Criteria used in defining of Forest in India

Context: Recently, Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has informed about the criteria used to define forest in India.
Defining Forests universally

• As per the Conference of Parties (CoP) 9-Kyoto Protocol, the forest can be defined by any country depending upon the capacities and capabilities of the country.

Forest- Forest is defined structurally on the basis of

• Crown cover percentage: Tree crown cover- 10 to 30% (India 10%)
• Minimum area of stand: area between 0.05 and 1 hectare (India 1.0 hectare) and
• Minimum height of trees: Potential to reach a minimum height at maturity in situ of 2 to 5 m (India 2m)

India’s definition of Forests

• The definition of forest cover has clearly been defined in all the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) and in all the International communications of India.
• The forest cover is defined as ‘all land, more than one hectare in area, with a tree canopy density of more than 10 percent irrespective of ownership and legal status.
• Such land may not necessarily be a recorded forest area. It also includes orchards, bamboo and palm’.

Classification of forest cover
In ISFR 2021 recently published has divided the forest cover as:

• Inside Recorded Forest Area: These are basically natural forests and plantations of Forest Department.
• Outside Recorded Forest Area: These cover mango orchards, coconut plantations, block plantations of agroforestry.

Forest Classification in India

The Forest Survey of India (FSI) classifies forest cover in 4 classes.

• Very Dense forest: All lands with tree cover (including mangrove cover) of canopy density of 70% and above.
• Moderately dense forest: All lands with tree cover (including mangrove cover) of canopy density between 40% and 70%.
• Open forests: All lands with tree cover (including mangrove cover) of canopy density between 10% and 40%.
• Scrubs: All forest lands with poor tree growth mainly of small or stunted trees having canopy density less than 10%.