Nagaland is rich in forest produces such as timber, cane and bamboo, flora and fauna. The Government has taken various measures for rubber plantation, preservation of flora & fauna, wild life and plantation of various species of trees which has high commercial value. There has been thoughtless exploitation of natural forests of the State in the past. But, today, forest plantation has become a passion with the Nagas, assisted in no small measure by funding from Canadian agencies. Almost all the vacant fallow lands are being rapidly covered with various high value timber varieties as the people have fully realized the commercial and ecological importance of forests. Investment potential exists for setting up of farms for production and promotion of Non-wood timber products with efficient marketing network.
District-wise Forest Cover:
(Area in Sq.Km.)
| District | Calculated Area by SoI | 2023 Assessment | % of Calculated Area by SoI | Change w.r.t. 2021 Raster ased* | Scrub | |||
| Very Dense Forest | Mod. Dense Forest | Open Forest | Total | |||||
| Dimapur | 927 | 24.70 | 116.04 | 323.13 | 463.87 | 50.04 | -3.48 | 7.49 |
| Kiphire | 1,130 | 139.29 | 268.29 | 404.31 | 811.89 | 71.85 | -0.54 | 65.20 |
| Kohima | 1,463 | 119.25 | 345.10 | 625.54 | 1,089.89 | 74.50 | -4.15 | 42.47 |
| Longleng | 562 | 15.73 | 125.76 | 243.93 | 385.42 | 68.58 | 5.26 | 22.76 |
| Mokokchung | 1,615 | 2.32 | 546.66 | 791.87 | 1,340.85 | 83.02 | 14.88 | 36.72 |
| Mon | 1,786 | 96.35 | 523.69 | 735.76 | 1,355.80 | 75.91 | -18.30 | 99.90 |
| Peren | 1,651 | 148.40 | 649.11 | 702.29 | 1,499.80 | 90.84 | -8.48 | 74.95 |
| Phek | 2,026 | 265.57 | 549.16 | 677.58 | 1,492.31 | 73.66 | 0.88 | 62.08 |
| Tuensang | 2,536 | 356.80 | 433.80 | 568.81 | 1,359.41 | 53.60 | -14.28 | 108.56 |
| Wokha | 1,628 | 0.93 | 461.60 | 831.04 | 1,293.57 | 79.46 | -7.99 | 59.00 |
| Zunheboto | 1,255 | 87.04 | 442.60 | 600.02 | 1,129.66 | 90.01 | -15.69 | 88.14 |
| Grand Total | 16,579 | 1,256.38 | 4,461.81 | 6,504.28 | 12,222.47 | 73.72 | -51.89 | 667.27 |
| District | Geographical Area (GA) | 2021 Assessment | Percent of GA | Change w.r.t. 2019 Assessment | Scrub | |||
| Very Dense Forest | Mod. Dense Forest | Open Forest | Total | |||||
| Dimapur | 927 | 23.69 | 153.56 | 412.44 | 589.69 | 63.61 | -2.40 | 9.23 |
| Kiphire | 1130 | 150.26 | 266.76 | 376.46 | 793.48 | 70.22 | -41.10 | 72.43 |
| Kohima | 1463 | 134.19 | 376.40 | 683.89 | 1194.48 | 81.65 | 11.82 | 57.83 |
| Longleng | 562 | 0.00 | 124.13 | 245.85 | 369.98 | 65.83 | -2.42 | 44.05 |
| Mokokchung | 1615 | 1.70 | 499.69 | 825.74 | 1327.13 | 82.18 | -0.48 | 68.27 |
| Mon | 1786 | 31.50 | 418.97 | 694.07 | 1144.54 | 64.08 | -58.28 | 98.80 |
| Peren | 1651 | 140.05 | 640.23 | 627.96 | 1408.24 | 85.30 | -6.58 | 89.39 |
| Phek | 2026 | 272.17 | 625.46 | 696.06 | 1593.69 | 78.66 | -22.12 | 101.62 |
| Tuensang | 2536 | 435.15 | 529.72 | 638.67 | 1603.54 | 63.23 | -96.12 | 166.64 |
| Wokha | 1628 | 0.76 | 458.45 | 858.78 | 1317.99 | 80.96 | 12.18 | 50.98 |
| Zunheboto | 1255 | 82.57 | 355.70 | 470.11 | 908.38 | 72.38 | -29.76 | 65.06 |
| Grand Total | 16579.00 | 1272.04 | 4449.07 | 6530.03 | 12251.14 | 73.90 | -235.26 | 824.30 |
| Districts | Geographical area | 2019 Assessment | Percentage of Geographical area | Change w.r.t. 2017 Assessment | Scrub | |||
| Very dense forest | Mod. dense forest | Open forest | Total | |||||
| Dimapur | 927 | 24.00 | 161.71 | 406.38 | 592.09 | 63.87 | 3.09 | 9.23 |
| Kiphire | 1130 | 151.72 | 277.80 | 405.06 | 834.58 | 73.86 | -0.42 | 62.35 |
| Kohima | 1463 | 131.70 | 377.68 | 673.28 | 1182.66 | 80.84 | -3.34 | 57.60 |
| Longleng | 562 | 0.00 | 125.45 | 246.95 | 372.40 | 66.26 | -2.60 | 33.52 |
| Mokokchung | 1615 | 1.89 | 501.89 | 823.83 | 1327.61 | 82.20 | 5.61 | 22.08 |
| Mon | 1786 | 32.00 | 431.32 | 739.50 | 1202.82 | 67.35 | -4.18 | 127.00 |
| Peren | 1651 | 136.06 | 644.46 | 634.30 | 1414.82 | 85.69 | -23.18 | 76.66 |
| Phek | 2026 | 272.61 | 637.83 | 705.37 | 1615.81 | 79.75 | -8.19 | 85.34 |
| Tuensang | 2536 | 438.57 | 547.10 | 713.99 | 1699.66 | 67.02 | 26.66 | 92.35 |
| Wokha | 1628 | 1.00 | 465.13 | 839.68 | 1305.81 | 80.21 | -0.19 | 10.47 |
| Zunheboto | 1255 | 83.64 | 363.35 | 491.15 | 938.14 | 74.75 | 4.14 | 58.89 |
| Grand Total | 16579 | 1273.19 | 4533.72 | 6679.49 | 12486.40 | 75.31 | -2.60 | 635.49 |
| Districts | Geographical area | 2017 Assessment | Percentage of Geographical area | Change | Scrub | |||
| Very dense forest | Mod. dense forest | Open forest | Total | |||||
| Dimapur | 927 | 24 | 163 | 402 | 589 | 63.54 | 0 | 6 |
| Kiphire | 1130 | 152 | 285 | 398 | 835 | 73.89 | -53 | 62 |
| Kohima | 1463 | 132 | 381 | 673 | 1186 | 81.07 | -39 | 58 |
| Longleng | 562 | 0 | 127 | 248 | 375 | 66.73 | -20 | 34 |
| Mokokchung | 1615 | 2 | 504 | 816 | 1322 | 81.86 | -20 | 29 |
| Mon | 1786 | 32 | 434 | 741 | 1207 | 67.58 | -59 | 95 |
| Peren | 1651 | 137 | 659 | 642 | 1438 | 8.71 | -32 | 56 |
| Phek | 2026 | 274 | 643 | 707 | 1624 | 80.16 | -57 | 68 |
| Tuensang | 2536 | 441 | 554 | 678 | 1673 | 65.97 | -99 | 32 |
| Wokha | 1628 | 1 | 468 | 837 | 1306 | 80.22 | -33 | 8 |
| Zunheboto | 1255 | 84 | 369 | 481 | 934 | 74.42 | -38 | 55 |
| Grand Total | 16579 | 1279 | 4587 | 6623 | 12489 | 75.33 | -450 | 503 |
| Districts | Geographical area | 2015 Assessment | Percentage of Geographical area | Change | Scrub | |||
| Very dense forest | Mod. dense forest | Open forest | Total | |||||
| Dimapur | 758 | 0 | 73 | 338 | 411 | 54.22 | -16 | 2 |
| Kohima | 3283 | 290 | 1130 | 1443 | 2863 | 87.21 | -34 | 115 |
| Mokokchung | 1615 | 3 | 514 | 827 | 1344 | 83.22 | -16 | 39 |
| Mon | 1786 | 32 | 446 | 792 | 1270 | 71.11 | -67 | 136 |
| Phek | 2026 | 275 | 652 | 757 | 1684 | 83.12 | -8 | 77 |
| Tuensang | 4228 | 610 | 1014 | 1458 | 3084 | 72.89 | -44 | 171 |
| Wokha | 1628 | 1 | 483 | 865 | 1340 | 82.31 | -14 | 13 |
| Zunheboto | 1255 | 85 | 383 | 504 | 972 | 77.45 | -13 | 69 |
| Grand Total | 16579 | 1296 | 4695 | 6975 | 12966 | 78.21 | -78 | 622 |
| Districts | Geographical area | 2013 Assessment | Percentage of Geographical area | Change | Scrub | |||
| Very dense forest | Mod. dense forest | Open forest | Total | |||||
| Dimapur | 758 | 0 | 75 | 352 | 427 | 56.33 | 35 | 0 |
| Kohima | 3283 | 289 | 1136 | 1472 | 2897 | 88.24 | -26 | 0 |
| Mokokchung | 1615 | 6 | 519 | 835 | 1360 | 84.21 | 11 | 0 |
| Mon | 1786 | 32 | 451 | 720 | 1203 | 67.36 | -36 | 1 |
| Phek | 2026 | 276 | 652 | 764 | 1692 | 83.51 | -75 | 0 |
| Tuensang | 4228 | 609 | 1027 | 1490 | 3126 | 73.94 | -106 | 1 |
| Wokha | 1628 | 1 | 491 | 862 | 1354 | 83.17 | -24 | 0 |
| Zunheboto | 1255 | 85 | 385 | 515 | 985 | 78.49 | -53 | 0 |
| Grand Total | 16579 | 1298 | 4736 | 7010 | 13044 | 78.68 | -274 | 2 |
| Districts | Geographical area | 2011 Assessment | Percentage of Geographical area | Change | Scrub | |||
| Very dense forest | Mod. dense forest | Open forest | Total | |||||
| Dimapur | 758 | 0 | 75 | 317 | 392 | 51.72 | -9 | 0 |
| Kohima | 3283 | 288 | 1146 | 1489 | 2923 | 89.03 | 58 | 0 |
| Mokokchung | 1615 | 3 | 521 | 825 | 1349 | 83.53 | -46 | 0 |
| Mon | 1786 | 33 | 482 | 724 | 1239 | 69.37 | -55 | 1 |
| Phek | 2026 | 279 | 675 | 813 | 1767 | 87.22 | 56 | 0 |
| Tuensang | 4228 | 603 | 1112 | 1517 | 3232 | 76.44 | -108 | 2 |
| Wokha | 1628 | 1 | 504 | 873 | 1378 | 84.64 | -36 | 0 |
| Zunheboto | 1255 | 86 | 416 | 536 | 1038 | 82.71 | -6 | 0 |
| Grand Total | 16579 | 1293 | 4931 | 7094 | 13318 | 80.33 | -146 | 3 |
* Area figure calculated without normalization factor.
Source: India State of Forest Report 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2023
Classification of Forest areas, 2022-23:
(Area In Sq. km)
| Description | Area in Hectares | Forest Area (Sq. Km) | % Against area under Forest Deptt. | % Aganist area under Geographical Area of 16579 Sq. Km |
| Reserved Forest | 23375.50 | 233.76 | 2.78% | 1.41% |
| Purchased Forest/ Donated Land | 22299.35 | 222.99 | 2.65% | 1.35% |
| Total Forest Department Controlled land | 456.75 | |||
| Un-classed Forest | 34392.48 | 343.92 | ||
| Village owned Forest | 762107.0 | 7621.07 | ||
| 8421.74 | ||||
| Total Government Controlled Land Against Village Owned Land : | 456.75 | 5.99% | ||
| 7621.07 | ||||
Source: Nagaland Statistical Handbook 2023
Forest and Tree Resources in State of Nagaland (India State of Forest Report 2023): 
Forest and Tree Resources in State of Nagaland (India State of Forest Report 2021):
Forest and Tree Resources in State of Nagaland (India State of Forest Report 2019):
Forest and Tree Resources in State of Nagaland (India State of Forest Report 2017):
Forest and Tree Resources in State of Nagaland (India State of Forest Report 2015):
Forest and Tree Resources in State of Nagaland (India State of Forest Report 2013):
Forest and Tree Resources in State of Nagaland (India State of Forest Report 2011):