This one-page sheet covers Chhattisgarh's forests, forest produce, protected areas and forest laws. For explanations, read [Forest Types and Cover](/chhattisgarh/forests-wildlife/forest-types-and-cover/), [Minor Forest Produce](/chhattisgarh/forests-wildlife/minor-forest-produce/), [National Parks](/chhattisgarh/forests-wildlife/national-parks/), [Wildlife Sanctuaries and Tiger Reserves](/chhattisgarh/forests-wildlife/wildlife-sanctuaries-tiger-reserves/) and [Forest Policy](/chhattisgarh/forests-wildlife/forest-policy/).

{{< callout type="tip" title="How to use this sheet" >}}
Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often.
{{< /callout >}}

## Timeline / Key Facts

### Forest Cover

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Forest cover (ISFR 2023)** | **55,811.75 sq km, about 41.3%** of 1,35,192 sq km |
| **Rank by area** | **3rd** (after MP, Arunachal Pradesh) |
| Change since ISFR 2021 | Forest cover **+94.75 sq km**; **forest + tree cover +684 sq km: highest in India** |
| Recorded forest area (ISFR 2021) | 59,772 sq km, 44.21% (RF 43.13%, PF 40.21%, unclassed 16.65%) |
| Largest density class | Moderately dense forest |
| Canopy classes | VDF ≥ 70% · MDF 40–70% · OF 10–40% · scrub < 10% (not forest) |
| Forest types (Champion and Seth) | Tropical moist deciduous, tropical dry deciduous, subtropical broad-leaved hill |
| By species | Sal, teak, mixed with bamboo |
| **State tree / animal / bird** | **Sal (सरई) / wild buffalo (वन भैंसा) / hill myna (पहाड़ी मैना)** |

### Minor Forest Produce

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Tendu leaves** | *Diospyros melanoxylon*; bidi wrapper; "green gold" |
| **Standard bag** | **1,000 bundles × 50 leaves** |
| **Tendu rate** | **₹5,500 per standard bag (from 2024 season)**; earlier ₹4,000 |
| MFP federation | CG State MFP (Trading & Development) Cooperative Federation, Raipur; three-tier; 2001 |
| Lac | **Kusumi** on kusum; **Rangini** on palash and ber |
| Kosa silk | Tasar; Champa |
| **Van Dhan Yojana** | **14 April 2018; first Kendra at Bijapur** |
| MFP under FRA | Includes bamboo, tendu, lac, honey, tussar, medicinal plants |

### National Parks (3; 2,899.08 sq km)

| Park | District | Key facts |
|------|----------|-----------|
| **Indravati** | Bijapur | 1,258.37 sq km; NP 1981 (or 1982); **TR 1983**; wild buffalo; Indravati river northern boundary |
| **Kanger Valley** | Bastar | **200 sq km (smallest)**; 1982; **Kutumsar, Kailash, Dandak caves**; **Tirathgarh**, Kanger Dhara falls; hill myna; **UNESCO Tentative List (March 2025)**; CFR 2022 |
| **Guru Ghasidas** | Koriya-MCB | **About 1,440 sq km (largest)**; ex-Sanjay NP (1981); **last cheetahs shot Dec 1947**; core of GGTP TR |

### Sanctuaries (11; 3,760.28 sq km)

| Sanctuary | District |
|-----------|----------|
| Achanakmar | Mungeli |
| Badalkhol | Jashpur |
| Barnawapara | Mahasamund–Baloda Bazar |
| Bhairamgarh | Bijapur |
| Bhoramdeo | Kabirdham |
| Gomarda | Sarangarh-Bilaigarh |
| Pamed | Bijapur |
| Semarsot | Balrampur-Ramanujganj |
| **Sitanadi (oldest, 1974)** | Dhamtari |
| Tamor Pingla | Surajpur |
| Udanti | Gariaband |

### Tiger Reserves, Elephant Reserves, BR, Ramsar

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Tiger reserves (4)** | **Indravati 1983**; Udanti-Sitanadi 2009; Achanakmar 2009; **Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Nov 2024** |
| **GGTP** | **India's 56th TR; 2,829 sq km; 3rd largest** (after Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam, Manas); adjoins Sanjay-Dubri (MP) |
| Tigers (AITE 2022) | 17 |
| Proposed TR | Bhoramdeo (still a sanctuary as of 2026) |
| Elephant reserves | Badalkhol-Tamor Pingla (15 Sept 2011); **Lemru** (Korba, about 1,995 sq km, Sec. 36A conservation reserve) |
| **Biosphere reserve** | **Achanakmar-Amarkantak**: 30 March 2005 (14th in India); **UNESCO MAB 2012**; 3,835.51 sq km; CG + MP |
| **Ramsar site** | **Kopra Reservoir, Bilaspur: 12 Dec 2025, first in CG** |
| Wild buffalo | Native: Udanti, Indravati landscape; Manas (Assam) animals at Barnawapara from 2020 |

### Policy and Law

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| Forest policies | 1894 · 1952 · **1988 (33%; two-thirds in hills; people's needs)** |
| 42nd Amendment (1976) | Forests and wildlife → **Concurrent List** |
| Acts | IFA 1927 · WPA 1972 · FCA 1980 · PESA 1996 · BDA 2002 · **FRA 2006** · CAMPA 2016 |
| FCA renamed (2023) | **Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980** |
| JFM | Union guidelines, 1 June 1990 |
| FRA | IFR ≤ 4 ha; cut-off 13 Dec 2005; OTFD 75 years; Gram Sabha initiates |
| CG Forest Policy | 2001 |
| **CG PESA Rules** | **8 August 2022** |
| CG CFR firsts | Udanti-Sitanadi TR (2021); **urban CFR, Dhamtari (Aug 2021, first in India)**; Kanger Valley NP (2022) |

## Don't Confuse

| This | vs | That |
|------|----|------|
| Forest cover about 41% (satellite) | | Recorded forest about 44% (legal) |
| +94.75 sq km: forest cover | | +684 sq km: forest + tree cover (highest) |
| Kanger Valley NP: Bastar district | | Indravati NP: Bijapur district |
| Tirathgarh: inside Kanger Valley | | Chitrakote: on the Indravati, outside the parks |
| Sitanadi: oldest sanctuary (1974) | | Indravati: oldest tiger reserve (1983) |
| UNESCO Tentative List: Kanger Valley (2025) | | UNESCO MAB: Achanakmar-Amarkantak (2012) |
| Kusumi lac: kusum | | Rangini lac: palash, ber |
| JFM (1990): executive | | CFR (FRA 2006): statutory |
| NFP 1952 | | NFP 1988 (the "33%" policy) |

{{< callout type="warning" title="Favourite MCQ trap" >}}
Watch for four swaps: **3 vs 4 tiger reserves** (4 since November 2024), **Bhoramdeo** offered as a tiger reserve (it is still a sanctuary), **Kutumsar** placed in Indravati (it is in Kanger Valley), and the **684 sq km** gain described as "forest cover" (it is forest **and tree** cover).
{{< /callout >}}

---
Source: https://cgpscnotes.in/chhattisgarh/forests-wildlife/quick-revision/

Chhattisgarh Forests, Wildlife, National Parks and Sanctuaries

Forests, Wildlife, National Parks and Sanctuaries — Quick Revision

One-page CGPSC quick revision for Forests, Wildlife, National Parks and Sanctuaries — every date, name and fact in tables for last-minute Prelims and Mains revision.

4 min read Updated Oct 2026 #quick revision#cgpsc

This one-page sheet covers Chhattisgarh’s forests, forest produce, protected areas and forest laws. For explanations, read Forest Types and Cover, Minor Forest Produce, National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Tiger Reserves and Forest Policy.

How to use this sheet

Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often.

Timeline / Key Facts

Forest Cover

Fact	Detail
Forest cover (ISFR 2023)	55,811.75 sq km, about 41.3% of 1,35,192 sq km
Rank by area	3rd (after MP, Arunachal Pradesh)
Change since ISFR 2021	Forest cover +94.75 sq km; forest + tree cover +684 sq km: highest in India
Recorded forest area (ISFR 2021)	59,772 sq km, 44.21% (RF 43.13%, PF 40.21%, unclassed 16.65%)
Largest density class	Moderately dense forest
Canopy classes	VDF ≥ 70% · MDF 40–70% · OF 10–40% · scrub < 10% (not forest)
Forest types (Champion and Seth)	Tropical moist deciduous, tropical dry deciduous, subtropical broad-leaved hill
By species	Sal, teak, mixed with bamboo
State tree / animal / bird	Sal (सरई) / wild buffalo (वन भैंसा) / hill myna (पहाड़ी मैना)

Minor Forest Produce

Fact	Detail
Tendu leaves	Diospyros melanoxylon; bidi wrapper; “green gold”
Standard bag	1,000 bundles × 50 leaves
Tendu rate	₹5,500 per standard bag (from 2024 season); earlier ₹4,000
MFP federation	CG State MFP (Trading & Development) Cooperative Federation, Raipur; three-tier; 2001
Lac	Kusumi on kusum; Rangini on palash and ber
Kosa silk	Tasar; Champa
Van Dhan Yojana	14 April 2018; first Kendra at Bijapur
MFP under FRA	Includes bamboo, tendu, lac, honey, tussar, medicinal plants

National Parks (3; 2,899.08 sq km)

Park	District	Key facts
Indravati	Bijapur	1,258.37 sq km; NP 1981 (or 1982); TR 1983; wild buffalo; Indravati river northern boundary
Kanger Valley	Bastar	200 sq km (smallest); 1982; Kutumsar, Kailash, Dandak caves; Tirathgarh, Kanger Dhara falls; hill myna; UNESCO Tentative List (March 2025); CFR 2022
Guru Ghasidas	Koriya-MCB	About 1,440 sq km (largest); ex-Sanjay NP (1981); last cheetahs shot Dec 1947; core of GGTP TR

Sanctuaries (11; 3,760.28 sq km)

Sanctuary	District
Achanakmar	Mungeli
Badalkhol	Jashpur
Barnawapara	Mahasamund–Baloda Bazar
Bhairamgarh	Bijapur
Bhoramdeo	Kabirdham
Gomarda	Sarangarh-Bilaigarh
Pamed	Bijapur
Semarsot	Balrampur-Ramanujganj
Sitanadi (oldest, 1974)	Dhamtari
Tamor Pingla	Surajpur
Udanti	Gariaband

Tiger Reserves, Elephant Reserves, BR, Ramsar

Fact	Detail
Tiger reserves (4)	Indravati 1983; Udanti-Sitanadi 2009; Achanakmar 2009; Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Nov 2024
GGTP	India’s 56th TR; 2,829 sq km; 3rd largest (after Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam, Manas); adjoins Sanjay-Dubri (MP)
Tigers (AITE 2022)	17
Proposed TR	Bhoramdeo (still a sanctuary as of 2026)
Elephant reserves	Badalkhol-Tamor Pingla (15 Sept 2011); Lemru (Korba, about 1,995 sq km, Sec. 36A conservation reserve)
Biosphere reserve	Achanakmar-Amarkantak: 30 March 2005 (14th in India); UNESCO MAB 2012; 3,835.51 sq km; CG + MP
Ramsar site	Kopra Reservoir, Bilaspur: 12 Dec 2025, first in CG
Wild buffalo	Native: Udanti, Indravati landscape; Manas (Assam) animals at Barnawapara from 2020

Policy and Law

Fact	Detail
Forest policies	1894 · 1952 · 1988 (33%; two-thirds in hills; people’s needs)
42nd Amendment (1976)	Forests and wildlife → Concurrent List
Acts	IFA 1927 · WPA 1972 · FCA 1980 · PESA 1996 · BDA 2002 · FRA 2006 · CAMPA 2016
FCA renamed (2023)	Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980
JFM	Union guidelines, 1 June 1990
FRA	IFR ≤ 4 ha; cut-off 13 Dec 2005; OTFD 75 years; Gram Sabha initiates
CG Forest Policy	2001
CG PESA Rules	8 August 2022
CG CFR firsts	Udanti-Sitanadi TR (2021); urban CFR, Dhamtari (Aug 2021, first in India); Kanger Valley NP (2022)

Don’t Confuse

This	vs	That
Forest cover about 41% (satellite)		Recorded forest about 44% (legal)
+94.75 sq km: forest cover		+684 sq km: forest + tree cover (highest)
Kanger Valley NP: Bastar district		Indravati NP: Bijapur district
Tirathgarh: inside Kanger Valley		Chitrakote: on the Indravati, outside the parks
Sitanadi: oldest sanctuary (1974)		Indravati: oldest tiger reserve (1983)
UNESCO Tentative List: Kanger Valley (2025)		UNESCO MAB: Achanakmar-Amarkantak (2012)
Kusumi lac: kusum		Rangini lac: palash, ber
JFM (1990): executive		CFR (FRA 2006): statutory
NFP 1952		NFP 1988 (the “33%” policy)

Favourite MCQ trap

Watch for four swaps: 3 vs 4 tiger reserves (4 since November 2024), Bhoramdeo offered as a tiger reserve (it is still a sanctuary), Kutumsar placed in Indravati (it is in Kanger Valley), and the 684 sq km gain described as “forest cover” (it is forest and tree cover).

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