Vegetation Types of India following Champion and Seth 1968

Sl. No

Vegetation Type

General composition

Tropical wet
evergreen forests
Tropical semi
evergreen forests
Tropical Moist
deciduous forest

Dense Tall forests, entirely evergreen or nearly so

2
3

4
5

Tropical dry
deciduous forest
Tropical throny/
scrub forests

Tropical dry
evergreen forest

14

Littoral and
swampy forest
Subtropical broadleaved hill forests
Subtropical pine
forests
Subtropical dry
evergreen forests
Montane wet
temperate forests
Himalayan wet/
moist temperate
forests
Himalayan dry
temperate forests
Sub-alpine forests

15
16

Moist alpine
Dry alpine

8
9
10
11
12

13

* Area
%
in Sq. Km
51,249
8.0

Domants includes deciduous species but evergreens

predominants
Dominants mainly deciduous but sub-dominants and
lower story largely evergreen top canopy even and
dense but 25m high
Entirely deciduous or nearly so top canopy uneven
rarely over 25 m high
Deciduous with low throny trees and xerophytes
predominats top canopy more or less broken, less
than 10 m high
Hard leaved evergreen trees predominates with some
deciduous emergent often dense but usually under 20
m high
Mainly evergreens of varying density and height but
always associated predominantly with wetness
Broad-leaved largely evergreen high forests

26,424

4.1

236,794

37.0

186,620

28.6

16,491

2.6

1,404

0.2

4,046

0.6

2,781

0.4

Pine associated predominates

42,377

6.6

Low xerophytic forest and scrubs

12,538

2.5

Evergreen without coniferous species

23,365

3.6

Evergreen forests mainly scleriphyllous oak and

coniferous species

22,012

3.4

Coniferous forests with sparse xerophytic

undergrowth
Stunted deciduous or evergreen forests, usually close
formation with or without confers
Low but often dense scrub of evergreen species
Xerophytic scrub in open formation mostly of
deciduous in nature

312

18,628

2.9

Seasons best for Identification of Major Vegetation Types

Sl.No

Vegetation Type

Sl.No

Tropical wet/dry
Semi Evergreen
Tropical Moist
deciduous
Vegetation Type

Deciduous

4
5

Littoral and
swampy
Temperate

6
7
8

Subalpine/Alpine
Sal Forest
Teak Forest

Season for Forest

Type
Mar/Apr

Season for Forest

Density
Nov/Dec

* Composite Scale
1:100,000

Feb/Mar

Oct/Nov

1:100,000

Season for Forest

Type
Tropical Late Feb

Season for Forest

Density
Late. Nov

* Composite Scale

Mar/April

Nov

April/May

Late. Nov

Oct/ Nov
April
Late feb

Early Nov
Nov
Nov/Dec

Dry/Throny
1:50,000
1:50,000
Subtropical
1:50,000
1:100,000
1:50,000
1:50,000

Area of Forest and land Use/cover classes for East District, Sikkim Based on
IRS-1A LISS II Satellite Data 1988
Area in Sq. kms
Class
District
Reserve Forest
Cropland (Terraced/semi130.02
0.00
terraced
Fallow/Scrub in Revenue
93.64
0.00
Blocks
Sal Dense Forest
0.05
0.02
Sal Open Forest
1.55
1.21
Sal degraded Forest
0.00
0.00
Mixed Dense Forest
132.86
97.84
Mixed open
Mix Degraded Forest
Dense Conifer Forest
Open conifer Forest
Degraded Conifer Forest
Oak- Rhodondendron Forest
Scrubs in Reserved Forest
Forest Blanks
Alpine Scrub
Alpine pastures
Alpine Barren
Snow
Glaciers
Lakes
River/Major streams
Dry River Bed
Built up Areas
Land Slide/ Rock Outcrop
Areas

203.86
78.53
37.51
49.49
25.36
0.00
20.20
12.95
67.14
0.00
65.33
10.57
0.00
3.94
11.22
5.71
2.45
1.62

94.98
28.37
37.40
49.24
25.26
0.00
20.20
12.95
64.85
0.00
64.60
6.62
0.00
3.93
3.92
0.47
0.00
0.23

Miscellaneous
Total

0.00
954.00

0.00
512.09

Dense Canopy cover > 0.4

Open - Canopy cover0.2-0.4
Degraded Canopy cover 0.1-0.2
Scrubs Canopy cover <0.1

Area of Forest and land Use/cover classes for West District, Sikkim Based on
IRS-1A LISS II Satellite Data 1988
Area in Sq. kms
Class
District
Reserve Forest
Cropland (Terraced/semi-terraced
182.59
0.00
Fallow/Scrub in Revenue Blocks
39.15
0.00
Sal Dense Forest
0.00
0.00
Sal Open Forest
0.01
0.01
Sal degraded Forest
0.05
0.05
Mixed Dense Forest
151.27
130.68
Mixed open Forest
Mix Degraded Forest
Dense Conifer Forest
Open conifer Forest
Degraded Conifer Forest
Oak- Rhododendron Forest
Scrubs in Reserved Forest
Forest Blanks
Alpine Scrub
Alpine pastures
Alpine Barren
Snow
Glaciers
Lakes
River/Major streams
Dry River Bed
Built up Areas
Land Slide/ Rock Outcrop Areas
Miscellaneous
Total

142.66
114.85
67.57
103.75
44.05
32.33
8.15
18.98
64.82
0.00
89.91
92.24
0.00
2.58
7.56
1.57
0.37
1.54
0.00
1166.00

81.73
51.00
66.70
98.23
35.57
28.27
8.15
18.98
64.17
0.00
89.69
92.08
0.00
2.55
2.09
0.25
0.07
0.72
0.00
770.00

Dense Canopy cover > 0.4

Open - Canopy cover0.2-0.4
Degraded Canopy cover 0.1-0.2
Scrubs Canopy cover <0.1

Area of Forest and land Use/cover classes for South District, Sikkim Based on
IRS-1A LISS II Satellite Data 1988

Area in Sq. kms

Class
Cropland (Terraced/semiterraced
Fallow/Scrub in Revenue
Blocks
Sal Dense Forest
Sal Open Forest
Sal degraded Forest
Mixed Dense Forest

District
199.48

Reserve Forest
0.00

32.42

0.00

3.71
5.93
3.11
113.59

3.03
4.92
2.54
78.05

Mixed open Forest

Mix Degraded Forest
Dense Conifer Forest
Open conifer Forest
Degraded Conifer Forest
Oak- Rhododendron Forest
Scrubs in Reserved Forest
Forest Blanks
Alpine Scrub
Alpine pastures
Alpine Barren
Snow
Glaciers
Lakes
River/Major streams
Dry River Bed
Built up Areas
Land Slide/ Rock Outcrop
Areas

148.66
69.32
27.66
21.31
10.55
10.69
11.34
18.06
30.32
0.00
13.36
11.94
0.00
0.00
9.56
2.83
0.53
5.64

58.37
19.54
25.71
19.42
9.10
6.76
11.34
18.06
25.76
0.00
11.88
10.68
0.00
0.00
0.77
0.26
0.18
2.76

Miscellaneous
Total

0.00
750

0.00

Dense Canopy cover > 0.4

Open - Canopy cover0.2-0.4
Degraded Canopy cover 0.1-0.2
Scrubs Canopy cover <0.1

309.13

Area of Forest and land Use/cover classes for North District, Sikkim Based on
IRS-1A LISS II Satellite Data 1988
Area in Sq. kms
Class
District
Reserve Forest
Cropland (Terraced/semi29.35
0.00
terraced
Fallow/Scrub in Revenue
70.10
0.00
Blocks
Sal Dense Forest
0.00
0.00
Sal Open Forest
0.00
0.00
Sal degraded Forest
0.00
0.00
Mixed Dense Forest
205.62
168.51
Mixed open Forest
Mix Degraded Forest
Dense Conifer Forest
Open conifer Forest
Degraded Conifer Forest
Oak- Rhododendron Forest
Scrubs in Reserved Forest
Forest Blanks
Alpine Scrub
Alpine pastures
Alpine Barren
Snow
Glaciers
Lakes
River/Major streams
Dry River Bed
Built up Areas
Land Slide/ Rock Outcrop
Areas

276.14
166.82
235.32
187.19
93.41
83.03
62.39
44.60
477.64
433.00
651.47
908.64
208.47
25.28
35.45
30.37
0.17
1.54

209.91
98.38
225.90
178.03
88.77
66.27
62.39
44.60
459.54
432.41
646.83
907.99
208.47
28.29
24.91
30.37
0.00
1.54

Miscellaneous
Total

0.00
4226.00

0.00
3880.11

Dense Canopy cover > 0.4

Open - Canopy cover0.2-0.4
Degraded Canopy cover 0.1-0.2
Scrubs Canopy cover <0.1

Area Statistics for Biosphere Reserve

(in Sq. km)
Class
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

(1)
Mixed Dense Forest
Mixed open Forest
Mix Degraded Forest
Dense Conifer Forest
Open conifer Forest
Degraded Conifer
Forest
Oak- Rhododendron
Forest
Scrubs in Reserved
Forest
Forest Blanks
Alpine Scrub
Alpine pastures
Alpine Barren
Snow
Glaciers
Lakes
River/Major streams
Dry River Bed
Total

(2)
89.15
93.99
45.97
41.71
69.46
16.58

North
(3)
6.36
10.86
9.25
13.41
6.10
4.03

West
(4)
(5)
39.31
0.58
28.07
1.05
19.23
0.39
53.15
2.74
74.50
9.38
28.60
2.89

South
(6)
(7)
51.41
1.42
29.08
0.78
8.34
0.66
23.69
1.10
16.11
2.57
7.54
1.19

Total
(8)
(9)
179.86
8.37
151.14
12.70
73.54
10.30
118.56
17.25
160.07
18.05
52.73
8.11

Grand
188.23
163.84
83.84
135.81
178.12
60.84

(10)

29.79

5.75

20.38

0.16

5.51

0.77

55.68

7.13

62.81

17.75

4.56

3.20

0.16

2.47

0.44

23.43

5.16

28.59

13.42
129.41
7.34
67.75
277.01
107.87
1.86
8.41
6.29
1023.76

4.86
44.04
0.68
30.34
100.00
29.81
0.00
2.95
1.69
274.69

1.41
51.58
0.00
72.34
68.37
0.00
2.34
1.47
0.00
463.95

0.00
8.43
0.00
19.31
25.73
0.00
0.08
0.10
0.00
71.45

4.56
4.47
0.00
5.16
5.99
0.00
0.00
0.46
0.00
164.79

0.40
6.86
0.00
5.88
3.82
0.00
0.00
0.03
0.00
25.92

19.39
185.45
7.34
145.25
351.37
107.87
4.20
10.34
6.29
1652.51

5.27
59.33
0.68
55.53
129.55
29.81
0.08
3.08
1.69
372.09

24.65
244.79
8.02
200.78
480.93
137.68
4.28
13.42
7.98
2024.61

Class
Mixed Forest
Conifer/ Oak- Rhodo Forest (4+5+6+7)
Forest Blanks/Scrubs (8+9)
Alpine Scrub/Pastures (10+11)
Alpine Barren(12)
Snow(13+14)
Lakes /Streams/dry River (15+16+17)
Total
Dense Foresr (1+4)
Open Forest (2+5+7)
Degraded Forest (3+6)
Forest Blanks / Scrubs (8+9)
Alpine Scrubs/ Pasture (10+11)
Alpine Barren (12)
Snow (13+14)
Lakes /Streams/dry River (15+16+17)
Total

North
255.59
186.83
40.60
181.47
98.09
514.69
21.20
1298.47
150.63
215.96
75.83
40.60
181.47
98.09
514.69
21.20
1298.47

West
88.63
192.26
4.77
60.01
91.65
94.10
3.99
535
95.78
133.99
51.11
4.77
60.01
91.65
94.10
3.99
535

South
91.69
58.49
7.87
11.33
11.04
9.81
0.49
190.74
77.63
54.81
17.74
7.87
11.33
11.04
9.81
0.49
190.74

Grand total
435.91
437.58
53.25
252.81
200.78
618.60
25.68
2024.60
324.04
404.76
144.68
53.25
252.81
200.78
618.60
25.68
2024.60

% age of Total
21.53
21.61
2.63
12.49
9.92
30.55
1.27
100.00
16.01
19.99
7.15
2.63
12.49
9.92
30.55
1.27
100.00