India State of Forest Report 2013 Released

Shri Prakash Javadekar , the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment, Forests & Climate Change released the biennial report “India State of Forest Report (ISFR)”. It is now the 13th report in the series.

As per the report, total forest and tree cover of the country is 78.92 million hectare (24.01%) which is an increase of 5871 sq km. However, this increase is largely under open forest category which lies outside the main forest areas. Maximum increase in forest cover was in West Bengal (3810 sq. km.), Odisha (1444 sq. km.) and Kerala (622sq km).

State with largest forest cover is Madhya Pradesh with 77,522 sq. km. of area under forest. Arunachal Pradesh is a close second with 67,321 sq. km.

State of Forest Report 2013 provides information relating to forest cover, tree cover mangroves cover and growing stock inside and outside the forest areas.

Thematic information on forest cover such as hill districts, tribal districts, and north eastern region had also been given separately in the report. The information of forest cover for all the States and districts for the current assessment and changes with respect to forest cover of previous assessment has been presented in the report.

The report in addition, also has three new chapters which highlight-

1. Important Characteristics of India’s Forest (describes important features of forest areas like regeneration status, susceptibility to various injuries, crop composition, its origin, forest soil characteristic etc.);
2. Trees in Agroforestry System (giving information on area, growing stock and carbon stock etc. under Agroforestry);and
3. Urban Tree Resources (giving information on green cover and growing stock of wood in urban areas).

The report makes use of LISS III sensor data of Resources at-II satellite.

Read more at Forest Survey of India website.