The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released by the Forest Survey of India, provides a comprehensive assessment of the nation’s forest and tree resources. Key highlights include:
Overall Forest and Tree Cover:
• Total Area: India’s combined forest and tree cover is 827,357 square kilometers, accounting for 25.17% of the country’s geographical area. 
• Forest Cover: 715,343 square kilometers (21.76% of the geographical area). 
• Tree Cover: 112,014 square kilometers (3.41% of the geographical area). 
Changes Since 2021:
• Increase in Forest Cover: 156 square kilometers. 
• Increase in Tree Cover: 1,289 square kilometers. 
• Total Increase in Green Cover: 1,445 square kilometers. 
State-wise Highlights:
• Top States by Increase in Forest and Tree Cover:
• Chhattisgarh: 684 square kilometers.
• Uttar Pradesh: 559 square kilometers.
• Odisha: 559 square kilometers.
• Rajasthan: 394 square kilometers. 
• Top States by Increase in Forest Cover:
• Mizoram: 242 square kilometers.
• Gujarat: 180 square kilometers.
• Odisha: 152 square kilometers. 
• States with Highest Forest and Tree Cover Area:
• Madhya Pradesh: 85,724 square kilometers.
• Arunachal Pradesh: 67,083 square kilometers.
• Maharashtra: 65,383 square kilometers. 
• Regions with Highest Percentage of Forest Cover:
• Lakshadweep: 91.33%.
• Mizoram: 85.34%.
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands: 81.62%. 
Mangrove Cover:
• Total Area: 4,992 square kilometers (0.15% of the geographical area).
• Net Decrease Since 2021: 7.43 square kilometers.
• Significant Changes:
• Decrease: Gujarat (-36.39 square kilometers).
• Increase: Andhra Pradesh (+13.01 square kilometers), Maharashtra (+12.39 square kilometers). 
Carbon Stock:
• Current Estimate: 7,285.5 million tonnes.
• Increase Since Last Assessment: 81.5 million tonnes.
• Achievement: India has surpassed its carbon sequestration target under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), with a carbon stock of 30.43 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, exceeding the 2.29 billion tonnes additional carbon sink goal set for 2030. 
Forest Fire Vulnerability:
• Highly Fire-Prone Areas: Approximately 32.06% of forests are classified as highly fire-prone.
• States with Most Fire Incidences (2023-24 Season):
• Uttarakhand.
• Odisha.
• Chhattisgarh. 
Bamboo Resources:
• Increase in Bamboo-Bearing Area: 5,227 square kilometers.
• Total Bamboo-Bearing Area: 154,670 square kilometers. 
Timber Resources:
• Potential Annual Timber Production from Trees Outside Forests: 91.51 million cubic meters. 
These findings underscore India’s ongoing efforts in forest conservation and the challenges that remain, particularly concerning forest fire management and the preservation of mangrove ecosystems.
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