India’s forest and tree cover has increased to 25.17% in 2023, up from 24.62% in the previous assessment, according to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023. The report shows a slight rise in forest cover, while tree cover saw a more notable increase. It also highlights the inclusion of trees grown under agroforestry for the first time. The total forest cover in the country now spans 7,15,342.61 square kilometers, representing 21.76% of the nation’s geographical area, while tree cover accounts for 3.41%.
The combined total of forest and tree covers reaches 8,27,356.95 square kilometers, with the scrub area covering 43,622 square kilometers (1.33%) and non-forest areas making up 73.50% of the country’s land. States such as Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand have contributed to the increase in forest and tree cover, while states like Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Nagaland, Bihar, and Tripura experienced reductions in their green cover.
The ISFR 2023 marks the 18th biennial assessment of India’s forests, which was delayed by over a year. This comprehensive report evaluates various aspects of India’s forests, including growing stock, trees outside forests, mangrove cover, bamboo resources, and forest carbon stock. The 2021 report had recorded a total forest and tree cover of 24.62%, with forest cover at 7,13,789 square kilometers and tree cover at 2.91%.
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