Reserved forests are a type of forest that enjoys judicial protection based on legal systems. They are protected forests with natural vegetation and wildlife, and are regarded as the most valuable as far as the conservation of forest and wildlife resources are concerned. Reserved forests cover a large portion of the land in Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. More than half of the total forest land in India has been declared reserved forests.
Protected forests, on the other hand, are large areas of land dominated by trees that are often upgraded to wildlife sanctuaries, which may further upgrade to national parks. They are also referred to as permanent forest estates maintained for the purpose of producing timber and other forest produce, and for protective reasons.
In summary, reserved forests are protected forests with natural vegetation and wildlife that enjoy judicial protection based on legal systems, while protected forests are large areas of land dominated by trees that are maintained for the purpose of producing timber and other forest produce, and for protective reasons.
