Classification of forest : A great variety of forests are found in different parts of India due to unequal distribution of rainfall and temperature as well as their seasonal variation, besides varied biotic conditions.
The word Forest is derived from the Latin word ‘Fores’ meaning outside, the reference being to a village boundary or fence and it includes all uncultivated & uninhabited land.
Classification of forests
On the basis of Administrative Classification:
- Reserved Forests : Directly under the control of the government.
- No one is permitted to enter for the commercial grazing of cattle.
- This category includes 53% of the nation’s total forest area (TFA).
- Protected Forests :Looked after by the government.
- Locals are permitted to gather forest products and graze cattle without causing any significant harm.
- Occupy about 29% of the TFA
- Unprotected Forests: Unclassified Forests.
- No restriction on cutting trees or grazing cattle.
- Occupy 18% of the TFA.
On the basis of Constitution Classification:
- State Forest: Include nearly all of the nation’s significant forested areas and are completely controlled by the state or Central government.
- almost 94% of the TFA Coverage.
- Commercial Forest: Nearly all significant forest areas in the nation are owned and managed by local organisations (municipal corporations, village panchayats, district boards, etc.) and are completely under state or federal control.
- Cover 5% of the TFA.
- Private Forest : Under private ownership.
- Slightly more than 1% of the Cover in TFA.
On the basis of Climatic:
- Tropical Moist Evergreen Forest
- Tropical Semi-Evergreen Forest
- Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest
- Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest (Monsoon Forest)
- Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest
- Thorn Forest
- Montane Wet Temperate Forest
- Montane Subtropical Forest
- Himalayan Moist Forest
- Himalayan Dry Forest
- Alpine & Subalpine Forest
- Littoral & Swamp Forest
- Mangroves
On Geographical Clssification:
- Tropical Thorny Forest
- Sub-Tropical Mountain Forest
- Tropical Arid Autumn Forest
Rise in Foest Cover of States in sq. km
Also Read : Significance of Forest
