India State of Forest Report, 2019

Introduction

• The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) is a biennial publication by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• The report provides a comprehensive assessment of India’s forest and tree resources.

Key Highlights of ISFR 2019

1. Forest Cover in India:

   • Total forest cover: 7,12,249 sq. km (21.67% of the total geographical area).
   • Tree cover: 95,027 sq. km (2.89% of the total geographical area).
   • Combined forest and tree cover: 24.56% of the total geographical area.
   • Increase in forest cover: 3,976 sq. km compared to the ISFR 2017.

2. Classification of Forests:

   • Very Dense Forest (VDF): Land with tree canopy density of 70% and above.
     • Area: 99,278 sq. km (3.02% of the total geographical area).
   • Moderately Dense Forest (MDF): Tree canopy density between 40% and 70%.
     • Area: 3,08,472 sq. km (9.39% of the total geographical area).
   • Open Forest (OF): Tree canopy density between 10% and 40%.
     • Area: 3,04,499 sq. km (9.26% of the total geographical area).

3. States with Largest Forest Cover:

   • Madhya Pradesh: Largest forest cover in terms of area.
   • Arunachal Pradesh: Second largest.
   • Chhattisgarh: Third largest.

4. Forest Cover as Percentage of Geographical Area:

   • Mizoram: 85.41% (highest percentage of forest cover).
   • Arunachal Pradesh: 79.63%.
   • Meghalaya: 76.33%.

Significant Changes Since ISFR 2017

• Increase in Forest Cover:
  • Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Jammu & Kashmir witnessed significant growth.
• Decline in Forest Cover:
  • Northeastern states like Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Mizoram showed a decrease due to shifting cultivation and developmental activities.

Tree Cover and its Contribution

• Tree cover refers to isolated patches of trees outside the recorded forest area.
• Major contributors to tree cover increase:
  • Agroforestry and social forestry practices.
  • Expansion of plantation activities.

Methodology of Assessment

• Remote Sensing Technology: High-resolution satellite imagery is used for forest mapping.
• Ground Truthing: Field verification to validate satellite data.
• Classification into dense, moderately dense, and open forests based on canopy density.

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Mangrove Cover in India

• Mangroves are salt-tolerant vegetation found in intertidal regions.
• Total mangrove cover in India: 4,975 sq. km (0.15% of the country’s geographical area).
• Increase in mangrove cover: 54 sq. km compared to ISFR 2017.
• Top States with Mangrove Cover:
  1. West Bengal: 42.45% of the total mangrove cover.
  2. Gujarat: 23.66%.
  3. Andaman & Nicobar Islands: 12.39%.

Carbon Stock in Forests

• Carbon stock is the amount of carbon stored in forest biomass, including above-ground, below-ground, deadwood, and soil organic matter.
• Total carbon stock in India’s forests: 7,124 million tonnes.
• Increase since 2017: 42.6 million tonnes.
• Importance of Carbon Stock:
  • Helps mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide.
  • Supports India’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Bamboo Resources

• Total bamboo-bearing area: 16.00 million hectares.
• Increase of 0.32 million hectares since 2017.
• States with significant bamboo resources:
  • Madhya Pradesh.
  • Maharashtra.
  • Arunachal Pradesh.

Forest Fire and Vulnerability

• Forest fire-prone areas:
  • About 21.40% of India’s forest area is prone to fire.
  • Areas with extreme vulnerability: Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Chhattisgarh.
• Measures to mitigate forest fires:
  • Development of early warning systems.
  • Community awareness programs.
  • Firelines and firebreaks.

State-wise Analysis

1. Andhra Pradesh:
   • Significant increase in forest cover due to afforestation and plantation programs.
2. Northeastern States:
   • Showed a decline in forest cover, primarily due to shifting cultivation and deforestation.
3. Himalayan States:
   • Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh observed slight growth due to reforestation efforts.

Category	Forest Area (sq. km)	Change (sq. km)
Very Dense Forest	99,278	+1,022
Moderately Dense	3,08,472	+1,875
Open Forest	3,04,499	+1,079

Contribution to Livelihood

• Forests play a vital role in supporting the livelihood of communities:
  • Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs): Includes gum, honey, medicinal plants, and fuelwood.
  • Employment opportunities in afforestation programs and forest-based industries.
  • Importance for tribal and rural populations.

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Biodiversity and Wildlife in Indian Forests

• Indian forests are rich in biodiversity, hosting 8% of the world’s total species.
• Key Highlights:
  • India has 50 tiger reserves, home to 70% of the global tiger population.
  • Elephants, rhinos, and leopards are other prominent species found in Indian forests.

Agroforestry and Urban Forestry

1. Agroforestry:
   • Integration of trees into agricultural systems.
   • Benefits:
     • Enhances soil fertility and moisture.
     • Provides economic benefits through fruit and timber yield.
   • Promoted under schemes like National Agroforestry Policy.
2. Urban Forestry:
   • Focus on planting trees in urban areas for ecological balance.
   • Examples:
     • Development of city parks, green belts, and urban plantations.
     • Initiatives like Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification) Policy, 2015.

Role of Technology in Forest Conservation

1. Remote Sensing and GIS:
   • High-resolution satellite imagery used for forest mapping.
   • Helps monitor deforestation, forest health, and illegal activities.
2. Drones:
   • Used for aerial surveillance of forested regions.
3. Forest Fire Alerts:
   • FSI Forest Fire Alert System issues early warnings to prevent widespread damage.

Challenges Identified in ISFR 2019

1. Deforestation and Habitat Loss:
   • Encroachment for agriculture, urbanization, and infrastructure development.
2. Decline in Forest Cover in Northeastern States:
   • Shifting cultivation and logging activities.
3. Climate Change Impacts:
   • Forests are highly susceptible to rising temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns.
4. Invasive Species:
   • Non-native species like Lantana camara and Prosopis juliflora outcompete native flora.

Government Initiatives for Forest Conservation

1. National Afforestation Programme (NAP):
   • Promotes reforestation and afforestation projects.
2. Green India Mission:
   • Aims to increase forest cover to 33% of the geographical area.
3. Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016 (CAMPA):
   • Ensures funds collected for forest diversion are used for afforestation.
4. National Bamboo Mission:
   • Promotes bamboo cultivation to enhance livelihood and ecological benefits.

Forests and India's Climate Commitments

• India’s pledge under the Paris Agreement:
  • To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2030 through forest and tree cover.
• Forest conservation is a critical part of India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to combat climate change.

Future Directions

1. Promoting community participation in forest conservation through joint forest management.
2. Expanding agroforestry practices for sustainable land use.
3. Utilizing advanced technology for efficient forest monitoring.
4. Enhancing biodiversity conservation efforts in forest-rich regions.

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