Reserved Forest, Types, Map, Features, Examples in India

A forest is generally defined as a plant community dominated by trees and woody vegetation. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a forest is land with more than 10% tree canopy cover and an area exceeding 0.5 hectare, excluding predominant non-forest land uses. In India, “recorded forest area” is 768,436 square kilometres, which is 23.38% of its total geographical area. The forests in India are classified into three legal categories: Reserved Forest, Protected Forest and Unclassed Forest.

Reserved Forest

Reserved Forests are notified under the Indian Forest Act 1927 or State Forest Acts, providing the highest degree of legal protection where all activities are banned unless officially permitted by a competent authority. Out of 768,436 square kilometres of recorded forest area, 423,311 square kilometres are Reserved Forests, constituting 55.1% of the total recorded forest area in the country. The concept emerged during the British period to secure timber resources under Crown control and was retained after Independence, forming a major part of India’s forest governance system.

Also Read: Coniferous Forest

Reserved Forest Features

The major features of Reserved Forest has been listed below:

• Legal Basis: Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act 1927 empowers State Governments to declare any forest land or wasteland owned by the government as a Reserved Forest after settlement of rights and formal notification.
• Degree of Protection: In Reserved Forests, all activities including grazing, hunting, timber extraction and cultivation are strictly prohibited unless expressly allowed by a Forest Officer during or after the settlement process.
• Administrative Authority: Reserved Forests are declared and managed by respective State Governments, unlike National Parks or Wildlife Sanctuaries which are governed under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 framework.
• Complete Restriction Principle: In Reserved Forests every activity is unlawful unless specifically authorized by forest authorities.

• Settlement of Rights: Before declaration, existing rights of local communities are examined and either recorded, modified or extinguished, providing a legal mechanism to define usage boundaries clearly.
• Integration with Protected Areas: Some Reserved Forests have later been upgraded into wildlife sanctuaries or national parks. For example, Sariska was first declared a Reserved Forest in 1955 before gaining higher conservation status later.
• Recent Example: The Delhi Government recently notified forest land in two villages of South Delhi as Reserved Forest under Section 20, granting formal legal protection to parts of the Ridge area.
• Ecological Importance: These forests safeguard biodiversity, prevent illegal hunting, restrict grazing pressure and protect soil and water systems by minimizing unregulated human interference.
• State-wise Variation: Although the legal definition remains uniform under central law, implementation and management practices differ across states depending on administrative capacity and forest composition.

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Reserved Forest List

India has several major Reserved Forests across different states, notified under forest laws for strict protection. Few of the major examples include:

• Hanumasagara Reserve Forest, Karnataka: Covering approximately 16.55 square kilometres, this forest is officially recorded as Reserved Forest land under state administration in Karnataka.
• Begur Reserve Forest, Kerala: Located in Kerala, it is a notified Reserved Forest managed by the State Forest Department for conservation and regulated use of forest resources.
• Attappadi Reserve Forest, Kerala: A significant forest tract in Kerala known for strict legal protection status, ensuring controlled access and regulated forest produce management.
• Sholayar Reserve Forest, Kerala: Part of the forested landscape of Kerala, this Reserved Forest plays an important ecological role in maintaining regional biodiversity and watershed systems.
• Palani Hills Forest Conservation Area, Tamil Nadu: Recognized as a Reserved Forest area in Tamil Nadu, it is legally protected to prevent poaching and unregulated exploitation of forest produce.
• Kondapalli Reserve Forest, Andhra Pradesh: Spread over about 120 square kilometres, this Reserved Forest in Andhra Pradesh is officially notified and managed under state forest laws.
• Behali Reserved Forest, Assam: Established in 1917, this Reserved Forest in Assam covers about 140 square kilometres and represents one of the older legally notified forest areas in India.