hamburger

Indian State of Forest Report 2021 – ISFR Report 2021 UPSC

By BYJU'S Exam Prep

Updated on: November 14th, 2023

India State of Forest Report 2021 has been released by the Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The report includes countrywide comprehensive research, data collection, and compilation. The India State of Forest Report 2021 provides the updated status of the “Forest Cover” and “Tree Cover” of the country, the extent of trees, estimates of growing stock, bamboo resources, and the assessment of the carbon stock of the forest.

This India State of Forest Report provides a comprehensive assessment of the forest and tree cover in the country, as well as the changes that have occurred in the past two years. It is a crucial tool for policymakers, researchers, and conservationists who work towards maintaining and improving the forest ecosystem. India State of Forest Report finds its relevance under the Conservation Segment GS Paper-3, and UPSC aspirants can expect a few questions from this topic so they need to prepare accordingly.

What is the India State of Forest Report?

India State of Forest Report (ISFR) is a biennial publication of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), an organization under the Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC). ISFR Full Form is the India State of Forest Report.

India State of Forest Report 2021 Notes 

The first India State of Forest Report was published in the year 1987. The ISFR contains comprehensive statistics regarding the forests and trees that are present within the Indian territory. This report contains data for individual states, zones, and national levels.

Forest Classification as per India State of Forest Report

As per the India State of Forest Report India has four Types of Forests :

  • Very dense Forest – All lands with tree cover (Including mangrove cover) of canopy density of 70% and above. Very dense forests account for just 3.04% of the total forest cover.
  • Moderately Dense Forest – 40% < Tree canopy density < 70%. Moderately dense forests account for 9.33% of total forest cover.
  • Open Forest – 10% < Tree canopy density < 40%. The open forests currently have the biggest share of the country’s forest cover, accounting for 9.34% of the total forest cover.
  • Scrub – All forest lands with poor tree growth mainly of small or stunted trees having a canopy density of less than 10%.

India State of Forest Report 2021

The State of Forest Report 2021 is the 17th such report. Go through the important highlights of the India State of Forest Report for the year 2021 to better understand the report details.

Current Forest Cover as per India State of Forest Report:

According to the India State of Forest Report 2021, the total forest and tree cover was 80.9 million hectares, which amounted to 24.62% of the geographical area of the country.

  • Any forested region which represents a legal status of the land in the Government Records is called Forest Area, whereas the term Forest Cover can be any non-government-recognized land having forests in it.
  • A tree cover is defined as a region of size smaller than one hectare which is found outside the recorded forest area, this region contains trees of varying size and canopy sizes and is scattered everywhere.

In terms of area, the list of the top 5 states in terms of Largest Forest Areas in India is given below:

  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Arunachal Pradesh
  • Chhattisgarh
  • Odisha
  • Maharashtra

Considering the forest cover as a percentage of the total geographical area, the top 5 states in the India State of Forest Report are as follows:

  • Mizoram (84.53%)
  • Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%)
  • Meghalaya (76.00%)
  • Manipur (74.34%)
  • Nagaland (73.90%)

Increase in Forest Cover

The forest and tree cover has increased by 2,261 square kilometers in India since the last assessment conducted in 2019. This marks an increase of 0.4% as per the India State of Forest Report. Forest cover has increased by 1,540 sq. km. Tree cover has increased by 721 sq. km. The five states with the largest increase in forest area namely- Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Karnataka, and Jharkhand.

Highlights of the India State of Forest Report 2021

The report presents a detailed analysis of the forest and tree cover in India and provides insights into the changes and trends observed over the past two years. The report highlights some important points as follows.

  • The total Mangrove Forest in India has increased by 17 sq. km.
  • Bamboo forests in India have also registered a growth of approximately 26% from 2019 to 2021.
  • As per the India State of Forest Report 2021, the area under “Very Dense Forests” has shown an increase of approximately 500 sq. km.
  • Notably, 17 States and Union Territories had more than 33% of their area under forest cover.
  • The total carbon stock in forests has been estimated to be 7,204 million tonnes. This marks an increase of 79.4 million tonnes compared to 2019.

New Features of India State of Forest Report 2021

The India State of Forest Report 2021 and the survey for the first time ever has included Gir Forest (the only habitat of Asiatic Lions), Tiger Reserves, and Tiger Corridors. Of the total 32 tiger reserves in India, forest cover has shown a decadal increase in 20 of them, while the rest of the 10 has shown decreased forest cover. Among tiger reserves, the Pakke Tiger Reserve of Arunachal Pradesh has the highest forest cover at almost 97%.

Concerns in ISFR 2021

The major concerns in the India State of Forest Report 2021 include the reduction in natural forests, the reduction in forest cover of northeastern and Himalayan states, and the impact of Climate Change. Let’s talk about these concerns in brief.

Reduction in natural forests:

  • Though there has been an increase in the total forest area, a major point of concern is that the increase in the very dense forest category has been very nominal and there has in fact been a loss of 1,582 sq km under the Moderately Dense Forest category.
  • “Moderately Dense Forests” are also called “Natural Forests”. As per the India State of Forest Report, there has been a considerable increase in the area of open forests which are relatively ecologically poorer as compared to dense and moderately dense forests. This is indicative of forest degradation in India

Reduction in forest cover of north-eastern and Himalayan states:

  • The Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Meghalaya have registered a considerable decrease in total forest areas. Forest cover in the northeast Indian states has shown an overall decrease of approximately 1000 sq. km.
  • Similar trends have been observed in the Himalayan region states as well according to the India State of Forest Report 2021. The major reason for this is the increase in developmental activities coupled with agriculture.
  • This decline is worrying since these states are repositories of great biodiversity. A decline in the forest cover can lead to a further increase in natural disasters like landslides, and also impact the water catchment in the area.

The adverse impact of climate change:

  • By 2030, the India State of Forest Report 2021 estimates that 45-64% of forests in India will be affected by climate change and increasing temperatures.
  •  According to the report estimates, forests in all states (except Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura, and Nagaland) will be highly vulnerable climate hotspots.35.46 % of the forest cover is prone to forest fires.

India State of Forest Report 2021 UPSC

Aspirants preparing for the IAS exam are expected to have a sound understanding of the country’s natural resources, including its forests, and the challenges associated with their management and conservation. The India State of Forest Report 2021 provides a wealth of information on the current forest cover, changes in forest cover over time, the status of protected areas, etc.  This topic finds its mention in the UPSC GS3- Syllabus and must be covered in a comprehensive manner by the aspirants. It is recommended that candidates must go through the best UPSC books along with the notes to prepare for this topic completely.

India State of Forest Report MCQs

Question: According to the India State of Forest Report 2021, what is the percentage of total forest and tree cover in India? a. 22.62% b. 24.56% c. 26.38% d. 28.34%

Answer: a. 22.62%

Question: What is the target year for achieving the goal of creating an additional 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon sinks, as per the India State of Forest Report 2021? a. 2025 b. 2030 c. 2040 d. 2050

Answer: b. 2030

Question: Which type of forest cover has seen the maximum increase as per the India State of Forest Report 2021? a. Very dense forest b. Moderately dense forest c. Open forest d. Mangrove forest

Answer: a. Very dense forest

UPSC Notes
Gaganyaan Mission Economic Survey 2022
Cryptocurrency International Solar Alliance
Tectonic Plates Sarkaria Commission
Biotechnology Mission Karmayogi
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana Scheme Paris Agreement
World Bank 5g Technology
Our Apps Playstore
POPULAR EXAMS
SSC and Bank
Other Exams
GradeStack Learning Pvt. Ltd.Windsor IT Park, Tower - A, 2nd Floor, Sector 125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201303 help@byjusexamprep.com
Home Practice Test Series Premium