chapter 7 Forests of India

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 Forests of India:

• According to international conventions, every country should have about 33% of its area under forests.

• The world average of forest cover is about 31%.

• In India, the total Forest and Tree Cover is about 24.62% of the geographical area (latest estimate).

• Mangroves in India cover about 0.15% of the geographical area and are mainly found in deltaic plains.

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States with Largest Forest Cover (Area wise) :

1. Madhya Pradesh – about 77,493 sq km

2. Arunachal Pradesh – about 66,431 sq km

3. Chhattisgarh – about 55,812 sq km

4. Odisha – about 52,156 sq km

5. Maharashtra – about 50,798 sq km

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Highest Forest Cover (Percentage of Geographical Area):

1. Mizoram – about 84–85%

2. Lakshadweep – about 84%

3. Andaman and Nicobar Islands – about 81%

4. Arunachal Pradesh – about 79–80%

5. Nagaland – about 75–76%

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Forest Cover in India (Latest Classification):

Forest Type	Area (sq km)	% of Geographical Area
Very Dense Forest	~99,779	~3.04%
Moderately Dense Forest	~308,472	~9.38%
Open Forest	~304,499	~9.25%
Total Forest Cover	~712,249	21.67%
Tree Cover	~95,748	2.91%
Forest + Tree Cover	—	24.62%

Source: Forest Survey of India – India State of Forest Report 2023

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Forest Cover in North-Eastern States (Important):

State/UT	% of Geographical Area
Mizoram	~84%
Arunachal Pradesh	~79–80%
Nagaland	~75–76%
Meghalaya	~74%
Manipur	~74%
Tripura	~73%
Sikkim	~47%
Assam	~36%

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Tropical Evergreen Forests:

Distribution:

• Rainy slopes of Western Ghats (Sahyadris)

• North-East India (Shillong Plateau region)

• Eastern parts of West Bengal and Odisha

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands

DO YOU KNOW:

• About 95% of land area in Andaman & Nicobar Islands is covered with forests.

• Trees in these forests are generally hardwood type, similar to equatorial forests 

• Climatic Conditions:

  (i) Rainfall more than 200 cm.
  (ii) Relative humidity more than 70%.
  (iii) Average temperature about 24°C.
  (iv) Hot and humid climate.

  Characteristics:

  (i) Height of trees is 40 to 60 metres.
  (ii) Undergrowth is very less.
  (iii) No distinct season of shedding of leaves. Hence forests remain green throughout the year and are important for spices.
  (iv) Leaves are dark green and broad.

  Species of Trees:

  Mahogany, Rosewood, Ebony, Cinchona (used in malarial drug quinine), Mahua, Bamboo, Canes, Ironwood, Kadam, Jamun, Rubber tree etc.

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  2. Tropical Moist or Wet Deciduous Forests:

  These forests cover about 20% of India’s forest area and are also known as Monsoon Forests.

  Distribution:

  (i) Eastern parts of Western Ghats (Sahyadris)
  (ii) North-eastern part of the Peninsular Plateau
  (iii) Middle and lower Ganga valley
  (iv) Foothills of Himalayas in Bhabar and Terai region

  Climatic Conditions:

  (i) 100 to 200 cm rainfall per annum
  (ii) Moderate temperature

  Characteristics:

  (i) Trees are 30 to 40 metres high.
  (ii) Due to deficiency of water, they shed their leaves in spring (onset of summer).
  (iii) High undergrowth.

  Species of Trees:

  Sal, Teak, Arjun, Mulberry, Kusum, Sandalwood, Siris, Haldi, Khair, Mango, Banyan tree etc.

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  • All these trees are economically very important.
  • Teak, Deodar, Sal and Shisham are used for making furniture, whereas Sal wood is used for making railway sleepers.
  • Willow and Mulberry wood are used for making sports goods.
  • Jalandhar, Amritsar, Jammu and Meerut are important centres for sports goods.

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  3. Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests:

  Distribution:

  (i) Large parts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh
  (ii) Parts of Punjab, Haryana and eastern parts of Rajasthan
  (iii) Northern and western parts of Madhya Pradesh
  (iv) Tamil Nadu
  (v) Southern parts of Uttar Pradesh

  Climatic Conditions:

  (i) 50 to 100 cm rainfall
  (ii) Moderate humidity

  Characteristics:

  (i) Trees are 6 to 15 metres high.
  (ii) Roots are thick and long.
  (iii) Bark is thick to avoid excessive evaporation.
  (iv) Distinct season of shedding leaves at the onset of summer.
  (v) At the dry margins, these forests are replaced by thorny bushes. Excessive grazing is the most important problem of these forests.

  Species of Trees:

  Teak, Sal, Babool, Mango, Acacia, Neem, Shisham etc.

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  4. Dry Forests or Arid Forests:

  Distribution:

  (i) Rajasthan and adjoining areas of Haryana, Gujarat and Punjab
  (ii) Rain shadow areas of Peninsular India

• Climatic Conditions:

  (i) Low rainfall (less than 50 cms per annum).
  (ii) Relative humidity is less.

  Characteristics:

  (i) Thorny vegetation.
  (ii) Roots are very long.
  (iii) Leaves are small.

  Species of Trees:

  Cactus, Thorny bushes, Kikar, Babool, Date palms, Acacia, Khair etc.

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  5. Mountainous Forest or Himalayan Forests:

  • Due to increase of altitude, the temperature decreases. Hence, Himalayan forests contain all the varieties of wood from tropical to alpine type except equatorial forests.

  • Each vegetation belt occurs at about 300 m higher altitude in Eastern Himalayas than in Western Himalayas due to the following facts:

  (a) Eastern Himalayas receive more rainfall than Western Himalayas, so broad leaf evergreen trees like oak, magnolia and laurel are found in this region.

  (b) Eastern Himalayas are nearer to sea and equator than Western Himalayas.

  • At a height of 1500 m, deciduous forests are found and at a height of 1500–3500 m, coniferous forests are found which have trees with soft wood.

  • Alpine vegetation is found at a height of about 2800–4800 m.

  Important Species of Trees:

  Sal, Teak, Chir, Deodar, Oak, Olive, Chestnut, Conifers, Spruce and Larch etc.

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  6. Tidal Forests or Mangrove Forests or Swampy Forest:

  • These forests are found in those marshy areas where the fresh water of rivers continuously mixes with the saline water of sea. Hence, these forests can survive in salty as well as fresh water.

  • The deltaic tracts of Ganga, Godavari, Krishna etc. are ideally suited for this type of forests.

  • In India, these forests are mainly found in coast of Odisha and Sundarbans in West Bengal. These forests are one of the best species of trees which maintain healthy ecological balance.

  • These are the habitats and reservoirs of plants and animals with the remarkable characteristic of withstanding salinity.

  • These help in the formation of delta by blocking sediments and prevent sea shore from erosion by blocking tidal waves.

  • These regions act as nursery for marine micro-organisms, increase fertility of sea waters and reduce intensity of marine cyclones.

  • Indian mangroves cover about 4500 sq km area in coastal regions and about 5% of world mangrove area.

  • Mangrove forests also act as a major carbon sink and help in reducing global warming effect.

  Important Species:

  Sundari, Mangroves, Bruguiera, Sonneratia, Agar, Keora, Nipa etc.

  • Sundarbans (West Bengal) is the largest mangrove forest in India and is included in the list of UNESCO biosphere reserves.

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  • National Environment Policy 2007 considers the Katchchh mangroves and coral reefs as significant coastal environmental resources.

  • A programme for the conservation of mangroves in India has been run by the Ministry of Environment since 1987.

  • Under this programme, the Ministry set up National Katchchh (Mangroves) Forest Genetic Resources Centre in Odisha.

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  Disclaimer:

  This content is prepared for educational and informational purposes only. The notes are simplified for better understanding and exam preparation (UPSC and State Exams). Readers are advised to refer to standard textbooks and official sources for detailed study