The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released recently by the Forest Survey of India, highlights notable trends and findings regarding India’s forest and tree cover. This report is a vital resource for UPSC aspirants, especially for Environment, Geography, and Indian Forest Service-related topics. Here’s a concise overview of the key insights.
Key Highlights of ISFR 2023
- India’s Forest and Tree Cover
- Total Green Cover: India’s forest and tree cover now accounts for 25.17% of its geographical area, surpassing the 25% threshold.
- Forest Cover: Stands at 21.76% (7,15,342.61 sq km).
- Tree Cover: Increased to 3.41%, covering an additional 1,285.4 sq km compared to 2021.
- Net Change
- Net Increase: Forest cover increased by 156.41 sq km between 2021 and 2023.
- Long-Term Trend: Between 2003 and 2013, forest cover rose by 0.61%. From 2013 to 2023, the increase was 0.53%.
- Dense Forest Decline
- India lost 3,913 sq km of dense forests in two years.
- Over the past two decades, 24,651 sq km (6.3%) of dense forests have been wiped out.
- Mangrove Cover
- Mangrove forests decreased by 7.43 sq km, with Gujarat seeing the highest decline (36 sq km).
- Total mangrove cover now stands at 4,991.68 sq km (0.15% of India’s geographical area).
- Western Ghats Assessment
- For the first time, forest cover in eco-sensitive zones of the Western Ghats was analyzed. These areas lost 58.22 sq km of forest cover since 2013.
State-Wise Performance
- States with Increased Forest Cover
- Chhattisgarh: +683.62 sq km
- Uttar Pradesh: +559.19 sq km
- Odisha: +558.57 sq km
- Rajasthan: +394.46 sq km
- States with Declining Forest Cover
- Madhya Pradesh: –612.41 sq km
- Karnataka: –459.36 sq km
- Ladakh: –159.26 sq km
- Nagaland: –125.22 sq km
- Northeastern States
- Overall decline of 327.30 sq km, except Mizoram (+178 sq km).
Key Definitions in ISFR
- Forest Cover: Areas ≥1 hectare with a tree canopy density ≥10%, irrespective of land ownership or legal status.
- Dense Forests: Areas with a canopy density ≥40%.
- Very Dense Forests (VDF): Canopy density ≥70%.
- Open Forests (OF): Canopy density between 10-40%.
- Tree Cover: Areas covered by trees outside designated forests (≤1 hectare).
- Recorded Forest Area (RFA): Lands notified as ‘forest’ in government records, including Reserved and Protected Forests.
Relevance for UPSC
- Prelims: Direct questions on forest cover, state performance, and key terms.
- Mains: Use statistics and trends in Environment and Geography answers.
- Indian Forest Service Exam: Essential for forestry-related sections.
Key Observations
- Increasing Tree Cover: Indicates success in plantation drives but raises concerns about natural forest loss.
- Declining Dense Forests: Highlights challenges in biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.
- Mangrove and Western Ghats Loss: Urges action to preserve critical ecosystems.
By incorporating insights from ISFR 2023, aspirants can enrich their answers with current data, addressing questions on environment, climate change, and sustainable development effectively.
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