which 10,589 sq km is Reserved Forest, 9,779 sq km is Protected Forest
and 31,039 sq km is Unclassed Forest. In Arunachal Pradesh, during the period
1st January 2015 to 5th February 2019, a total of 451.37 hectares of forest land
was diverted for non-forestry purposes under the Forest Conservation Act,
1980 (MoEF & CC, 2019). Two National Parks and 11 Wildlife Sanctuaries
constitute the Protected Area network of the State covering 11.68% of its
geographical area. Based on the interpretation of IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS III
satellite data of the period Oct 2017 to Mar 2018, the Forest Cover in the State
is 66,687.78 sq km which is 79.63 % of the State's geographical area. In terms
of forest canopy density classes, the State has 21,095.43 sq km under Very
Dense Forest (VDF), 30,556.50 sq km under Moderately Dense Forest (MDF)
and 15,035.85 sq km under Open Forest (OF). Forest Cover in the State has
decreased by 276.22 sq km as compared to the previous assessment reported
in ISFR 2017. The State has reported extent of recorded forest area (RFA)
51,407 sq km which is 61.39% of its geographical area. The reserved, protected
and unclassed forests are 20.60 % and 19.02% and 60.38% of the recorded
forest area in the State respectively. Due to non-availability of digitized
boundary of recorded forest areas from the State, the updated Green Wash
from SoI toposheets which is 63,838.03 sq km has been used as proxy to the
RFA boundary and the analysis of forest cover inside and outside this area is
given below.
3)Chattisgarh
Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in the year 2000. It covers an
area of 1,35,192 square km, which is 4.11% of the geographical area of the
country. The State is bordered by the Madhya Pradesh in the northwest, Uttar
Pradesh in the north, Jharkhand in the northeast, Maharashtra in the
southwest, Telangana in the south and Odisha in the southeast. The State falls
under East Deccan physiographic zone and can be divided into three agro-
climatic zones, viz. the Chhattisgarh Plains, the Northern Hills of Chhattisgarh
and the Bastar Plateau. The State lies between 17º47'N to 24º06' N latitude
and 80º15'E to 84º24' E longitude. It has a tropical hot and humid climate. The
average annual rainfall varies from about 1,100 mm to about 1,700 mm and
the average annual temperature ranges between 11ºC to 47ºC. The State is
drained by number of rivers which include Rihand, Hasdo (a tributary of
Mahanadi) and Indravati. There are 18 districts, out of which 11 are tribal

7
districts. The State does not have any hill district. As per the Champion & Seth
Classification of Forest Types (1968), the forests in Chhattisgarh belong to two
Type Groups i.e Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests and Tropical Dry Deciduous
Forests which are further divided into 12 Forest Types. The State's two main
tree species are Sal (Shorea robusta) and Teak (Tectona grandis). Other major
species are Bija (Pterocarpus marsupium), Saja (Terminalia tomentosa),
Dhavdha (Anogeissus latifolia), Mahua (Madhuca indica), Tendu (Diospyros
melanoxylon) and bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus) etc. The State is rich in
mineral resources like, coal, iron, bauxite, limestone, corundum, tin etc which
are mainly found in forest areas. About 50% of the villages in the State are
located inside five kilometers radius of forests. The inhabitants are mainly
tribal, economically backward, non-tribal and landless people who depend
significantly on the forests for livelihood and other needs. Thus, the pressure
on forests is high in the State. Joint Forest Management (JFM) began in the
State in 1991 and as per the latest available report, there are 7,887 JFMCs
covering an area of 33,19,000 hectares & involving 11,17,000 families.
Recorded Forest Area (RFA) in the State is 59,772 sq km of which 25,786 sq km
is Reserved Forest, 24,034 sq km is Protected Forest and 9,952 sq km is
Unclassed Forest. In Chhattisgarh, during the period 1st January 2015 to 5th
February 2019, a total of 3,793.05 hectares of forest land was diverted for
various non-forestry purposes under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980
(MoEF&CC, 2019). Three National Parks and 11 Wildlife Sanctuaries constitute
the Protected Area network of the State covering 4.93% of its geographical
area. Based on the interpretation of IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS III satellite data of
the period Nov 2017 to January 2018, the Forest Cover in the State is
55,610.57 sq km which is 41.14 % of the State's geographical area. In terms of
forest canopy density classes, the State has 7,067.72 sq km under Very Dense
Forest (VDF), 32,197.56 sq km under Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) and
16,345.29 sq km under Open Forest (OF). Forest Cover in the State has
increased by 63.57 sq km as compared to the previous assessment reported in
ISFR 2017. The State has reported extent of recorded forest area (RFA) 59,772
sq km which is 44.21% of its geographical area. The reserved, protected and
unclassed forests are 43.14% and 40.21% and 16.65% of the recorded forest
area in the State respectively. However, as the digitized boundary of RFA from
the state covers 52,579.93 sq km, the analysis of forest cover inside and
outside this area is given below.

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4)Odisha
Situated on the east coast of the country, Odisha covers an area of 1,55,707
square km which is 4.74% of the geographical area of the country. The State
lies between 17°47'N to 22°34'N latitude and 81°22'E to 87°29'E longitude and
shares border with West Bengal, Jharkhand in the north, Chhattisgarh in the
west, Andhra Pradesh in the south and Bay of Bengal in the east.
Physiographically, the State can be divided into four regions, viz, Northern
Plateau, Eastern Ghats, Central Tableland and Coastal Plains. The annual
rainfall ranges between 1,200 mm to 1,600 mm and the annual temperature
varies from 25°C to 28°C. The State is drained by a number of important rivers,
which includes Mahanadi, Brahmani and Baitarni. The State has 30 districts,
among which 12 are tribal districts. Odisha's forests are well stocked, diverse,
multi-storied and dense. The State is also very rich in mineral resources. As per
the Champion & Seth Classification of Forest Types (1968), the forests in
Odisha belong to four Forest Type Groups which are further divided into 19
Forest Types. In realizing the need for community participation in forest
protection, the Government of Odisha is one of the pioneer State in
implementing Joint Forest Management Programme. Recorded Forest Area
(RFA) in the State is 61,204 square km of which 36,049 square km is Reserved
Forest, 25,133 square km is Protected Forest and 22 square km is Unclassed
Forests. In Odisha, during the period 1st January 2015 to 5th February 2019, a
total of 4,968.48 hectares of forest land was diverted for non-forestry
purposes under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (MoEF & CC, 2019). As per
the information received from the State during the last two years, 6,30,896 ha
of plantations were raised. Two National Parks and 19 Wildlife Sanctuaries
constitute the Protected Area network of the State covering 5.19% of its
geographical area. Based on the interpretation of IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS III
satellite data of the period November 2017 to February 2018, the Forest Cover
in the State is 51,618.51 square km which is 33.15 % of the State's geographical
area. In terms of forest canopy density classes, the State has 6,969.71 sq km
under Very Dense Forest (VDF), 21,551.93 square km under Moderately Dense
Forest (MDF) and 23,096.87 square km under Open Forest (OF). Forest Cover
in the State has increased by 273.51 square km as compared to the previous
assessment reported in ISFR 2017. The State has reported extent of recorded
forest area (RFA) 61,204 square km which is 39.31% of its geographical area.
The Reserved, Protected and Unclassed forests are 58.90%, 40.75% and 0.35%
of the recorded forest area in the State respectively. However as the digitized

9
boundary of recorded forest area from the state covers 42,430.50 square km
and the analysis of forest cover inside and outside this area is given below.
5)Maharasthra
Situated in the western peninsular region of the country, Maharashtra has
geographical area of 3,07,713 square km, which is 9.36% of the geographical
area of the country. The State lies between 15°35' N to 22°02' N latitude and
72°36' E to 80°54' E longitude and state is bordered by Gujarat & Madhya
Pradesh in the north, Chhattisgarh in the east, Telangana, Karnataka and Goa
in the south and Arabian sea on the west. The State has three physiographic
zones namely Deccan Plateau, Western Ghats and West Coast. It experiences a
tropical monsoon climate with hot, rainy and cold weather seasons and dry
summers. The annual rainfall ranges between 400 mm to 6,000 mm and the
annual temperature varies from 25°C to 27°C. The State is drained by number
of rivers which include Godavari, Bhima, Narmada, Tapti, Koyna and Krishna.
The State has 35 districts, amongst which 12 are tribal and 7 are hill districts.
Maharashtra, the third largest State in the country is ranked second among the
States in terms of the recorded forest area. Western Ghats of the State have
very rich biodiversity. As per the Champion & Seth Classification of Forest
Types (1968), the forests in Maharashtra belong to six Forest Type Groups
which are further divided into 17 Forest Types. The high rural population of the
State depends on the forests considerably for livelihood and basic needs. The
State forest department encourages the village communities and other
stakeholders to participate in plantation activities. Several initiatives have been
undertaken by the State Forest Department like training the farming
communities; the concept of easy farming through 'Maharashtra Green Tube
Channel' wherein the farmers could learn the advance technologies of
agriculture and forestry related activities through online media. In a first of its
kind, a 24-hour toll free helpline number 1926 called 'Hello Forest' has been
set up to provide information regarding plantations, protection and mass
awareness. The Forest Department has created a mobile application called 'My
Plants' to record details of the plantations such as numbers, species and
location into the Forest Department's data base. To encourage public
participation, the SFD has initiated the 'Maharashtra Harit Sena or Green Army,
which is a body of dedicated volunteers to participate in the plantation,
protection, and related activitiesRecorded Forest Area (RFA) in the State is
61,579 sq km of which 49,546 sq Km is Reserved Forests, 6,733 sq km is
Protected Forest and 5,300 sq km is Unclassed Forests. In Maharashtra, during
10
the period 1st January 2015 to 5th February 2019, a total of 3797.16 hectares
of forestland was diverted for nonforestry purposes under the Forest
Conservation Act, 1980 (MoEF & CC, 2019). As per the information received
from the SFD, a total area of 1,47,814 ha has been notified as reserved forests
during 2014 to 2019. Six National Parks, 48 Wildlife Sanctuaries and 6
Conservation Reserves constitute the Protected Area network of the State
covering 3.03% of its geographical area. Based on the interpretation of IRS
Resourcesat-2 LISS III satellite data of the period Oct 2017 to Jan 2018, the
Forest Cover in the State is 50,777.56 sq km which is 16.50 % of the State's
geographical area. In terms of forest canopy density classes, the State has
8,720.53 sq km under Very Dense Forest(VDF), 20,572.35 sq km under
Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) and 21,484.68 sq km under Open Forest (OF).
Forest Cover in the State has increased by 95.56 sq km as compared to the
previous assessment reported in ISFR 2017. The State has reported extent of
recorded forest area (RFA) 61,579 sq km which is 20.01% of its geographical
area. The reserved, protected and unclassed forests are 80.46%, 10.93% and
8.61% of the recorded forest area in the State respectively. However as the
digitized boundary of recorded forest area from the state covers 56,373.92 sq
km and the analysis of forest cover inside and outside this area is depicted
below.

TOP FIVE STATES IN INDIA WITH LOW

FOREST COVER:

1)Haryana
2)Punjab
3)Rajasthan
4)Uttar Pradesh
5)Bihar

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1)Haryana
Haryana is situated in the northern part of India and has a geographical area of
44,212 square km which constitutes 1.34% of the geographical area of the
country. The State lies between latitude 27°39’N to 30°55’N and longitude
74°27’E to 77°36’E. Physiographically Haryana falls in the Indo Gangetic plain
although some of the areas fall in Shiwalik hills as well. Climate of the State
varies from moist subtropical in north bordering Himachal Pradesh to arid in
southern part bordering Rajasthan. The State is bordered by Himachal Pradesh
and Punjab in the North, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi on the East and
Rajasthan on the West & South. The average annual rainfall varies from about
200 mm to 1,400 mm and the average annual temperature ranges between
1°C to 45°C. The Yamuna and the Ghaggar are the important rivers of the state.
The state has 21 districts, none are classified as tribal or hill districts. Haryana is
primarily an agricultural State of India and 80% of the total geographical area is
under agriculture. As per the Champion & Seth Classification of Forest Types
(1968), the forests in Haryana belong to three Forest Type Groups i.e. Tropical
Dry Deciduous Forest, Tropical Thorn Forest and Subtropical Pine Forests
which are divided into 10 Forest Types. Over 500 bird species have been
recorded in the State which is almost 40% of total bird species in the country.
Although, the maximum portion of the geographical area consists of
agricultural fields, over a time, the State has achieved a unique status in the
field of agroforestry which has enabled the forest deficient State to support a
large number of wood-based industries based on farm-grown timber. Poplar
and Eucalyptus trees are the major agroforestry species which have become
the main resource for improvement of livelihood of farmers in northern and
central parts of the State. Special emphasis is being given to Soil and Moisture
Conservation works in the hills to conserve water and deliver it to adjacent
farmlands for increasing their productivity and enhancing incomes. Herbal
Parks have been developed in every district to bring people closer to the
natural ecosystem. Recorded Forest Area (RFA) in the State is 1,559 sq km of
which 249 sq km is Reserved Forests, 1,158 sq km is Protected Forests and 152
sq km is Unclassed Forests. In Haryana, during the period 1st January 2015 to
5th February 2019, a total of 1,529 hectares of forest land was diverted for
non-forestry purposes under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (MoEF & CC,
2019) Two National Parks, eight Wildlife Sanctuaries and two Conservation
Reserves constitute the Protected Area network of the State covering 0.75% of
its geographical area. Based on the interpretation of IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS III

12
satellite data of the period Oct to Dec 2017, the Forest Cover in the State is
1,602.44 square km which is 3.62% of the State’s geographical area. In terms of
forest canopy density classes, the State has 28.00 square km under Very Dense
Forest (VDF), 450.90 square km under Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) and
1,123.54 square km under Open Forest (OF). Forest Cover in the State has
increased by 14.44 square km as compared to the previous assessment
reported in ISFR 2017The State has reported extent of recorded forest area
(RFA) 1,559 square km which is 3.53% of its geographical area. The reserved,
protected and unclassed forests are 15.97% , 74.28% and 9.75% of the
recorded forest area in the State respectively. However, as the digitized
boundary of recorded forest area from the State covers 565.81 square km, the
analysis of forest cover inside and outside this area is given below.
2)Punjab
Situated in the north-western part of the country, the State of Punjab has an
area of 50,362 square km, which is 1.53% of the geographical area of the
country. The States lies between 29°33'N to 32°32'N latitude and 73°53'E to
76°56' E longitude. On the western side, Punjab has international border with
Pakistan. The State shares border with Jammu & Kashmir in the north,
Himachal Pradesh in the east and Haryana & Rajasthan on the south. Major
part of the State is comprised of fertile alluvial plains and along the north
eastern part of the state bordering Himachal Pradesh runs the belt of low
Shivalik hills. Climate of the State is tropical, semi arid, hot and subtropical
monsoon type with cold winter and hot summer. The annual rainfall ranges
between 480 mm to 960 mm and the annual temperature varies from 0°C to
47°C. The State is drained by two main rivers, Satluj and Beas. The State has 20
districts none of which are hill or tribal district. Punjab is predominantly an
agricultural State, with 83% of the total geographical area is under agriculture.
As per the Champion & Seth Classification of Forest types (1968), the forests in
Punjab belong to three Forest Type Groups i.e. Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests,
Tropical Thorn Forests and Subtropical Pine Forests which are further divided
into seven Forest Types. The Community reserves of 'Lalwan' in Hoshiarpur and
'Keshopur-Chamb' in Gurdaspur districts are the first notified community
reserves in the country under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. These reserves
enable conservation of biodiversity on the community lands with the support
of State Forest Department. With major portion of the land under agriculture,
there is limited scope to increase the area under forests except by bringing the
wastelands and degraded lands. The department encourages farmers to take
13
up agroforestry on their farm lands by providing quality planting material and
technical hand holding. Recorded Forest Area (RFA) in the State is 3,084 sq km
of which 44 sq km is Reserved Forest, 1,137 sq km is Protected Forest and
1,903 sq km is Unclassed Forests. In Punjab, during the period 1st January 2015
to 5th February 2019, a total of 1,525 hectares of forest land was diverted for
non-forestry purposes under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (MoEF & CC,
2019). Thirteen Wildlife Sanctuaries, four Conservation Reserves and three
Community Reserves constitute the Protected Area network of the State
covering 0.76% of its geographical area. Based on the interpretation of IRS
Resourcesat-2 LISS III satellite data of the period Oct 2017, the Forest Cover in
the State is 1,848.63 square km which is 3.67% of the State's geographical
area. In terms of forest canopy density classes, the State has 8.00 square km
under Very Dense Forest (VDF), 800.97 square km under Moderately Dense
Forest (MDF) and 1,039.66 square km under Open Forest (OF). Forest Cover in
the State has increased by 11.63 square km as compared to the previous
assessment reported in ISFR 2017The State has reported extent of recorded
forest area (RFA) 3,084 square km which is 6.12% of its geographical area. The
reserved, protected and unclassed forests are 1.43%, 36.87% and 61.70%
respectively of the recorded forest area in the State. Due to non-availability of
digitized boundary of recorded forest areas from the State, the updated Green
Wash from SoI toposheets which is 924.03 sq km has been used as proxy to the
RFA boundary and the analysis of forest cover inside and outside this area is
given below.
3)Rajasthan
Situated in the north-western part of the country, the largest state of the
country, Rajasthan covers an area of 3,42,239 square km, which is 10.40% of
the geographical area of the country. The geographical extent of the State is
bounded by 23°4'N to 30°11'N latitude and 69°29'E to 78°17' E longitude. The
State has 4 distinct regions namely, Western Desert with Barren Hills, Level
Rocky and Sandy Plains, the Aravalli Hills and South-Eastern Plateau. The
climate of the State varies from semi-arid to arid. Western part of the State,
including Thar Desert (also known as The Great Indian Desert), is relatively dry
and infertile whereas in the south-western part, the land is wetter, hilly, and
more fertile. The average annual temperature ranges between 0°C to 50°C and
the average annual rainfall is in the range of 500 mm to about 750 mm. The
State is drained by a number of rivers which include Banas, Chambal, Luni and
Mahi. The State has 33 districts. As per the 2011 Census, Rajasthan has a
14
population of 68.55 million accounting to 5.66 percent of India's population.
The rural and urban population constitute 75.10% and 24.90%
respectivelyRajasthan, the largest State of India according to geographical
area, ranks 15th in terms of the RFA, is a forest deficient State. As per the
Champion & Seth Classification of Forest Types (1968), the forests in Rajasthan
belong to two Type groups i.e. Tropical Dry Deciduous and Tropical Thorn
Forests which are further divided into 20 Forest Types. The State has the
examples of some of the best afforestation practices along the Indira Gandhi
Canal. Under Joint Forest Management, there are 6,377 VFMCs/EDC
operational in the State. Recorded Forest Area (RFA) in the State is 32,737
squaree km of which 12,475 square km is Reserved Forest, 18,217 square km is
Protected Forest and 2,045 square km is Unclassed Forests. In Rajasthan,
during the period 1st January 2015 to 5th February 2019, a total of 2,834
hectares of forest land was diverted for non-forestry purposes under the
Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (MoEF & CC, 2019). As per the information
received from the State during the last two years, a total of 42,633 ha of
plantations were raised. Five National Parks, 25 Wildlife Sanctuaries and 11
Conservation Reserves constitute the Protected Area network of the State
covering 2.92% of its geographical area. There are 3 Project Tiger
(Ranthambhore, Sariska and Mukundra Hills) and two Ramsar (Keoladeo Ghana
sanctuary and Sambhar lake) sites. Based on the interpretation of IRS
Resourcesat-2 LISS III satellite data of the period Oct to Dec 2017, the Forest
Cover in the State is 16,629.51 square km which is 4.86 % of the State's
geographical area. In terms of forest canopy density classes, the State has
77.81 square km under Very Dense Forest (VDF), 4,341.90 square km under
Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) and 12,209.80 square km under Open Forest
(OF). Forest Cover in the State has increased by 57.51 square km as compared
to the previous assessment reported in ISFR 2017. The State has reported
extent of recorded forest area (RFA) 32,737 square km which is 9.57% of its
geographical area. The reserved, protected and unclassed forests are 38.11%,
55.64% and 6.25% of the recorded forest area in the State respectively.
However, as the digitized boundary of recorded forest area from the State
covers 33,072.12 square km, the analysis of forest cover inside and outside this
area is given below.
4)Uttar Pradesh
Situated in the northern part of the country, Uttar Pradesh covers an area of
2,40,928 square km, which is 7.33% of the geographical area of the country.
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The State lies between 23°52'N to 31°28'N latitude and 77°30'E to 84°39' E
longitude and is bordered by Uttarakhand in the north, Haryana, Delhi &
Rajasthan in the west, Madhya Pradesh in the west and south west,
Chhattisgarh in the south and Bihar in the East. It has international border with
Nepal in the north. The State has three distinct regions namely, the Shiwalik
region in the north, Gangetic plains in the central region and Vindhyan hills in
the south. Uttar Pradesh has a humid subtropical climate with dry winters. The
annual rainfall ranges between 1,000 mm to 1,200 mm and the annual
temperature varies from 5°C to 46°C. The State is drained by a number of
rivers, which include Ganga, Yamuna, Gomti, Ghagra, Betwa, Chambal and
Gandak. There are 71 districts in the State, of which one is a tribal district and
there are no hill districts. As per the Champion & Seth Classification of Forest
Types (1968), the forests in Uttar Pradesh belong to five Forest Type Groups,
which are further divided into 28 Forest Types. Major part of the State is
agrarian. In recent years, massive plantation programmes have been taken up
in the State to increase the forest & tree cover. Through the Nursery
Management Scheme, the tall saplings of 8 to 12 feet height are also being
raised for planting. During the plantation season of 2019 more than 22.5 crores
saplings were planted across the State under the Vriksha Mahakhumbh
Programme. To promote tree plantations outside the forest areas, improve
livelihoods and enhance income of the farmers, the State Government has
exempted most of the trees species from felling and transit rules. Recorded
Forest Area (RFA) in the State is 16,582 square km of which 12,070 square km
is Reserved Forest, 1,157 square km is Protected Forest and 3,355 square km is
Unclassed Forests. In Uttar Pradesh, during the period 1st January 2015 to 5th
February 2019, a total of 163.76 hectares of forest land was diverted for non-
forestry purposes under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (MoEF & CC, 2019).
One National Park and 26 Wildlife Sanctuaries constitute the Protected Area
network of the State covering 11.82% of its geographical area. Dudhwa
National Park located in the State is known for successful translocation of one
horned rhinoceros. Based on the interpretation of IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS III
satellite data of the period Oct 2017 to Jan 2018, the Forest Cover in the State
is 14,805.65 square km which is 6.15 % of the State's geographical area. In
terms of forest canopy density classes, the State has 2,616.43 square km under
Very Dense Forest (VDF), 4,080.04 square km under Moderately Dense Forest
(MDF) and 8,109.18 square km under Open Forest (OF). Forest Cover in the
State has increased by 126.65 square km as compared to the previous

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assessment reported in ISFR 2017. The State has reported extent of recorded
forest area (RFA) 16,582 square km which is 6.88% of its geographical area. The
reserved, protected and unclassed forests are 72.79% and 6.98% and 20.23%
of the recorded forest area in the State respectively. Due to non-availability of
digitized boundary of recorded forest areas from the State, the updated Green
Wash from SoI toposheets which is 13,433.75 square km has been used as
proxy to the RFA boundary and the analysis of forest cover inside and outside
this area is given below.
5)Bihar
Bihar, a State in the eastern part of the country is the 13th largest in terms of
geographical area and 3rd largest by population. The State has a geographical
area of 94,163 square km which is 2.86% of the total geographical area of the
country. The State lies between 24°16' N to 27°45' N latitude and 83°16' E to
88°30' E longitude. The neighboring States are Uttar Pradesh in the west,
Jharkhand in the south and West Bengal in the east. On the northern side, the
State has international border with Nepal. There are 38 districts in the State
none of which fall in the category of Hill or Tribal district. Ganga is the main
river which flows from west to east through the State. The main tributaries of
Ganga are Son, Gandak and Phalgu. The annual rainfall ranges between 1,000
to 2,000 mm and the average annual temperature from 20°C to 28°C. Bihar is a
forest deficient State and natural forests are found in limited areas. Sal (Shorea
robusta) forests are found in the West Champaran district in the Terai region in
the north and in Kaimur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Munger and Banka
districts in southern Bihar. The West Champaran district has moist deciduous
Sal forest while South Bihar has dry deciduous Sal Forests. Most of the natural
forests are notified as Protected Forests. As per the Champion & Seth
Classification of Forest Types (1968), the forests of Bihar belong to four Forest
Type Groups further divided into 13 different Forest Types. The improvement
of the quality of forests is high in the priority and regeneration activities are
carried out regularly. The other thrust area is to increase tree cover in the
State and for this purpose, tree plantations and agro forestry are carried out.
The State Government has included Forest Department in “Krishi Road Map”
and a separate “Hariyali Mission Directorate” has been established to manage
these programs. The SFD is also concentrating on massive soil and moisture
conservation works in the forest areas which are successful in retaining the soil
and moisture and supporting the biodiversity. Recorded Forest Area (RFA) in
the State is 6,877 square km of which 693 square km is Reserved Forest, 6,183
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square km is Protected Forest and 1 square km is Unclassed Forest. In Bihar,
during the period 1st January 2015 to 5th February 2019, a total of 1,131.60
hectares of forest land was diverted for non-forestry purposes under the
Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (MoEF&CC, 2019). As per the information
received from the State during the last two years, a total of 56,560 ha of
plantations have been raised. One National Park and 12 Wildlife Sanctuaries
constitute the Protected Area network of the State covering 3.44% of its
geographical area. Based on the interpretation of IRS Resourcesat-2 LISS III
satellite data of the period Oct 2017 to Dec 2018, the Forest Cover in the State
is 7,305.99 square km which is 7.76 % of the State's geographical area. In terms
of forest canopy density classes, the State has 333.13 square km under Very
Dense Forest (VDF), 3,280.32 square km under Moderately Dense Forest (MDF)
and 3,692.54 square km under Open Forest (OF). Forest Cover in the State has
increased by 6.99 square km as compared to the previous assessment reported
in ISFR 2017. The State has reported extent of recorded forest area (RFA) 6,877
square km which is 7.30% of its geographical area. The reserved, protected and
unclassed forests are 10.08%, 89.91% and 0.01% of the recorded forest area in
the State respectively. However, as the digitized boundary of RFA from the
State covers only an area 6,301.97 square km, the analysis of forest cover
inside and outside this area is given below.

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CAUSES FOR DECREASE IN FOREST COVER
IN INDIA
Introduction:
Deforestation is one of the most pressing environmental issues that the world
is facing currently. It is the conversion of forested land to non-forested land by
humans. Deforestation occurs when a land dominated by naturally occurring
trees is converted to provide certain services in response to the human
demand. The indiscriminate felling of trees has resulted in a reduction of 3.16%
in the global forest cover from 1990 to 2015. Although India has seen an
increment in the total forest cover of ca. 1%, still there are certain regions in
the country that have sought a decrease in the forest cover. The main reasons
attributed to the reduction in forest cover are shifting cultivation, rotational
felling, other biotic pressures, diversion of forest lands for developmental
activities, etc. Continuous illicit cutting of trees has impacted the microclimatic
conditions, hydrological cycle, soil quality, biodiversity, etc. of the country,
thereby making the country more vulnerable for any uneventful happening.
Sustainable forest management practices, alternatives for shifting cultivation,
promotion of plantation outside the forest and the usage of certified forest
products, etc. are some of the measures that can be adopted to curb the rate
of deforestation. Forest is a conditional renewable resource which can be
regenerated but needs a certain period of time to maintain its sustainable
functioning. In India, the forest resources have been found to be depleting at a
pace which is much high . Rapid industrialization, urbanization and over-
exploitation have resulted not only in decline but also in permanent loss of
forest cover to an alarming rate . The major driver behind all these factors is
the uncontrolled population growth of humans which leads to the dramatic
increase in the demand for wood and forest products. The over-exploitation of
forest resources has taken place beyond the sustained yields to fulfil the needs
of humans, thus bringing a change in the net forest cover . With the current
rate of population explosion, the world population could be expected to
increase from 7.6 billion to about 10 billion in the next 30 to 35 years . The
growing demand for food can be expected to rise by 50% in the given period,
and it is a matter of serious concern. Rational utilization and proper
management of the forest resources are the most viable ways to prevent mass
destruction of forests and large-scale species extinction. It is necessary to find

19
the links between the growing demands and meeting the demands in a
sustainable manner. The scope of future studies must focus on the solution to
establish this link by incorporating the principles of forestry, restoration
ecology and natural resource economics. Deforestation occurs when a land
initially dominated by naturally occurring tree species is converted to provide
certain services in response to the human demand. The UN Food and
Agricultural Organization (FAO) has defined deforestation as the conversion of
forest to another land use or the long-term reduction of tree canopy cover
below the 10% threshold. Forest areas around the world are majorly cleared
for agriculture, logging, mining and large-scale developmental projects. The
Food and Agricultural Organization coordinated the Global Forest Resources
Assessment (FRA) which reported a 3.16% decline in the global forest cover
from 1990 to 2015, and the total forest cover stands at about 30.6% in the
present time compared to 31.6% in 1990. The rate at which the forest cover is
declining poses a direct threat in the near future if not checked. With an
estimated annual loss of 18.7 million acres, it is evident that future demands
on forest resources would certainly lead to immense competition among
nations . Recently, in 2016, a study from the Maryland University reported that
73.4 million acres of the global tree cover were lost. Such a destruction of this
essential and self-sustaining resource puts the implementation of the principle
of sustainable development as mentioned in the Brundtland Report and
Sustainable Development Goals of the 1992 of Rio Earth Summit in the state of
question. And, it is an urgency to conserve the forests of which a vital part is
already lost.
Causes:
1. INCREASING POPULATION: - India is 2nd most populated country hence
there is no doubt it has increased need for food, shelter, other facilities
and requirements. So many trees has been cut off to meet all the needs
of the increasing population, to expand the land for constructions. India
being country of villages it has large scale use of wood fuel, which meets
40% of energy needs of the country.
2. COMMERCIAL USE : - Trees has been cut for timber and pulp, timber
being used for furniture and other goods and pulp being used for papers.
For example it takes 12 trees to make 1 ton of 100% non recycled news
print and India is home for 82,237 News papers we can imagine how
many trees are cut daily.

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 3. URBANISATION &INCREASING INDUSTRIES :- With time the small villages
of India are changing. well modernized and lavish buildings, concrete
floors outside and fuming industries taking over small houses. lets take
example of smart city projects where it will give hold on previously
unused and remote areas, so many trees will be cut. As the smart city is
important forests and trees are also important, lets make urban forests
which will filter harmful pollutants from air and acts as carbon sink .for
industries lets take example of Haryana where in last 30 years, forests
nearly two third the size of Haryana have been lost in 23,716 industrial
projects and encroachments, it is example of only one state we can
imagine how much trees must have been cut to build industries all over
India.
4. MINING:- Mining industry can be taken as independent cause out of all
industries. We can take example of Mahan coal mining where the ancient
Indian forests are at verge of wiping off In Madhya Pradesh. protests
being made to stop it. Villagers walked towards the forests. Mining affects
forest cover but also affects the lives of people who are dependent on
these forests, and the gas or metals which come out of the mining, poison
the surrounding trees, soil and air after which the trees eventually die.
5. EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURE:- Trees were being cut to increase the area of
cultivation from years. Shifting cultivation is another cause where, after
the deforestation lands are used till they loose fertility and left like that
only. Slash and burn method is another thing where forests are affected
in large scale, they are burnt for cultivation.
6. CONSTRUCTION OF DAMS AND RESERVOIRS:- It not only affects the lives
of neighboring people but also gives hold on remote areas where several
trees will be cut in order to build the roadways and expand them.
7. NATURAL DISASTERS like fire also consumes more or little amount of
forests.

Effects:

1. Increase in carbon foot print

2. Loss of home to wild life.
3. Air pollution, green house effect, global warming, decreased amount of
rain.

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Measures Adopted by government to increase the
forest Cover.
A number of innovative measures are in the offing to increase the green cover
in the country. These include GIS monitoring of forest and its activities, Urban
Forestry, School Nursery Programme and protection of endangered species
amongst others. The Sixth meeting of National CAMPA Advisory Council (NCAC)
under Environment Ministry on Wednesday allocated Rs.162 crore for
conserving the environment and saving endangered species.After the meeting,
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said the amount was out of Rs 250
crores unspent funds that had got accumulated over the last five
years.According to the Minister, forests and forestry activities including felling
of trees and monitoring their growth will henceforth be through GIS system. He
informed that Rs 75 crores have been kept aside for the purpose. The Minister
also emphasised that Forest Survey of India that earlier carried out tree census
after every 20 years will now carry out similar exercise after every five
years. Projects under Urban Forestry (Nagar Van Udyan Yojana) will be taken up
on a pilot basis for creation of city forests under 200 municipal bodies. Nearly
50 cities are expected to join in this drive for which Rs. 50 crores have been
initially earmarked.Special efforts will be made to protect various endangered
species as Dugong, Gangetic Dolphin, Great Indian Bustard, Manipur Brow
Antler Deer (Sangai) and Wild Water Buffalo. Assistance to the tune of Rs. 20
crores has been earmarked to protect them.In Andaman & Nicobar Islands,
support will be provided for a 1 MW biomass-based power project. The project
will primarily use biomass and agricultural residue for power generation. Funds
to the tune of Rs5 crores have been set aside for the purpose. To add to them,
Rs. 5 crores has also been initially earmarked for the monitoring of corals and
mangrove in the Islands. Further, a school nurseries programme will also be
taken up on a pilot basis to inculcate the spirit of conservation of environment
in young minds. Students from Class V to IX will be encouraged to plant saplings,
nurture them and take the potted plants to their homes at the end of the
academic session.The Minister stated that CAMPA Bill is presently being studied
by the Standing Committee which he hoped will be passed in the next session of
Parliament.

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 Conclusion
Forests and the products they provide are universally required for the
continuation of human society as we know it. To change our society to one that
does not depend on the forest (to the forest's detriment) and its associated
benefits requires such an enormous paradigm shift that we generally do not
even consider it worthy of further investigation. Given this situation therefore,
it is imperative that we discover mechanisms to manage the forest for all the
benefits it can provide, in a sustainable manner.Few countries have all the
answers to all the issues faced, thus there exists a real need for international
cooperation. Loss of forest resources transcends national boundaries and
affects the entire planet. Given this, the roles of various agencies become vitally
important in order to minimise any potential downside and to maximise the
upside. Governments, NGOs, intergovernmental panels and the like must work
more closely in order to resolve the pressing issues facing the forests. In many
cases a collaborative approach will provide a solution which is more acceptable
to all parties, and more robust than a solution that is developed
unilaterally.Societies around the world are beginning to face up to the reality
that as a species man requires forest resources - both the wood and non-wood
products a sustainably managed forest can provide. As the guardians of those
resources our performance has to date been abysmal. It is with a great deal of
urgency that we must turn that record around and ensure that we have
sustainably managed forests for the generations that are to follow. Only a long
term global commitment to conservation and sustainable development can
reverse the tide of uncontrolled deforestation. A sound policy framework is
central to this commitment.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2015/india/govt-takes-
steps-to-increase-green-cover.html
https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/66710
Forest cover magazines given by the government of
India.

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