Forests in India

India's forests cover 21.72% of its area with an additional 2.3% covered by trees outside forests, bringing the total to 24%. The target for total forest and tree cover in India is 33% under the National Forest Policy of 1988.Forests are vital ecosystems with multiple layers, providing renewable resources, hydrological benefits, land protection, climate regulation, and carbon sequestration. For their effective management, the government classifies forests as i) Reserve ii) Protected & iii) Unclassified forests. Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Nagaland have the highest percentage of forest cover in India. Forests face many threats like forest fires, climate change induced challenges and human encroachment. Legislation like the Indian Forest Act, Wildlife Protection Act, and Forest Conservation Act have been enacted to protect forests in India.

India has varied geography and hence has varied forests like the Montane forests in Himalayas, Tropical Evergreen Forests in Meghalayas, mTropical Deciduous Forests in monsoonal areas, Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs in arid regions of Rajasthan and Mangrove Forests on the coasts like in West Bengal. However, these forests have been under threat due to British Government’s efforts to monetise the forests, clear them for development e.g. railway tracks or for plantation agriculture. independent Indian Government sought to reverse this and set a target of having 33%forest & tree cover in the National Forest Policy of India, 1988.

• Ecosystem: Consisting of animals, plants, micro-organisms which are interdependent on eachother. This spawns various
• Layers of Vegetation: Layers of Vegetation:
• Renewable Resource: Forests are being used by tribal communities for centuries and they continue to regenerate. Timber, medicinal plants and other resources are found here.
• Hydrological Benefits: They absorb rainwater and fill ground water. A defence against natural disasters like floods and cyclones.
• Land & Soil protection: Tree roots bind soil and keep the land covered, which would otherwise get eroded and become barren.
• Lungs of the Earth: Purify the air we breathe.
• Carbon Sinks: Trap carbon and act as soldiers against climate change.
• Regulate Climate: They cast a moderating influence on local climate by regulating the temperature, humidity and rainfall for the area. They also provide shade and a general cooling effect.

The government, to effectively manage forests has classified them as:-

• Permanent Forest Estates: Largely owned by the Government
  • Reserved Forests: For conservation of wildlife. Half the forests are reserved in India. Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Maharashtra have lots of reserved forest areas.
  • Protected Forests: To protect from further degradation. A third of the forests are protected areas. Most forests in Haryana, Punjab, Odisha, Bihar are protected forests.
  • States with most Permanent Forest Estate: Madhya Pradesh
• Unclassed Forests: Other forest areas including wastelands. Prevalent in North East States and Gujarat where forets are largely managed by local communities.

The major types of forests found in India are -

1. Tropical Rainforests
   • Location : Western Ghats, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, northeastern states like Assam, Meghalaya.
   • Characteristics :
     • Evergreen forests
     • Rainfall more than 200cm annually
     • Rich in biodiversity
     • Warm and humid climate
     • Trees : Rosewood, Mahogany
2. Tropical Deciduous forests
   • Location : Central India, northern states, parts of the Western Ghats, eastern coast.
   • Characteristics :
     • Most extensive forest type in India.
     • Moist Deciduous: Found in areas with 100-200 cm of rainfall (e.g., Madhya Pradesh, Odisha). Dominated by teak, sal, and bamboo.
     • Dry Deciduous: Found in regions with 70-100 cm of rainfall (e.g., parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat). Dominated by species like acacia and thorny bushes.
3. Tropical thorn forests
   • Location : Arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Deccan Plateau.
   • Characteristics :
     • Rainfall less than 70 cm annually
     • Vegetation : Thorny trees and shrubs like acacia, euphorbia, and cacti.
4. Montane forests
   • Location : Himalayan region and Western Ghats
   • Characteristics :
     • Found in mountainous region.
     • Vegetation : Pine, oak, and chestnut etc.
5. Subtropical Dry Evergreen Forests
   • Location : Eastern Ghats, parts of the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu.
   • Characteristics :
     • Moderate rainfall (50-100 cm)
     • Thorny trees are found
6. Moist Alpine scrub
   • Location : Higher altitudes of the Himalayas
   • Characteristics :
     • Cold temperatures, strong winds, and snowfall.
     • Vegetation is sparse.
     • It consists mainly of low shrubs, grasses, and herbaceous plants.
7. Littoral/swamp forests
   • Location : Coastal areas, river deltas, and swampy regions.
   • Characteristics :
     • Include tidal forests, and freshwater swamp forests
     • Vegetation : Mangroves, palms, and salt-tolerant species.

By the Forest Survey of India (FSI) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change is released biennially (once in two years). They track forest cover through remote sensing methods.

• Increasing Forest Cover: The Indian government has increased its forest cover by 2261 square kilometers, or 0.32%, since 2019.
• Increasing Tree & Mangrove Cover: Patches of trees outside forests has risen by 2.91%. Mangrove cover also expanded with maximum increase in Odisha and then Maharashtra.
• Quarter Of the Country Forested: The total forest and tree cover is 24%
• States with Most Increase in Forest Cover: Andhra Pradesh> Telangana > Odisha > Karnataka > Jharkhand.
• States with Largest Forest Cover: Madhya Pradesh> Arunachal Pradesh> Chhattisgarh> Odisha> Maharashtra.
• States with Largest Percentage of Forest Cover: Mizoram (84.53 per cent), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33 per cent), Meghalaya (76.00 per cent), Manipur (74.34 per cent) and Nagaland (73.90 per cent).
• Taking Stock of Forest Threats
  • 35% forests are fire prone.
  • Mapping of climate hotspots has been done based on predicted temperature and rainfall data.
  • The Himalayan states of Ladakh, J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will see the highest temperature rise.
  • Ladak, J&K & Himachal will experience a decline in rainfall along with Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim.

By the Forest Survey of India (FSI) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change is released biennially (once in two years). They track forest cover through remote sensing methods.

• Indian Forest Act, 1927: To regulate forests and sale of forest products like timber.
• The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: To protect forest animals and birds from poaching, conserving their habitats.
• Forest Conservation Act, 1980: For greater protection of forests it permitted diversion of forest only after Central Government Permission.

• Afforestation:
• Green India Mission: to support states efforts for afforestation. Includes National Afforestation programme to regenerate degraded forests.
• Nagar Van Yojana (NVY): for green cover in urban areas.
• Compensatory Afforestation Act (CAMPA): Any project which cuts trees to be set up has to deposit money in a CAMPA Fund and also plant trees in another area given by the government.
• Tree plantation is also undertaken under other central & state schemes like MGNREGA, National Bamboo Mission, Sub-Mission on Agroforestry etc. Corporates and private entities like NGO also work towards it.
• Combatting Forest Fires: Under the Centrally Sponsored Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme financial assistance is given to State governments to engage modern tools, fire fighters, water tanker etc.

Social Forestry means utilising unused lands so that deeper forests are safeguarded from exploitation, by harvesting fast-growing trees to meet the needs of fodder and fuelwood. There are 5 different types of social forestry.

• Scientific Forestry (Silviculture): Replacement and replanting of crops and trees, focusing on afforestation, raw material increase, employment creation, high-quality timber production, species with higher economic value, and soil conservation.
• Farm Forestry: Managing trees within a farming context for specific purposes like environmental improvement, soil and water maintenance, additional farmer earnings, and provision of shelter and pasture for animals
• Community Forestry: Local planning, management, and harvesting of forest crops to enhance local involvement and reward communities, functioning as a village-level forestry activity.
• Agroforestry: Agroforestry combines agriculture and tree growing for commercial production
• Extension Forestry: Expanding forest boundaries by planting trees on government wastelands, panchayat lands, and village common lands.