India’s Green Cover Expands With 1,445 Sq Km Increase In Forest, Tree Cover; MP, Arunachal, Maharashtra Lead

India's forest and tree cover has increased to 25.17% of the geographical area. MP has the largest forest and tree cover, while Lakshadweep has the highest percentage forest cover.

In a significant boost to India's green cover, the nation's total forest and tree cover has increased by 1,445 sq km since 2021, reaching 25.17 per cent of the total geographical area in 2023, according to the latest government data.

The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released by Union Forest Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday, also highlights that India has achieved an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes compared to 2005 levels.

According to the report, India's total forest cover increased from 713,789 sq km in 2021 to 715,343 sq km in 2023, reaching 21.76 per cent of its geographical area. The tree cover, which increased by 1,289 sq km, now constitutes 3.41 per cent of the country's geographical area.

The data shows that Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan added 684 sq km, 559 sq km, 559 sq km, and 394 sq km, respectively, to their combined forest and tree cover, marking the highest growth among the states.

For forest cover alone, Mizoram witnessed an increase of 242 sq km. In Gujarat and Odisha, forest cover grew by 180 sq km and 152 sq km, respectively.

Madhya Pradesh Leads In Total Forest And Tree Cover, Followed By Arunachal Pradesh And Maharashtra

Madhya Pradesh (MP) leads in total forest and tree cover with 85,724 sq km. It is followed by Arunachal Pradesh with 67,083 sq km and Maharashtra with 65,383 sq km.

For forest cover specifically, MP remains at the top with 77,073 sq km, followed by Arunachal Pradesh with 65,882 sq km and Chhattisgarh with 55,812 sq km.

Lakshadweep ranks first in terms of forest cover as a percentage of its geographical area, with 91.33 per cent of the area covered by forests. It is followed by Mizoram with 85.34 per cent, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands with 81.62 per cent.

However, the report notes a decrease in the forest cover of the Western Ghats and Eastern States Area (WGESA) over the past decade. It found a loss of 58.22 sq km in forest cover in WGESA.

While very dense forests increased by 3,465.12 sq km during this period, moderately dense forests and open forests decreased by 1,043.23 sq km and 2,480.11 sq km, respectively.

The forest cover of the hill districts of the country is 283,713.20 sq km, which makes up 40 per cent of the total geographical area of these districts. There was an increase of 234.14 sq km in forest cover in the hill districts.

The report recorded a decrease of 327.30 sq km in forest cover in the northeastern region. The total forest and tree cover in the region stands at 174,394.70 sq km, accounting for 67 per cent of the region's geographical area.

The mangrove cover of the country, which helps reduce erosion and control floods, stands at 4,991.68 sq km, marking a net decrease of 7.43 sq km since 2021.

Over the last 10 years, moderately dense forests and open forests have seen declines of 1,043.23 sq km and 2,480.11 sq km, respectively.

Currently, the combined forest and tree cover totals 827,357 sq km, or about one-fourth of India's geographical area. This marks a net increase of 1,445 sq km from 2021. The forest cover alone increased by 156 sq km.

India's total bamboo-bearing area has increased by 5,227 sq km compared to 2021, now estimated at 154,670 sq km. According to FSI Director General Anoop Singh, bamboo cover has been included in the tree cover.

India's carbon stock increased by 81.5 million tonnes compared to 2021, now estimated at 7,285.5 million tonnes in 2023. It is expected that India will have 31.71 billion tonnes of carbon stock in forest and tree cover by 2030.

To meet the Paris Agreement goals and fulfil its climate plans (Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs), the country has committed to creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes through increased forest and tree cover by 2030.

As per the Forest Survey of India (FSI), forest cover refers to all land with a tree canopy density of more than 10 per cent, spanning an area of one hectare or more, regardless of ownership or legal status. This includes both natural forests and man-made plantations, orchards, and tree patches in urban and rural areas that meet the size and canopy density criteria.

Tree cover refers to patches of trees and isolated trees outside Reserved Forest Areas (RFA) that are less than one hectare in size.

The National Forest Policy (1988) mandates that 33 per cent of India's geographical area should be covered by forests or tree cover.