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🦌India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021

Forest cover statistics, canopy density classification, state-wise rankings, mangroves, bamboo cover, carbon stock, and key findings

Measuring India’s Green Cover from Space

The previous lesson covered Forest Legislation — the laws that protect India’s forests. But how do we know whether those laws are working? The answer lies in data. Every two years, satellites scan India’s 328 million hectares of land to measure exactly how much is covered by forests.

The resulting India State of Forest Report (ISFR) is one of the most important environmental documents produced by the government. For competitive exams, the ISFR is a goldmine of statistics — from state-wise rankings to carbon stock figures.

This lesson covers:

  1. What is ISFR? — published by FSI, biennial since 1987
  2. Forest cover vs tree cover — the critical distinction
  3. Classification by canopy density — VDF, MDF, Open Forest, Scrub
  4. State-wise rankings — area-wise and percentage-wise leaders
  5. Mangroves, bamboo, and carbon stock — special focus areas

What is ISFR?

FeatureDetail
Full formIndia State of Forest Report
Edition covered17th (ISFR 2021)
Published byForest Survey of India (FSI) under MoEFCC
Assessment frequencyBiennial (every 2 years) since 1987
Technology usedRemote sensing (satellite imagery) + ground-truthing
Policy targetNational Forest Policy 1988 — 33% forest and tree cover
PurposeMonitor progress toward 33% target; guide policy and planning
Release of India State of Forest Report by Ministry of Environment
ISFR 2021 — published by Forest Survey of India (FSI) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

NOTE

FSI uses satellite data combined with field verification to produce these reports. The ISFR covers forest cover, tree cover, mangroves, bamboo, and carbon stock.


Forest Cover vs Tree Cover — The Distinction

ParameterForest CoverTree Cover
Minimum area>1 hectare<1 hectare
Canopy density10% or aboveAny
LocationInside or outside recorded forestOutside recorded forest only
IncludesBamboos, orchards, coconut, palmScattered trees, roadside trees, bund trees
OwnershipIrrespective (government, private, community)Irrespective

Total tree resources = Forest Cover + Tree Cover

TIP

Exam distinction: Forest cover requires >1 ha AND >10% canopy density. Tree cover = patches <1 ha outside recorded forest. Together they give the complete picture.


Classification of Forest Cover by Canopy Density

Classification of forest cover by canopy density showing VDF, MDF, OF, and Scrub
Forest cover classification by canopy density — Very Dense (above 70%), Moderately Dense (40-70%), Open (10-40%), Scrub (below 10%)
ClassCanopy DensityEcological Value
Very Dense Forest (VDF)70% and aboveMost pristine, highest biodiversity
Moderately Dense Forest (MDF)40-70%Good ecological health
Open Forest (OF)10-40%Degraded or transitional
Scrub<10%Highly degraded
Non-forestNo tree coverAgricultural land, settlements, water

Key Findings of ISFR 2021

ParameterValue (ISFR 2021)Change from 2019
Total forest cover7,13,789 sq km (21.71%)+1,540 sq km
Total tree cover95,748 sq km (2.91%)+721 sq km
Total forest + tree cover8,09,537 sq km (24.62%)+2,261 sq km
States/UTs above 33% forest cover17
States/UTs above 75% forest cover5
ClassArea (Sq Km)Percentage of Geographical Area
Very Dense Forest99,7793.04
Moderately Dense Forest3,06,8909.33
Open Forest3,07,1209.34
Total Forest Cover*7,13,78921.71
Tree Cover95,7482.91
Total Forest and Tree Cover8,09,53724.62
Scrub46,5391.42
Non-Forest25,27,14176.87
Total Geographic Area32,87,469100.00

*Includes 4,992 sq km under Mangrove Cover

Pie chart showing distribution of forest cover types in India
Distribution of India’s land area — forest cover (21.71%), tree cover (2.91%), and non-forest areas

IMPORTANT

India’s total forest + tree cover is 24.62% — still short of the NFP 1988 target of 33%. The gap is nearly 8-9 percentage points.


State-wise Rankings

State-wise rankings are among the most frequently tested ISFR facts in competitive exams. Note the difference between area-wise and percentage-wise leaders — exams often test this distinction to trip candidates.

Maximum Forest Cover (Area-wise)

RankStateArea (sq km)
1Madhya Pradesh77,493
2Arunachal Pradesh66,431
3Chhattisgarh55,717

Maximum Forest Cover (Percentage-wise)

RankState/UTPercentage
1Lakshadweep (UT)90.33%
2Mizoram (State)84.53%
3Andaman & Nicobar (UT)81.75%
Map of India showing state-wise forest cover distribution
State-wise forest cover — Madhya Pradesh leads in area, Mizoram leads in percentage among states

TIP

Mnemonic for area-wise ranking:MAC” — Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh. For percentage among states: Mizoram leads.


Category-wise Top States

CategoryTop State
Highest Very Dense Forests (VDF)Arunachal Pradesh (followed by Maharashtra)
Highest Moderately Dense Forests (MDF)Madhya Pradesh
Highest Open ForestsMadhya Pradesh
Largest Trees Outside Forest (TOF) — areaMaharashtra (followed by Odisha, Karnataka)
Highest TOF — percentageKerala (followed by Goa, Nagaland)
Highest fuelwood dependenceMaharashtra
Highest fodder/timber/bamboo dependenceMadhya Pradesh

Forest Cover Changes

States with Maximum Increase

RankStateIncrease (sq km)
1Andhra Pradesh647
2Telangana632
3Odisha537

States with Decrease

  • Five North-Eastern states showed loss: Arunachal Pradesh > Manipur > Nagaland > Mizoram > Meghalaya
  • Total NE forest cover: 1,70,541 sq km (65.05% of NE’s area)
  • Overall decrease in NE: 1,020 sq km

Main reasons for forest loss:

  1. Shifting cultivation (Jhum) — the biggest driver in NE India
  2. Anthropogenic pressures
  3. Rotational felling
  4. Diversion for development
  5. Submergence of forest cover
  6. Agricultural expansion
  7. Natural disasters

Hill Districts

  • Forest cover in hill districts: 2,83,104 sq km (40.17% of their area)
  • Decrease of 902 sq km — concerning for fragile mountain ecosystems
  • Hill/district definition: altitude above 500 m from mean sea level
  • NFP 1988 target for hills: 66% forest cover

Tribal Districts

  • Total forest cover: 4,22,351 sq km (37.54% of tribal district area)
  • Overall decrease of 55 sq km
  • 218 tribal districts in 27 States/UTs

Mangroves

Mangroves are a unique coastal forest type assessed separately in the ISFR. They play a critical role in coastal protection, fisheries, and carbon sequestration — and their statistics are frequently tested in exams.

Mangrove forest in coastal intertidal zone
Mangroves — salt-tolerant plant communities that serve as fish nurseries and cyclone buffers
FeatureDetail
DefinitionSalt-tolerant plant communities in tropical/subtropical intertidal regions
Rainfall range1,000-3,000 mm
Temperature range26-35 degree C
Latitude range24 N to 38.5 S
India’s share of world mangroves~3%
India’s mangrove cover (ISFR 2021)4,992 sq km
Change from 2019+17 sq km
Largest mangrove areaSundarbans, West Bengal (42.45%) of India’s total mangroves
Mangroves as % of India’s area0.15%
Map showing distribution of mangroves across India's coastline
Mangrove distribution in India — Sundarbans (West Bengal) holds 42.45% of India’s total mangrove cover

Top three gainers in mangrove cover:

  1. Odisha (+8 sq km)
  2. Maharashtra (+4 sq km)
  3. Karnataka (+3 sq km)

NOTE

Mangroves serve as nurseries for fish, buffer zones against cyclones and tsunamis, and support rich coastal biodiversity. The Sundarbans is the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest.


Bamboo Cover

Bamboo forest showing dense clumps of bamboo culms
Bamboo cover in India — technically a grass (family Graminae), assessed separately in ISFR
FeatureDetail
Total bamboo-bearing area1,49,443 sq km
Change from 2019Decrease of 10,594 sq km
Top states (area)Madhya Pradesh > Arunachal Pradesh > Maharashtra

The decline in bamboo area is a concern and may be due to overexploitation, habitat loss, and developmental activities.


Carbon Stock

Carbon stock estimation has become increasingly important as India pursues its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. The ISFR provides crucial data on how much carbon India’s forests store — a figure directly tied to international negotiations and carbon credit markets.

FeatureDetail
India’s NDC targetAdditional carbon sink of 2.5-3.0 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent by 2030
Total carbon stock in forests7,204 million tonnes
Increase from previous assessment+79.4 million tonnes
Top states (carbon stock)Arunachal Pradesh > Madhya Pradesh > Chhattisgarh > Maharashtra

Carbon stock includes carbon stored in living biomass, soil, dead wood, and litter. This data is essential for carbon trading, REDD+ programmes, and meeting international climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.


Role in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Sustainable Development Goals related to forests
Forests contribute to multiple SDGs — poverty alleviation, clean water, climate action, and life on land
SDGHow Forests Contribute
SDG 1 (No Poverty)Forest-based livelihoods for 300 million Indians
SDG 6 (Clean Water)Watershed protection and groundwater recharge
SDG 13 (Climate Action)Carbon sequestration (7,204 million tonnes)
SDG 15 (Life on Land)Biodiversity conservation, habitat protection

Exam Tips

TIP

High-frequency ISFR facts:

  1. ISFR edition — 17th (2021)
  2. Published by — FSI (under MoEFCC), biennial since 1987
  3. Total forest + tree cover — 24.62% (target: 33%)
  4. Forest cover — 21.71%, Tree cover — 2.91%
  5. Max forest cover (area) — Madhya Pradesh
  6. Max forest cover (%) among states — Mizoram (84.53%)
  7. Max increase — Andhra Pradesh (+647 sq km)
  8. Decrease mainly in — North-Eastern states (shifting cultivation)
  9. Sundarbans = 42.45% of India’s mangroves
  10. Total carbon stock — 7,204 million tonnes
  11. NDC target — 2.5-3.0 billion tonnes CO2 sink by 2030
  12. Forest cover definition — >1 ha, >10% canopy density

Summary Table

TopicKey Fact
ISFR edition17th (2021)
Assessment bodyForest Survey of India (FSI)
FrequencyBiennial (since 1987)
Total forest cover7,13,789 sq km (21.71%)
Total tree cover95,748 sq km (2.91%)
Total forest + tree cover8,09,537 sq km (24.62%)
NFP 1988 target33% (plains), 66% (hills)
Max forest area (state)Madhya Pradesh (77,493 sq km)
Max forest % (state)Mizoram (84.53%)
Max increaseAndhra Pradesh (+647 sq km)
Max decrease regionNorth-East (-1,020 sq km)
Mangrove cover4,992 sq km (Sundarbans = 42.45%)
Bamboo area1,49,443 sq km (declined)
Carbon stock7,204 million tonnes (+79.4 MT)
NDC carbon sink target2.5-3.0 billion tonnes CO2 by 2030

Summary Cheat Sheet

Concept / TopicKey Details
ISFR 2021India State of Forest Report; published by FSI (Forest Survey of India)
FSI headquartersDehradun
Total forest cover7,13,789 sq km (21.71% of geographic area)
Tree cover95,748 sq km (2.91%)
Forest + Tree cover24.62% of geographic area
Very Dense Forest>70% canopy; 99,779 sq km
Moderately Dense Forest40–70% canopy; 3,06,890 sq km
Open Forest10–40% canopy; 3,07,120 sq km
Max forest cover (area)Madhya Pradesh > Arunachal Pradesh > Chhattisgarh
Max forest cover (% wise)Mizoram (84.53%) among states; Lakshadweep (90.33%) among UTs
Max forest cover increaseAndhra Pradesh > Telangana > Odisha
Bamboo area1,49,443 sq km (declined)
Carbon stock7,204 million tonnes (+79.4 MT over previous assessment)
NDC target2.5–3.0 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent carbon sink by 2030
Mangrove cover4,992 sq km; Sundarbans is largest
National Forest Policy target33% of total geographical area

TIP

Section complete: This concludes Section 1 — Forestry Foundations. You have covered forest definitions, classification, forestry as a discipline, silviculture, tree species, social forestry, mensuration, legislation, and ISFR data. These form the foundation for the agroforestry and applied forestry sections ahead.

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