India has made progress in expanding its green cover, reveals India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released on Saturday.
The India State of Forest Report (ISFR), published every two years by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), offers vital information about the nation’s forest and tree resources.
The 2023 report highlights an overall increase in forest and tree cover. Forest cover includes areas with a tree canopy density of more than 10% and spanning at least one hectare. This category includes natural forests as well as man-made plantations, orchards, and other tree patches that meet the criteria.
Tree cover, on the other hand, accounts for smaller patches and isolated trees outside reserved forests. Together, these areas form the backbone of India’s green landscape.
According to the report, India’s forest and tree cover has increased by 1,445 sq km since 2021. Forest cover alone rose by 156 sq km, reaching 21.76% of the country’s total geographical area. Tree cover also expanded by 1,289 sq km. The overall green cover now stands at 25.17% of India’s land.
Among the states, Madhya Pradesh continues to lead in overall green cover, followed by Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. Some states have recorded substantial gains in forest and tree cover, with Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan standing out. Mizoram also showed impressive growth in forest cover, reversing some earlier losses.
The report was released by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change at the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun.