WEST BANGAL

GEOGRAPHY
west Bengal forest

• According to Indian state of forest report 2019 the recorded forest area of West Bengal
is 11879 square kilometre which comprise 13.3 8% of the total geographical area.
• The district with highest forest cover is Jalpaiguri that has around 45 percentage of
geographical area under forest followed by south 24 pargana 28%.
• Least forest cover is in Kolkata with 0.5%
Classification of west Bengal forest

• Himalayan Moist temperate vegetation

• tropical moist deciduous vegetation of
tarai
• tropical moist deciduous vegetation of
plains
• dry deciduous vegetation of upland
• tropical semi evergreen vegetation of
coastal area
• mangrove on swamp vegetation of
Sundarban area
Himalayan moist temperate vegetation.
• These forests are related to higher
altitude.
• In mountain areas different types of
trees and plants grow at different
heights.
• Temperate evergreen forest consisting
of trees such as Oak, Poplars, Maples,
are seen between height of 900-2500.
• Between 2500 3500 coniferous trees
such as Pine Deodar and Fir found.
• Above this altitude rhododendrons are
found.
• The mean sights of this forest are in the
district of Darjeeling and kalimpong.
• tropical moist deciduous vegetation of
tarai
• These type of forest are broad leafed wet
hill forest.
• Found in North Bangal with an altitude
between 300-1650m.
• The species commonly found in these
forest are found in these forests are
mowa katus panisaj lek malata etc.
• The main area of these forest are Some
parts of Darjeeling , Kalimpong ,
Jalpaiguri, and alipurduar.
• Tropical moist deciduous vegetation of plain

• Tropical moist deciduous vegetation of

plane extend from South of the torai
deciduous region to almost the entire
West Bengal except one coastal portion.
• Such forest have a maximum of
evergreen and moist deciduous trees.
The undergoing climbers provide an
evergreen character to this forest.
• Main species are white cedar and
Shagun Shishu shell jacket mango
betelnut etc
• Dry deciduous vegetation of a upland
• These forests are found in the Western
parts of West Bengal covering the district
of Purulia bankura West Bardhaman bir
bhum and West Midnapore.
• The important trees of this forest are
shal shimul bumbu mahogany mahua
palash.
• These trees shed their leaves in the dry
winter.
• High temperature dry climate and four
laterite soil in this region are not suitable
for growth of the trees.
• Forest products are used for Timber
paper Mills and matches box
• Tropical semi evergreen vegetation of
coastal area
• Southern coastal area of Medinipur
district is under the vegetation cover of
tropical semi evergreen vegetation.
• Tropical semi evergreen vegetation
includes typical canopy broadleaf trees
of both categories of evergreen along
with deciduous
• the species diversity is high but many of
the typical evergreen species are absent
• Mangrove or swamp vegetation of
Sundarban area
• This forest covered in Sundarban delta are the most extensive forest land of
West Bengal.
• The forest is situated at the Mount of Ganga river in the southern part of
south 24 pargana district.
• The name Sundarban comes from the fact that these forests mostly contain
one type of mangrove trees called sundari.
• Mangrove vegetation is influenced by salty water due to rise and fall of tide of
bay of Bengal.
• Mangrove trees have breathing root which are usually very large to stand in in
Deep mud.
• The forest of Sundarban included in World Heritage site in 1987.
• the boundary line of Sundarban was demarcated by Dampier and Hodges
• West Bengal forest department was established in 1864 in Kolkata.West Bengal
forest and biodiversity conservation project aims to develop forest ecosystem
conserve biodiversity and improve livelihood conditions for the locals. It is working
in association with Japan international cooperation agency from 2013
• West Bengal wasteland development corporation limited was established in
1989. This organisation takes up the management of forestry and allied activities.
Apart from that also create green shelterbelts landscaping and Timber harvesting.
• West Bengal forest department corporation limited was established in 1974 to
develop allied activities related to forestry like eco-tourism wood base industries.
• Namami Ganga mission is run by central government in five state namely
Uttarakhand Uttar Pradesh jarkhand Bihar and West Bengal.It is managed by West
Bengal forest department for sustaining the biodiversity of Ganga river ecosystem
along with its purification.