India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023)

Syllabus: Environment

Source: FSI

Context: The India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023) was released by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, at the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun.

India State of Forest Report 2023

• Launched in: December 2023

• Department Involved: Forest Survey of India (FSI), under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change

• The biennial reportby the Forest Survey of India (FSI) is an assessment of the country’s forest resources.

• Assess forest and tree resources in India. Support natural resource management and policy evaluation. Monitor progress towards Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) for climate change mitigation.

• Assess forest and tree resources in India.

• Support natural resource management and policy evaluation.

• Monitor progress towards Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) for climate change mitigation.

• Key Features:

• Forest and tree cover analysis using satellite imagery (ISRO’s Resourcesat) and field-based National Forest Inventory (NFI). Thematic focus on forest health, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, mangrove cover, and agroforestry. Tracks carbon stock changes, critical for NDC targets under the Paris Agreement. Information on forest fire trends, bamboo cover, and soil health.

• Forest and tree cover analysis using satellite imagery (ISRO’s Resourcesat) and field-based National Forest Inventory (NFI).

• Thematic focus on forest health, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, mangrove cover, and agroforestry.

• Tracks carbon stock changes, critical for NDC targets under the Paris Agreement.

• Information on forest fire trends, bamboo cover, and soil health.

• Key findings from report:

• The total forest and tree cover of the country is 8,27,356.95 km2 which is 25.17% of the geographical area of the country. The total Forest Cover has an area of 7,15,342.61 km2 (21.76%) whereas the Tree Cover has an area of 1,12,014.34 km2 (3.41%). Increase in Forest and Tree Cover:

• The total forest and tree cover of the country is 8,27,356.95 km2 which is 25.17% of the geographical area of the country.

• The total Forest Cover has an area of 7,15,342.61 km2 (21.76%) whereas the Tree Cover has an area of 1,12,014.34 km2 (3.41%).

• Increase in Forest and Tree Cover:

• Decrease in Forest and Tree Cover:

• The total forest and tree cover in the North Eastern region is 1,74,394.70 km2, which is 67% of geographical area of these states. Composition of Mangrove Cover in India: The total Mangrove cover of the country is 4,991.68 km2 , which accounts for 15 % of the country’s total geographical area.

• The total forest and tree cover in the North Eastern region is 1,74,394.70 km2, which is 67% of geographical area of these states.

• Composition of Mangrove Cover in India: The total Mangrove cover of the country is 4,991.68 km2 , which accounts for 15 % of the country’s total geographical area.

• The total Mangrove cover of the country is 4,991.68 km2 , which accounts for 15 % of the country’s total geographical area.

• Tree cover:

• Stock of Wood: The total growing stock of wood in the country is estimated at 6,429.64 M m3, which comprises of 4,478.89 M m3 inside forest areas and 1,950.75 M m3 outside recorded forest areas (TOF).

• The total growing stock of wood in the country is estimated at 6,429.64 M m3, which comprises of 4,478.89 M m3 inside forest areas and 1,950.75 M m3 outside recorded forest areas (TOF).

• Bamboo: The total bamboo bearing area of the country has been estimated to be 1,54,670 km2. There is an increase of 5,227 km2 in the bamboo bearing area of the country as compared to the previous assessment.

• The total bamboo bearing area of the country has been estimated to be 1,54,670 km2.

• There is an increase of 5,227 km2 in the bamboo bearing area of the country as compared to the previous assessment.

• Carbon Stock: The carbon stock for 2023 has been estimated as 7,285.5 Mt. There is an increase of 5 Mt of carbon stock as compared to the estimates of previous assessment.

• The carbon stock for 2023 has been estimated as 7,285.5 Mt.

• There is an increase of 5 Mt of carbon stock as compared to the estimates of previous assessment.

Insta Links:

• Indias-forests-in-peril-delays-and-data-gaps

• “The most significant achievement of modern law in India is the constitutionalization of environmental problems by the Supreme Court.” Discuss this statement with the help of relevant case laws. (UPSC-2022)