Indian Forest Survey 2017- Free PDF Download in Hindi & English -

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India is ranked 10th in the world, with 24.4% of land area under forest and tree cover, even though it accounts for 2.4% of the world surface area and sustains the needs of 17% of human and 18% livestock population India 10th in the world on the extent of forest cover, behind Russia, Brazil, Canada, US, China, Congo, Australia, Indonesia and Peru.
The forest survey for the first time mapped 633 districts and relied on satellite- mapping.
Earlier this year, the government ceased to define bamboo as a tree to promote economic activity among tribals.
The survey found that India’s bamboo bearing area rose by 1.73 million hectares (2011) to 15.69 million hectares (2017).
FSI used remote sensing as well as ground work. The results were based on interpretation of satellite data from October 2015 to February 2016. The FSI has been assessing forests resources biannually since 1987.
The 15th State of Forest Report shows that India’s total forest cover increased by 0.94 per cent, from 7,01,673 square kilometers to 7,08,273 square kilometers since its last assessment in 015. The biannual report is prepared by The Forest Survey of India (FSI), a body under MoEFCC, which conducts surveys and assessment of forest resources in the country.
there is an increase of 8, 021 sq km (about 80.20 million hectares) in the total forest and tree cover of the country compared to the 2015 assessment.
The increase in the forest cover has been observed as 6,778 sq km and that of tree cover as 1, 243 sq km. “The total forest and tree cover is 24.39 per cent of the geographical area of the country, (Forest cover is defined as an area more than 1 ha in extent and having tree canopy density of 10 percent and above)

Forest and tree cover

Forest Cover refers to all lands more than one hectare in area, with a tree canopy
density of more than 10 percent irrespective of ownership and legal status.
Such lands may not necessarily be a recorded forest area. It also includes orchards,
bamboo and palm.
Tree cover comprises of tree patches outside the recorded forest area exclusive of
forest cover and less than the minimum mappable area (1 ha).
The total tree cover, according to this assessment, was 93,815 square kilometres
or a 2% rise from the approximately 92,500 square kilometres estimated in 2015

Good news or Not ?

The 2015 assessment covered 589 districts of the country, while the new assessment covers 633 districts. Since the assessment area is not constant and figures from other parameters are not so encouraging, we should restrain from celebrating the forest cover increase

That most of the increase in the forest cover was observed in Very Dense Forest (VDF) was a positive sign, added Vardhan, as VDF absorbs maximum carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
(VDF) -Karnataka adding the most to this segment.
Congo forests
Amazonian forests

Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala topped the States that posted an increase in forest cover.
“Much of this increase can be attributed to plantation and conservation activities both within and outside the Recorded Forest areas as well as an improvement in interpretation of satellite data,”

The report also points towards an expansion of agro-forestry and private forestry.
There is a jump from 42.77m3 in the 2011 assessment to 74.51m3 in timber production in ‘Trees outside Forests’ (TOF) category.
However, India has been trying to achieve to put 33 per cent of its geographical area under forest since 1988 but has failed to do so.

The total tree cover, according to this assessment, was 93,815 square kilometres or a 2% rise from the approximately 92,500 square kilometres estimated in 2015

The forest losses in the northeastern states are primarily because of shifting cultivation – a practice in which the local communities “borrow” patches of forest to grow crops for short periods of time – development activities and rotational felling of trees.
The harvesting of rubber plantations in Tripura also contributed to the state’s 164sqkm decline in forest cover since 2015.
The FSI for the first time has also assessed water bodies in and close to forest areas and found that their area has increased by about 2,647sqkm since 2005.
The estimation exercise has found a reduction of over 1,000sqkm in the forest cover in five north-eastern states – Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Meghalaya.
But these losses have been offset by forest cover gains in Assam and Manipur.
Forest cover in the hill districts in NE, J&K, Uttarakhand and Himachal
Pradesh is about 40 per cent of the total geographical area of the districts and has seen an increase of 754 sq kms. Another 86 sq kms of tree canopy has been added to tribal districts.
Besides, total bamboo bearing areas in the country has also increased by 1.72 million hectare while the mangrove cover has grown by 181 sq kms due to considerable conservation efforts.
Maharashtra has reported the highest growth in mangrove cover, of 82 square kilometres, in the last two years in the country, followed by ANDHRA PRADESH Raigad district had recorded the maximum increase of 29 sq km of mangrove cover followed by Thane and Palghar
Maharashtra is the only state in the country with a dedicated Mangrove Cell, which came into existence in 2012
Small patches of trees less than 1 hectare in extent also count, says the IFSR and this is a category topped by Maharashtra followed by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
In terms of percentage of geographical area, Daman and Diu leads with 9 per cent tree cover, followed by Chandigarh at 8.77 per cent, Goa at 8.73 per cent and Delhi and Kerala both at 7.62 per cent.