Context

• Union Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav released the 18th India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 at the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun.

About ISFR

• The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) is a biennial assessment report published by the Forest Survey of India (FSI).
• The first report was published by FSI in 1987.

Classification of forest cover based on tree canopy density

• Very Dense Forest (VDF): Canopy density equal to or more than 70%.
• Moderately Dense Forest (MDF): Canopy density between 40%-70%.
• Open Forest (OF): Canopy density between 10%-40%.

Key findings of the ISFR 2023:

• Total Forest and Tree Cover: 8,27,356.95 km2 (25.17% of Geographical Area of the country).
• Total Forest Cover: 7,15,342.61 km2 (21.76%.
• Total Tree Cover: 1,12,014.34 km2 (3.41%).
• Increase of 156.41 km2 in the Forest Cover at national level as compared to ISFR 2021.
• Increase of 1445.81 km in total forest and tree cover of the country as compared to ISFR 2021.
• Maximum increase in forest and tree cover: Chhattisgarh (683.62 km2 ) >Uttar Pradesh (559.19 km2 )> Odisha (558.57 km2 )> Rajasthan (394.46 km2 ).
• Maximum decrease in forest and tree cover: Madhya Pradesh (612.41 km2 ) followed by Karnataka (459.36 km2 ), Ladakh (159.26 km2 ) and Nagaland (125.22 km2 ).
• Maximum Increase of Forest Cover inside the RFA (Recorded Forest Area): Mizoram (192.92 km2 )> Odisha (118.17 km2 )> Karnataka (93.14 km2 )> West Bengal (64.79 km2 )> Jharkhand (52.72 km2 )
• Maximum Decrease of Forest Cover inside the RFA (Recorded Forest Area): Tripura (116.90 km2 )>Telangana (105.87 km2 )> Assam (86.66 km2 )> Andhra Pradesh (83.47 km2 )> Gujarat (61.22 km2 ).
• Maximum Tree Cover: Maharashtra (14,524.88 km2 )> Rajasthan (10,841.12 km2 )> Uttar Pradesh (8,950.92 km2 ).
• Maximum positive change in tree cover as compared to ISFR 2021: Chhattisgarh (702.75 km2 )> Rajasthan (478.26 km2 )> Uttar Pradesh (440.76 km2 ).
• Total forest and tree cover in the North Eastern Region: 1,74,394.70 km2 ,67% of the geographical area.
• The current assessment shows a decrease of forest cover of 327.30 km2 in the North Eastern Region.
• Total Mangrove cover of the country: 4,991.68 km2 (0.15 % of the country’s total geographical area).
• In comparison to the 2021 assessment, there has been a net decrease of 7.43 km2 in the country’s Mangrove coverage.
• Notable increase in Mangrove forest cover: Andhra Pradesh > Maharashtra.
• Top three States where fire incidences have been observed the most in 2023- 24 season are Uttrarakhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
• Maximum Bamboo Bearing Area: Madhya Pradesh > Arunachal Pradesh > Maharashtra > Odisha.
• Highest increase of bamboo-bearing area: Arunachal Pradesh > Madhya Pradesh.
• Highest decrease of bamboo-bearing area: Karnataka > Manipur.
• Maximum Carbon Stock: Arunachal Pradesh > Madhya Pradesh > Chhattisgarh > Maharashtra.