Introduction
• The word forest is derived from a latin word “Foris” means outside
• Forests are one of the most important natural resources of the earth.
• Approximately 1/3 rd of the earth’s total area is covered by forests.
• Forests vary a great deal in composition and density and are distinct from
meadows and pastures.
• Forests are important to humans and the biodiversity. for humans, they
have many aesthetics, recreational, economic, historical, cultural and
religious values.
• Forests provide fuelwood, timber, fodder, wildlife, habitat, industrial
forest products, climate, medicinal plants etc
Forest Cover of India
• According to the 2021 India State of Forest Report (ISFR), India's forest cover is
713,789 square kilometers, which is 21.71% of the country's geographical area.
• The tree cover increased by 721 square kilometers between 2019 and 2021.
• The National Forest Policy aims for 33.3% of land in plains and 66.6% in hilly
regions to be forested.
• India has seen the highest rise in deforestation in the last 30 years, with a surge
recorded between 2015 and 2020.
• The Forest Survey of India (FSI) conducts a biennial assessment of forest cover
using satellite data analysis. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEFCC) releases the report.
• Some states with high forest cover include: Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%),
Meghalaya (76.00%), Manipur (74.34%), and Nagaland (73.90%).
Geographical representation of forest cover in india :
The forest cover in 2021 in India by state and union territory as published
by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) is shown in the table below.
Forest cover in Odisha
The state government's afforestation and conservation schemes, as well as
the efforts of the Vana Surakshya Samitees, have contributed to the increase
in forest cover. The state's policy is to maintain ecological balance and
environmental stability.
The forest cover in Odisha is 39.30% of the state's geographical area,
or 61,204.17 square kilometers.
Reserved Forest: 26,873.66 square kilometers
Proposed Reserve Forest: 9,175.15 square kilometers
Protected Forest: 1,085.22 square kilometers
Village Forest: 287.51 square kilometers
Demarcated Protected Forest: 4,179.59 square kilometers
Un-Demarcated Protected Forest: 4,272.91 square kilometers
Revenue Forests: 15,117.30 square kilometers
Un-Classified Forests: 22.06 square kilometers
Private Forests: 190.77 square kilometers
Odisha's forest cover increases by 537.44 sq km in two
years;
Odisha's forest cover has increased by 537.44 square kilometer between 2019 and 2020 due to
various initiatives under the Joint Forest Management program of the government to expand
green areas in the state, according to a biennial survey.
The forest area growth in the coastal state during the period is the third highest in the country
as Andhra Pradesh topped the list with an increase of 647 sq km and Telangana secured the
second spot with 632 sq km, the report said.
The rise in the Odisha Forest area by 537.44 sq km between 2019 and 2020 is more than the
237 sq km growth during the previous two years.
The forest cover is estimated at 52,155.95 sq km, comprising 33.50 per cent of the total
geographical area of Odisha, according to the report of the Forest Survey of India, Dehradun.
Odisha topped among the states and Union Territories in terms of the increase in mangrove
forest cover during the last two years. the Similipal forest is among the "top three tiger reserves
in the country in terms of forest cover", the state environment department said in a statement.
Twenty-three districts of Odisha have registered an increase in forest cover, while seven
witnessed a decline in the area.
Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Koraput, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Khurda and Cuttack are among districts
where the coverage has grown. Malkangiri, Dhenkanal, Sundargarh, Rayagada and Keonjhar
districts have recorded a fall in the forest area.
The increase in the forest cover in Odisha is attributed to the Joint Forest Management
initiatives by the state government along with several other schemes such as 'Increasing Green
Cover' and 'Green Mahanadi Mission', an official said.
