The information on “ownership” is important for policy, institutional and management purposes. It basically defines the boundaries and location of the authority and control over forest and tree resources.
A. Global Classification and Definitions (FRA 2005)
Public Ownership |
The ownership of State (national, state and regional governments) or government-owned institutions or corporations or other public bodies including cities, municipalities, villages and communes. |
Private Ownership |
The right of “ownership” of “Forests” and “Other Wooded Lands” with individuals, families, private co-operatives, corporations, industries, religious and educational institutions, pension or investment funds, and other private institutions. |
Other or Unspecified Ownership |
The “Other” or “Unspecified ownership” is one that is not classified either as “public ownership” or as “private ownership”. |
Source: FAO. 2004. Terms and Definition FRA-2005. FRA Working paper 73. Rome
B. National Data Sources
Forest Survey of India (FSI) is an Government of India organization under the Ministry of Environment & Forests. Since 1965, it is regularly conducting assessment of forest resources and publishes the information in the “State of Forest Report” (SFR).
The SFR also contains information on legal status of forests. It classifies it into three categories (a) Reserved forests , (b) Protected forests and (c) Other or Un-classed forests. The first two categories of forests are “owned by government”. The status of third category is not clear and varies state by state and it includes forest owned by private individual or bodies.
The SFR 1993 that contain information for 1990 does not provide this information. Hence SFR 1991 that provides information for 1989 have been used instead and these figures have taken as for 1990 since there is very less variation each year.
Following SFRs form the basis of information for this global table.
Information Year |
Source |
1990 |
SFR, 1991. State of Forest Resources 1991. Forest Survey of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. |
2000 |
SFR, 2001. State of Forest Resources, 2001. Forest Survey of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. |
The Forestry Statistics complied and published by Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) Dehradun, provides information on ownership by each State of India. It presents information by individual States and Union Territories in India . However it does not provide national totals because there is no information for some states. The figures for “private ownership” of forests, although incomplete have been taken from Forestry Statistics. The area of un-classed forest, less the area under private ownership, has been classified as belonging to “unspecified ownership”.
The period of the annual reporting in Forestry Statistics series is from April 1st to March 31st of next year. It covers first nine months of the starting year and next 3 months of ending year, therefore information has been dealt as belonging to the starting year. For example, the period 1st April 96 to 31st March 1997 is nationally denoted as 1996-97 and contains 9 months of 1996 and only 3 months of 1997 therefore the information has been treated as for 1996. Following publication have been used for archiving National Data.
For 1988 to 1993: Forestry Statistics, India, 1988-95. 1997. Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, Uttaranchal, India.
For 1996 & 1997: Forestry Statistics, India, 2000. 2002.Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun, Uttaranchal, India.
C. National Classification and Definitions
Broadly speaking, reserved, protected and unclassed are the three major legal classes of forest in India. A legal notification in a government gazette under Indian Forest Act creates or defines the boundaries of “reserved and “protected” forests in India. These forest by definition are owned by government of “Public” at large. The rest of forests areas recorded in government land records as forests are called un-classed forests. The status of their ownership and control varies among various States in India.
Terms |
Definition |
Reserved Forest |
Any forest land or waste land or any other land, not being land for the time bring comprised in any holding or in any village abadi, which is the property of Government or over which the Government has proprietary rights, or to the whole or any part of the forest produce of which the Government is entitled, and which is notified in government gazette as “reserve forest” under relevant section of Indian forest Act. Explanation: In such forest, most of the activities are prohibited unless allowed. |
Protected Forests |
Any forest land or waste-land or any other land, which is not included in a reserved forest, but which is the property of Government, or over which the Government has proprietary rights, or to the whole or any part of the forest- produce of which the Government is entitled, and which is notified in government gazette as "protected forest" under relevant sections of Indian Forest Act. Explanation: In such forest, most of the activities are allowed unless prohibited. |
Unclassed Forests |
Any forest land or waste land or any other land “recorded” in land records as “forest” but not notified in government gazette as “reserved” or “protected” forests under Indian Forest Act. |
D. National Data
The SFRs, published by FSI, help to develop following table that presents the national data on “forest” under “reserved” and “protected” legal categories of forest. It classifies the rest of “recorded forests” as un-classed forests. Further information is available for 189 and 2000 but not 1989. Since there are every minor differences in information in consecutive SFRs, the information for 1989 is being treated as for 1990.
Legal Category of Forest Land |
Recorded Forest land in "000"ha. | |
(1989) |
(2000) | |
Reserved Forest Land |
41491.617 |
42331.100 |
Protected Forest Land |
23308.095 |
21724.500 |
Un-classed Forest Land |
12208.131 |
12788.100 |
Total Recorded Forest Land |
77007.843 |
76843.700 |
The Forestry Statistics, published by ICFRE, provide following information, though incomplete, on private ownership of “recorded forests”. This should represent the minimum area of “Un-classed forests” that are under private ownership.
Category |
Recorded Forest under Private Ownership in 000 ha | |
1990 |
1998 | |
Unclassed Forests |
1255.658 |
1077.932 |
The Forestry Statistics, published by ICFRE, also provides following information, though incomplete, on public ownership of “ forests”. It does not mention whether these forest under the ownership or “Revenue department” and “Corporate/ Communities” are “reserved”, protected or un-classed. In most of the cases, these forest will be un-classed forest however, there will be cases like in Uttaranchal, a state in India, where most of the forest under Revenue department are protected forests.
Public Owners of un-classed Forest |
Unclassed Forests in "000"ha. | |
(1990) |
(1998) | |
Forest Department |
9003.21 |
6388.31 |
Revenue Department |
1325.80 |
3170.51 |
Corporate /Communities |
547.92 |
785.92 |
Total |
12866.93 |
12344.74 |
Adding the above two following picture emerges for un-classed forests although the total is more than the country total of the un-classed. One
Owners of un-classed Forest |
Unclassed Forests in "000"ha. | |
(1990) |
(1998) | |
Private Owners |
1255.658 |
1077.932 |
Public Owners |
12866.930 |
12344.740 |
Total |
14122.588 |
13422.672 |
The total area of the un-classed forest is more than what is recorded at national level (see SFR based information, first table in this section). This may be due to double counting of protection areas under ownership of un-classed forest with revenue, and corporate or community.
Therefore, the most conservative approach to classify by ownership is to respect the figures of private forests and consider the rest under public ownership.
E. Calibration
No calibration is needed as national reports match with UN statistical figures on national areas.
F. Estimation and Forecasting
Since figures for 1990 for private ownership are available no estimation is needed for 1990. However, figures for 2000 are not available. The latest figures are for 1998. These figures are being assumed for 2000 to be on conservative side.
G. Reclassification into FRA 2005 Classes
Table: Reclassification (Percentage allocation) into FRA 2005 classes
National Classes of Ownership |
Percentage of a National class belonging to a FRA Class | ||
Public Ownership |
Private Ownership |
Other or unspecified Ownership | |
Reserve Forest |
100 |
0 |
0 |
Protected Forest |
100 |
0 |
0 |
Unclassed Forest for 1990 |
89.72 |
10.28 |
0 |
Unclassed Forest for 2000 |
91.57 |
8.73 |
0 |
H. National Information for FRA 2005 Global Tables
Following table presents ownership of “Forests” reported in Table 1.
Table: Input for Global Reporting Table 2
Type of Ownership |
Extent of “Forests” in 000 ha | |
1990 |
2000 | |
1. Under Public Ownership |
62683.600 |
66475.800 |
2. Under Private Ownership |
1255.000 |
1078.000 |
3. Under Other or Unspecified Ownership |
0 |
0 |
Total |
63938.600 |
67553.800 |
Note: The figure of private ownership for 1998 has been assumed for 2000
