Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, released the India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023) at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. Published biennially by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), the report assesses India’s forest and tree resources.

India’s total forest and tree cover is 8,27,357 sq km, accounting for 25.17% of the geographical area, with forest cover at 7,15,343 sq km (21.76%) and tree cover at 1,12,014 sq km (3.41%). Since 2021, there has been a net increase of 1,445 sq km, with major contributions from Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan. Mizoram, Gujarat, and Odisha recorded the highest gains in forest cover, while Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra have the largest forest and tree cover areas.

The mangrove cover is 4,992 sq km, while the bamboo-bearing area has risen to 1,54,670 sq km, an increase of 5,227 sq km. The carbon stock in forests is 7,285.5 million tonnes, up by 81.5 million tonnes since 2021.

India has achieved 2.29 billion tonnes of additional carbon sink since 2005, nearing its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target of 2.5-3.0 billion tonnes by 2030. The ISFR 2023 highlights India’s progress in environmental conservation and serves as a vital resource for policymakers and researchers.

Himalayan Live Bureau

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