India's forests are classified into Reserved Forests (managed by the government, about 54% of total forest area), Protected Forests (where grazing and timber collection are restricted, about 29%), and Unclassed Forests (managed by communities and individuals, about 17%). Based on vegetation, India has tropical evergreen forests, tropical deciduous forests, thorn forests, montane forests, and mangrove forests. The distribution varies by rainfall, temperature, and altitude across different states.

Joint Forest Management (JFM) is a collaborative forest management programme in India where local communities and the Forest Department work together to protect and manage degraded forest land. Introduced in 1988 under the National Forest Policy, JFM gives communities the right to use certain forest products in exchange for protecting forests. Odisha was a pioneer in involving communities in forest management. Today, JFM is practised in most Indian states and has improved both forest cover and community livelihoods.

Sacred groves are patches of forest that have been protected by local communities for centuries due to religious and cultural beliefs. These groves harbour rare and threatened species that have disappeared from other areas. Famous examples include the sacred groves of Khasi and Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, the Sarna in Chhota Nagpur region, and the Devrukh in Maharashtra. They represent one of the oldest forms of community-based conservation in India and are recognised as repositories of rich biodiversity.

The Chipko Movement was a grassroots environmental conservation movement that began in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand in the early 1970s. Villagers, especially women led by Sunderlal Bahuguna, hugged trees to prevent commercial logging. The movement successfully stopped deforestation in several areas and led to the Indian government imposing a 15-year ban on tree felling in the Himalayan forests. It became a symbol of people's power in environmental conservation and inspired similar movements across India.

The Bishnoi community of Rajasthan is known for their deep commitment to protecting trees and wildlife, guided by the teachings of Guru Jambheshwar from the 15th century. In 1730, Amrita Devi and 362 other Bishnoi villagers sacrificed their lives to protect Khejri trees from being felled by the king's soldiers near Jodhpur. This event, known as the Khejarli massacre, is one of the earliest recorded instances of environmental activism. The Bishnoi continue to protect blackbuck, chinkara, and local vegetation.

According to the India State of Forest Report, India's total forest and tree cover is approximately 24.62% of the total geographical area, still short of the 33% target set by the National Forest Policy. States like Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha have the largest forest cover. However, dense forests have been declining while open forests are increasing, indicating degradation. Deforestation continues due to mining, urban expansion, and agricultural encroachment in many regions.