Categories of Forests in India and Extent of Forest Cover
Geography › Physical Geography of India · Topic 8.12
India's forests are classified in several ways. By legal status they are reserved forests, protected forests and unclassed forests. The Forest Survey of India classes forest cover by canopy density as very dense, moderately dense and open forest, besides scrub. By type, Champion and Seth classified them into 16 type groups, from tropical wet evergreen to alpine scrub. In the India State of Forest Report 2023, forest cover was 21.76 per cent of the country and tree cover 3.41 per cent, together 25.17 per cent. The National Forest Policy 1988 aims at one-third of the area under forest and tree cover.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Physical Geography of India
At a Glance
- Forest cover (ISFR 2023) 21.76 per cent
- Forest and tree cover 25.17 per cent
- Policy target 33 per cent of land (1988)
- Legal classes Reserved, protected, unclassed
- Type groups 16 (Champion and Seth)
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Physical Geography of India
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows the topics on soils and applies the general account of forests to India. It prepares for the topic on conservation issues of Indian vegetation, which looks at the pressures on these forests. Previous topic: Soil Degradation and Erosion in India and Conservation Measures. Next topic: Conservation Issues Relating to Indian Natural Vegetation.
What Are the Legal Categories of Forest?
| Category | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Reserved forest | The most protected; cutting, grazing and entry are not allowed unless permitted. Forms roughly half of the recorded forest area |
| Protected forest | Forest where rights of people are recorded, and use is regulated; roughly a third of the area |
| Unclassed forest | Forests that are not in either class, usually owned by communities, local bodies or private persons; the smallest share |
These classes come from the Indian Forest Act, 1927, and the shares are given only roughly. National parks and wildlife sanctuaries within forest land are protected areas under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Forest is a Concurrent List subject since 1976.
What Are the Types of Forests by Climate?
| Type | Rainfall and region | Trees |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical wet evergreen | Above about 200 cm; Western Ghats, Northeast, Andaman and Nicobar | Mahogany, ebony, rosewood, rubber, dense and many-storeyed |
| Tropical moist deciduous | 100 to 200 cm; Western Ghats’ slopes, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Northeast foothills | Teak, sal, sandalwood; the most valuable timber |
| Tropical dry deciduous | 70 to 100 cm; large parts of the Peninsula and the plains | Teak, sal, tendu, with grass beneath |
| Tropical thorn | Below 70 cm; Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, parts of the Deccan | Acacia, babul, khejri, cactus |
| Littoral and swamp (mangrove) | Deltas and coasts; Sundarbans, Bhitarkanika, Godavari, Krishna | Mangroves, with stilt and breathing roots |
| Montane forests | Himalaya and southern hills, in zones by height | Oak, rhododendron, deodar, pine, fir, spruce, juniper |
| Alpine | Above about 3,600 m | Dwarf shrubs, birch, grass and moss |
Champion and Seth (1936, revised 1968) divided Indian forests into 16 major type groups and over 200 sub-types, a classification still used. The general features of the forest types of the world are in Vegetation Resources: Types of Forests and Their Economic, Ecological and Cultural Significance.
How Much Forest Does India Have?
- Forest cover (India State of Forest Report 2023): about 7,15,343 sq km, or 21.76 per cent of the geographical area.
- Tree cover: about 1,12,014 sq km, or 3.41 per cent, which is trees outside forests.
- Total forest and tree cover: about 8,27,357 sq km, or 25.17 per cent of the country.
- Density classes: very dense forest has a canopy density of 70 per cent or more, moderately dense forest 40 to 70 per cent, open forest 10 to 40 per cent, and scrub below 10 per cent.
- Mangroves: about 5,000 sq km, mostly in the Sundarbans of West Bengal, Gujarat and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- States: Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest area, followed by Arunachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh; the northeastern states, such as Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur and Nagaland, have the highest share of area under forest.
The Forest Survey of India, Dehradun, publishes a report every two years, and the figures here come from the 2023 report, released at the end of 2024. The next report may have appeared by the time of reading, so the latest one should be checked.
What Are the Policy Targets?
The National Forest Policy, 1988 set a goal of bringing one-third of the geographical area under forest or tree cover, with two-thirds in the hills. India’s cover now stands at about a quarter of the land. As part of its climate commitment under the Paris Agreement, India has pledged to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030. The state of cover is mixed: dense forests have grown in some regions, but forests of the Northeast and the Western Ghats have lost cover, and plantations and open forest account for a large part of the gain. The pressures on this cover are discussed in Conservation Issues Relating to Indian Natural Vegetation. As an analytical point, forest cover figures count the canopy from satellite data, so they do not distinguish a natural forest from a plantation, and the quality of cover matters as much as the area.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Figures Cover percentages are asked
- Types Champion and Seth
- Policy 33 per cent target
What Came Next?
The next topic discusses conservation issues relating to Indian natural vegetation. Next topic: Conservation Issues Relating to Indian Natural Vegetation.
Key People and Terms
- Reserved forest Most protected legal class
- Open forest Canopy density 10 to 40 per cent
- Tree cover Trees outside recorded forests
- ISFR India State of Forest Report
- Mangrove Salt-tolerant coastal forest
- Scrub Canopy density below 10 per cent
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Forest cover is 21.76 per cent (ISFR 2023).
- Forest and tree cover: 25.17 per cent.
- Target: 33 per cent (1988 policy).
- Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest area.
- Very dense forest has canopy density of 70 per cent or more.
Do Not Confuse With
- Forest cover and recorded forest area Canopy seen by satellite versus legal forest land
- Reserved and protected forest Stricter versus more regulated use
- Forest cover and tree cover Inside forests versus outside them
Memory Hook
Reserved, protected, unclassed make three; sixteen types by Champion and Seth.
Mains Angle
Questions ask for the extent of forest and the gap with the policy target. These points add depth.
- Extent One-fifth forest, one-quarter with trees
- Types Climate-wise
- Quality Natural forest versus plantation
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Describe the categories and types of forests in India and assess the progress towards the target of one-third forest cover.”
How to Answer
- Categories Legal and density classes.
- Types Climate-wise.
- Extent ISFR 2023.
- Assess Gap and quality.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the categories of forests in India?
By legal status, forests are classed as reserved, protected and unclassed. By canopy density they are classed by the Forest Survey of India as very dense, moderately dense and open forest, with scrub separate. By climate they are classed by Champion and Seth into 16 major types, from tropical wet evergreen to alpine.
How much of India is under forest cover?
According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, forest cover is 21.76 per cent of the geographical area, and tree cover is 3.41 per cent, together making 25.17 per cent. The National Forest Policy of 1988 aims at one-third of the land under forest and tree cover.
What is reserved forest?
Reserved forest is the most protected category of forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, in which entry, grazing, hunting and cutting of trees are prohibited unless permitted. It makes up roughly half of the recorded forest area, and is controlled by the government.
Which are the types of forests in India by climate?
The main types are tropical wet evergreen, tropical moist deciduous, tropical dry deciduous, tropical thorn, littoral and swamp forests including mangroves, montane forests of the Himalaya and southern hills, and alpine vegetation. Champion and Seth classified them in 16 major groups, and the system is still used.
Which state has the largest forest area in India?
Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under forest cover in India, followed by Arunachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In proportion to area, the northeastern states such as Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur and Nagaland have the highest share of forest, as the India State of Forest Report shows.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The National Forest Policy 1988 aims to bring one-third of the area under forest or tree cover.
The present figure is about a quarter.
2 Reserved forests are the least protected category.
They are the most protected.
3 Champion and Seth classified Indian forests into 16 type groups.
The system is still used.
4 Forest cover in India is reported by the Forest Survey of India every two years.
As the India State of Forest Report.
Past Mains Questions on This Topic
This topic comes under Physical Geography of India. UPSC Mains questions asked on the matching syllabus topic, year-wise with marks:
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