Introduction
Odisha is located on the east coast of the country having 155,707 km² geographical area which constitutes 4.74% area of the country. It lies in the tropical zone between latitudes of 17°47’N and 22°34’N and longitudes of 81°22’E and 87°29’E. Physiorgaphically, the state can be divided into four regions, viz., Northern ,Plateau, Eastern Ghats, Central Tableland and Coastal Plains. The state is drained by three major rivers, Mohanadi, Brahamani and Baitarani. The famous Hirakud Dam on river Mahanadi is one of the largest dams in the world. The state is rich in mineral resources including coal, iron, bauxite, chromite and nickel. The annual rainfall varies between 1,200 mm to 1,600 mm and the mean annual temperature ranges between 25° c to 27.5° c .
| Geographical Area | 155,707, sq km |
| Population (as per Census 2011) | 41.97 million |
| Urban | 7.00 million (16.68%) |
| Rural | 34.97 million (83.32%) |
| Tribal | 9.59 million (22.85%) |
| Average Population Density | 270 per sq km |
| Livestock Population (as per 18th Livestock Census) | 23.06 million |
| No. of Districts (as per Census 2011) | 30 |
| No. of Hill Districts | 0 |
| No. of Tribal Districts | 12 |
| Forest Cover within Green Wash |
| Very Dense Forest | 6,780 sq km |
| Moderately Dense Forest | 19,646 sq km |
| Open Forest | 17,555 sq km |
| Sub Total | 43,981 sq km |
| Forest Cover outside Green Wash |
| Very Dense Forest | 262 sq km |
| Moderately Dense Forest | 1,652 sq km |
| Open Forest | 4,452 sq km |
| Sub Total | 6,366 sq km |
| Total Forest Cover | 50,347 sq km |
| Tree Cover | 4,013 sq km |
| Total Forest & Tree Cover | 54,360 sq km |
| Per Capita Forest & Tree Cover | 0.129 ha. |
| Of State’s Geographical Area | 34.91% |
| Of India’s Forest & Tree Cover | 6.89% |
| Growing Stock |
| Growing Stock in Recorded Forest Area | 235.77 million cum |
| Growing Stock in TOF | 74.49 million cum |
| Growing Stock in Agroforestry | 65.19 million cum |
| Growing Stock in Urban Area | 3.61 million cum |
| Recorded Forest Area |
| Reserved Forest Area | 26,329 sq km |
| Protected Forest | 15,525 sq km |
| Unclassed Forest | 16,282 sq km |
| Total | 58,136 sq km |
| Of State’s Geographical Area | 37.34% |
| Of India’s Forest Area | 7.53% |
Component wise recorded forest area in Odisha 2021-22
| Department | Component | Area (in sq.km) | Share (percent) |
| Forest Environment & Climate Change Department | Reserve Forest | 26873.66 | 43.91 |
| Proposed Reserve Forest | 9175.15 | 14.99 |
| Protected forest | 1085.22 | 1.77 |
| Village forest | 287.51 | 0.47 |
| Un-classified forest | 22.06 | 0.04 |
| Revenue & Disaster Management Department | Demarcated Protected Forest | 4179.59 | 6.83 |
| Un-Demarcated protected forest | 4272.91 | 6.98 |
| Revenue forest | 15117.3 | 24.7 |
| Private forest | 190.77 | 0.31 |
| Total | | 61204.17 | 100 |
Source- Odisha Economic survey-2022-23
Forest cover in Odisha (Area in Sq.Km)
| Year | Geographical area | Very Dense Forest (VDF) | Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) | Open forest | Total |
| 2017-18 | 1,55,707 | 6,967 | 21,370 | 23,008 | 51345 |
| 2018-19 | 1,55,707 | 6,970 | 21,552 | 23,097 | 51619 |
| 2019-20 | 1,55,707 | 6,970 | 21552 | 23,097 | 51,619 |
| 2020-21 | 1,55,707 | 7,213 | 20,995 | 23,948 | 52,156 |
Odisha economic survey-2021-22
Mangroves cover Assessment 2021 (Area in sq.km)
| District wise Mangrove Cover | Very Dense Forest (VDF) | Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) | Open Forest (OF) | Total | Change over the assessment 2019 |
| Balasore | 0 | 1.00 | 4.40 | 5.40 | 0.33 |
| Bhadrak | 0 | 8.76 | 26.11 | 34.87 | 0.00 |
| Jagatsinghpur | 0 | 1.01 | 7.32 | 8.33 | 0.27 |
| Kendrapada | 80.43 | 83.54 | 45.28 | 209.25 | 7.76 |
| Puri | 0 | 0 | 1.13 | 1.13 | -0.02 |
| Total | 80.43 | 94.31 | 84.24 | 258.98 | 8.34 |
Source - HIGHLIGHTS OF ODISHA FORESTRY SECTOR-2023
DISTRICT WISE FOREST AREA 2021-22 (In Sq. km)
| Sl.no | District name | Geographical Area | Total Forest Area | Forest land under control of forest dept. | Forest land under control of revenue deptt. |
| Reserve forest | Protected forest | Un classified forests | Demarcated protected forest (DPF) | Undemarcated protected forest (UDPF) | Other forest under revenue dept. |
| 1. | Angul | 6375 | 3106.6 | 2052.91 | 8.34 | 0.73 | 65.17 | 0 | 979.44 |
| 2. | Baleswar | 3806 | 360.91 | 227.24 | 0 | 0.02 | 0 | 22.65 | 111 |
| 3. | Bargarh | 5837 | 1329.38 | 1027.38 | 0.2 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 1.38 | 300.03 |
| 4. | Bhadrak | 2505 | 97.66 | 4.01 | 0 | 0.02 | 0 | 32.96 | 60.67 |
| 5. | Bolangir | 6575 | 1611.29 | 1109.31 | 0 | 0.14 | 0 | 0 | 501.84 |
| 6. | Boudh | 3098 | 1280.47 | 1006.27 | 0 | 1.07 | 11.87 | 249.34 | 11.93 |
| 7. | Cuttack | 3932 | 890.47 | 589.97 | 1.28 | 0.02 | 0.83 | 0 | 298.37 |
| 8. | Deogarh | 2940 | 1550.91 | 985.73 | 0 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | 565.14 |
| 9. | Dhenkanal | 4452 | 1912.45 | 1141.02 | 8.34 | 0.04 | 130.08 | 568 | 64.97 |
| 10. | Gajapati | 4352 | 2477.13 | 472.46 | 0.04 | 0.15 | 90.32 | 1116.67 | 797.5 |
| 11. | Ganjam | 8206 | 3069.38 | 1618.07 | 0.65 | 0.81 | 593.66 | 506.49 | 349.69 |
| 12. | Jagatsinghpur | 1668 | 46.66 | 2.75 | 0 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 43.9 |
| 13. | Jajpur | 2899 | 316.43 | 47.64 | 9.84 | 0 | 241.99 | 0 | 16.96 |
| 14. | Jharsuguda | 2081 | 450.3 | 131.92 | 0.49 | 0.05 | 28.72 | 0 | 289.11 |
| 15. | Kalahandi | 7920 | 2854.07 | 1934.54 | 7.7 | 0.54 | 405.41 | 0.4 | 505.48 |
| 16. | Kandhamal | 8021 | 5859.85 | 3043.42 | 0 | 2 | 763.65 | 74.31 | 1976.49 |
| 17. | Kendrapara | 2644 | 356.24 | 158.9 | 151.4 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | 41.44 |
| 18. | Kendujhar | 8303 | 3269.82 | 2159.84 | 19.37 | 0.22 | 233.93 | 5.26 | 851.21 |
| 19. | Khordha | 2813 | 669.74 | 273.73 | 0 | 0.84 | 260.34 | 0 | 134.83 |
| 20. | Koraput | 8807 | 2355.94 | 1204.91 | 291.88 | 0.68 | 353.9 | 0 | 504.56 |
| 21. | Malkangiri | 5791 | 3541.57 | 1078.17 | 226.16 | 0.3 | 188.65 | 636.64 | 1411.65 |
| 22. | Mayurbhanj | 10418 | 4458.1 | 3475.75 | 12.6 | 2.2 | 77.98 | 65.78 | 823.81 |
| 23. | Nuapada | 3852 | 1907.35 | 1494.17 | 0 | 0.44 | 24.33 | 0 | 388.41 |
| 24. | Nayagarh | 3890 | 2002.52 | 1522.71 | 0 | 3.77 | 81.77 | 0 | 394.27 |
| 25. | Nabarangpur | 5291 | 2826.51 | 1221.12 | 296.54 | 0.07 | 0 | 0 | 1308.8 |
| 26. | Puri | 3479 | 187.83 | 107.57 | 0 | 0.12 | 0 | 0 | 80.14 |
| 27. | Rayagada | 7073 | 3567.48 | 1950.15 | 0 | 0.96 | 334.35 | 0 | 1282.03 |
| 28. | Sambalpur | 6657 | 4010.56 | 2579.03 | 0.33 | 1.18 | 46.61 | 460.81 | 922.6 |
| 29. | Sonepur | 2337 | 428.75 | 316.52 | 0 | 0.03 | 0 | 0 | 112.2 |
| 30. | Sundargarh | 9712 | 4407.78 | 3111.6 | 50.08 | 0.92 | 245.85 | 532.22 | 467.12 |
| | TOTAL | 155707 | 61204.15 | 36048.81 | 1085.24 | 22.06 | 4179.6 | 4272.91 | 15595.59 |
Source- Odisha Economic Survey-2022-23,
Forest cover in Odisha (Area in Sq.Km)
| Year | Geographical area | Very Dense Forest (VDF) | Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) | Open forest | Total |
| 2017-18 | 1,55,707 | 6,967 | 21,370 | 23,008 | 51345 |
| 2018-19 | 1,55,707 | 6,970 | 21,552 | 23,097 | 51619 |
| 2019-20 | 1,55,707 | 6,970 | 21552 | 23,097 | 51,619 |
| 2020-21 | 1,55,707 | 7,213 | 20,995 | 23,948 | 52,156 |
District Wise Forest Cover of Odisha State (as per 2013 Assessment)
Area in sq. km.
| District | Geo-graphical Area | Very Dense Forest | Moderate Dense Forest | Open Forest | Total | Percent of GA | Change | Scrub |
| Angul | 6375 | 362 | 1350 | 990 | 2702 | 42.38 | 35 | 117 |
| Balasore | 3806 | 23 | 126 | 199 | 348 | 9.14 | 44 | 49 |
| Bargarh | 5837 | 176 | 371 | 396 | 943 | 16.16 | 47 | 89 |
| Bhadrak | 2505 | 0 | 7 | 55 | 62 | 2.48 | 38 | 0 |
| Bolangir | 6575 | 69 | 222 | 675 | 966 | 14.69 | 29 | 234 |
| Boudh | 3098 | 264 | 548 | 451 | 1263 | 40.77 | 8 | 82 |
| Cuttack | 3932 | 44 | 206 | 521 | 771 | 19.61 | 104 | 74 |
| Deogarh | 2940 | 156 | 623 | 596 | 1375 | 46.77 | 34 | 15 |
| Dhenkanal | 4452 | 172 | 346 | 881 | 1399 | 31.42 | 57 | 86 |
| Gajapati | 4325 | 84 | 1485 | 902 | 2471 | 57.13 | -16 | 252 |
| Ganjam | 8206 | 162 | 1089 | 849 | 2100 | 25.59 | 107 | 665 |
| Jagatsinghpur | 1668 | 0 | 6 | 127 | 133 | 7.97 | 110 | 1 |
| Jajpur | 2899 | 6 | 68 | 222 | 296 | 10.21 | 41 | 50 |
| Jharsuguda | 2081 | 3 | 138 | 170 | 311 | 14.94 | 12 | 52 |
| Kalahandi | 7920 | 419 | 777 | 1211 | 2407 | 30.39 | 76 | 356 |
| Kendrapara | 2644 | 82 | 81 | 106 | 269 | 10.17 | 75 | 6 |
| Keonjhar | 8303 | 303 | 1385 | 1523 | 3211 | 38.67 | -5 | 54 |
| Khandamal | 8021 | 650 | 2620 | 2101 | 5371 | 66.96 | -98 | 320 |
| Khurda | 2813 | 23 | 187 | 246 | 456 | 16.21 | 62 | 93 |
| Koraput | 8807 | 102 | 727 | 1099 | 1928 | 21.89 | 234 | 870 |
| Malkangiri | 5791 | 157 | 709 | 1455 | 2321 | 40.08 | 135 | 36 |
| Mayurbhanj | 10418 | 1326 | 1707 | 988 | 4021 | 38.60 | 29 | 35 |
| Nuapada | 3852 | 86 | 484 | 670 | 1240 | 32.19 | 11 | 129 |
| Nabarangpur | 5291 | 182 | 460 | 483 | 1125 | 21.26 | -17 | 45 |
| Nayagarh | 3890 | 186 | 965 | 531 | 1682 | 43.24 | 17 | 196 |
| Puri | 3479 | 0 | 55 | 152 | 207 | 5.95 | 107 | 12 |
| Rayagada | 7073 | 428 | 860 | 1845 | 3133 | 44.30 | 17 | 279 |
| Sambalpur | 6657 | 531 | 1729 | 1098 | 3358 | 50.44 | 49 | 47 |
| Sonepur | 2337 | 2 | 196 | 132 | 330 | 14.12 | 6 | 51 |
| Sundargarh | 9712 | 1044 | 1771 | 1333 | 4148 | 42.71 | 96 | 129 |
| Grand Total | 155707 | 7042 | 21298 | 22007 | 50347 | 32.33 | 1444 | 4424 |
Forest Cover Change Matrix of Odisha
Area in sq. km.
| 2011 Assessment | 2013 Assessment | Total 2011 |
| VDF | MDF | OF | Scrub | NF |
| Very Dense Forest (VDF) | 6972 | 70 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 7060 |
| Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) | 70 | 21166 | 108 | 0 | 22 | 21366 |
| Open Forest (OF) | 0 | 62 | 20332 | 0 | 83 | 20477 |
| Scrub | 0 | 0 | 264 | 4423 | 47 | 4734 |
| Non Forest (NF) | 0 | 0 | 1303 | 1 | 100766 | 102070 |
| Total 2013 | 7042 | 21298 | 22007 | 4424 | 100936 | 155707 |
| Net Change | -18 | -68 | 1530 | -310 | -1134 | |
Altitude-wise Forest Cover of Odisha
Area in sq. km.
| Altitude Zone | VDF | MDF | OF | Total |
| 0-500m | 3469 | 12965 | 15654 | 32088 |
| 500-1000m | 3470 | 8023 | 6130 | 17623 |
| 1000-2000m | 103 | 310 | 223 | 636 |
| Grand Total | 7042 | 21298 | 22007 | 50347 |
Forest Cover Change-2015-2017-Athagarh Division
Forest Cover Change-2015-2017-Balasore Wildlife Division
Forest Cover Change-2015-2017-Chilika WL Division
Forest Cover Change-2015-2017-Similipal Tiger Reserve, Baripada Division
Forest Cover Change-2015-2017-Satkosia WL Division
Forest Cover Change-2015-2017-Rajnagar WL Division
Forest Cover Change-2015-2017-Puri WL Division
Forest Cover Change-2015-2017-Mahanadi WL Division
Forest Cover Change-2015-2017-Koraput Division
Forest Area diverted to Non-Forest use in Odisha State
| Sl. No | Year | Number of Projects | Area diverted to Non-forest use (in hectare) |
| 1. | 1982 | 1 | 3.43 |
| 2. | 1983 | 4 | 124.02 |
| 3. | 1984 | 18 | 2000.89 |
| 4. | 1985 | 5 | 517.38 |
| 5. | 1986 | 3 | 770.08 |
| 6. | 1987 | 5 | 952.90 |
| 7. | 1988 | 9 | 975.63 |
| 8. | 1989 | 13 | 1737.38 |
| 9. | 1990 | 24 | 2714.92 |
| 10. | 1991 | 5 | 3.17 |
| 11. | 1992 | 7 | 508.84 |
| 12. | 1993 | 8 | 4729.25 |
| 13. | 1994 | 3 | 788.92 |
| 14. | 1995 | 6 | 317.94 |
| 15. | 1996 | 12 | 1354.61 |
| 16. | 1997 | 14 | 1902.49 |
| 17. | 1998-99 | 53 | 4722.35 |
| 18. | 2000-01 | 27 | 1219.06 |
| 19. | 2001-02 | 20 | 1711.74 |
| 20. | 2002-03 | 15 | 508.18 |
| 21. | 2003-04 | 23 | 1493.71 |
| 22. | 2004-05 | 9 | 1274.39 |
| 23. | 2005-06 | 28 | 2207.23 |
| 24. | 2006-07 | 17 | 911.83 |
| 25. | 2007-08 | 20 | 1802.58 |
| 26. | 2008-09 | 14 | 723.74 |
| 27. | 2009-10 | 13 | 1008.68 |
| 28. | 2010-11 | 13 | 915.95 |
| 29. | 2011-12 | 13 | 831.18 |
| 30. | 2012-13 | 10 | 2813.74 |
| 31. | 2013-14 | 18 | 925.407 |
