Jharkhand forests at a glance

 
 
 

Of the total recorded forest area, Reserved Forest constitute 18.58%, Protected Forests 81.28% and Unclassed Forests 0.14 %

Forest Cover

According to India’s State of Forests Report, 2021, the total Forest Cover of the state is 23,721 km2 which is nearly 29.76% of the geographical area of the state.

Forest Cover of Jharkhand
Class Area (km2) % of GA
Very Dense Forest 2,601.05 3.26
Mod. Dense Forest 9,688.91 12.16
Open Forest 11,431.18 14.34
Total 23,721.14 29.76
Scrub 584.20 0.73

Source : ISFR - 2021 by FSI

General Information

1 Geographical Area 79,716 km2.
2 Forest Area 23721 km2.
3 Percentage forest cover of the state 29.76%
4 Per capita Forest Area 0.071 Ha.
5 Average density of population 414 Persons per km2.
6 No. of Districts 24

Forest Area

Reserve Forest 4447.21 km2.
Protected Forest 17812.28 km2.
Undemarcated Forest 708.67 km2.
Other Forest    486.09 km2.
Total 23454.25 km2.

District wise Forest Cover in Jharkhand (in km2)

District Geo-graphical Area (GA) 2021 Assessment %of GA Change wrt 2019 assessment Scrub
Very Dense Forest Mod. Dense Forest Open Forest Total
Bokaro 28,83 60.99 231.94 283.07 576.00 19.98 2.45 37.95
Chatra 3,718 244.28 871.73 666.08 1,782.09 47.93 4.74 23.57
Deoghar 2,477 0.00 14.30 191.50 205.80 8.31 2.09 14.04
Dhanbad 2,040 0.00 44.00 174.18 218.18 10.70 4.67 16.05
Dumka 3,761 0.00 259.40 318.23 577.63 15.36 0.32 44.55
East Singhbhum 3,562

54.81

591.69 434.19 1,080.69 30.34 1.31 20.91
Garhwa 4,093 125.14 415.60 890.98 1,431.72 34.98 40.13 44.32
Giridih 4,962 77.16 338.56 490.19 905.91 18.26 4.67 28.92
Godda 2,266 12.81 271.88 138.66 423.35 18.68 0.00 14.27
Gumla 5,360 304.69 585.81 552.65 1,443.15 26.92 0.89 8.25
Hazaribagh 3,555 230.11 348.54 784.54 1,363.19 38.35 10.42 15.99
Jamtara 1,811 0.00 20.84 85.18 106.02 5.85 5.38 5.32
Khunti 2,535 72.97 344.59 496.18 913.74 36.04 8.25 3.11
Koderma 2,540 80.80 494.43 447.82 1,023.05 40.28 -0.42 6.37
Latehar 4,291 480.36 1,308.93 613.75 2,403.04 56.00 -3.30 9.30
Lohardaga 1,502 174.03 218.40 111.99 504.42 33.58 -0.20 7.66
Pakur 1,811 2.96 172.40 111.64 287.00 15.85 -0.13 20.06
Palamu 4,393 62.82 512.73 640.18 1,215.73 27.67 14.95 84.23
Ramgarh 1,341 30.96 109.32 190.98 331.26 24.70 2.26 14.49
Ranchi 5,097 62.89 363.91 741.98 1,168.78 22.93 4.29 27.98
Sahibganj 2,063 17.74 258.73 297.48 573.95 27.82 1.60 47.53
Saraikela-Kharsawan 2,657 22.03 213.84 338.73 574.60 21.63 0.56 21.87
Simdega 3,774 21.97 343.54 877.89 1,243.40 32.95 2.48 20.28
West Singhbhum 7,224 461.53 1,353.80 1,553.11 3,368.44 46.63 2.32 47.18
Grand Total 79,716 2,601.05 9,688.91 11,431.18 23,721.14 29.76 109.73 584.20
Forest Type Map of Jharkhand
Forest Type Map of Jharkhand

As per the Champion & Seth classification of the Forest Types (1968), the forests in Jharkhand belong to two Forest Type Groups which are further divided into eight Forest Types.

1. Moist Peninsular Low Level Sal
2. Moist Peninsular Valley Sal
3. Dry Deciduous Scrub
4. Boswellia Forest
5. Butea Forest
6. Dry Bamboo Brake
7. Dry Peninsular Sal Forest
8. Northern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest