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Madhya Pradesh is one of the most blessed states of India in terms of natural resources including
rich and diverse forests. Approximately 20% of the overall forest cover of India is located in the
state of Madhya Pradesh. States like-
Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh,
Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh
also house a considerable volume of
forests. Forests encompass 67.83 million
hectares of area in India, varying from the
arid zone forests to Himalayan temperate
forests.

Types of Forests

Tropical Rainforests

Tropical rainforests are found close to

the equator where temperatures and

rainfall are very high all year round. The

world's largest tropical rainforests are in

South America, Africa, and Southeast

Asia. Tropical rainforests receive from 60

to 160 inches of precipitation that is

fairly evenly distributed throughout the

year. The combination of constant

warmth and abundant moisture makes Different types of forests in India
the tropical rainforest a suitable

environment for many plants and animals. Tropical rainforests contain the greatest biodiversity in

the world. Over 15 million species of plants and animals live within this biome. Tropical rainforests

are also house to a large amount of natural medicines. Rainforests are dominated by the broad-

leaved evergreen trees, which form a leafy canopy over the forest floor. Banana tree, mango tree,

papaya tree, avocados and sugarcane all originally came from tropical rainforests.

Temperate Deciduous Forests

Temperate deciduous forests are dominated by trees that lose their leaves each year. Many
different kinds of trees, shrubs, and herbs grow in deciduous forests. Most of the trees are
broadleaf trees such as oak, maple, beech, hickory and chestnut. There are also several different
kinds of plants like mountain laurel, azaleas and mosses that live on the shady forest floor where
only small amounts of sunlight get through. Deciduous forests are of two types - Temperate and
Tropical. Temperate deciduous forests occur in areas of moderate temperature and rainfall with
chilly winters. The tropical monsoon deciduous forests are found in areas receiving an annual
rainfall of 100 to 200 cms in India, with a distinct dry and rainy season and minimum temperature.

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