Forests of Bankura District are the economic background in West Bengal. These forests are the protected forests. The total forest area of Bankura District comprises of three divisions, Bankura (North) Division, Bankura (South) Division and Panchet Division. The forest area is about 1463.56 square kilometres. The forest area is covering at about 21.27 percent of the total land area of the district. The forests of Bankura District comprise 44.48 square kilometres of reserved forest, 1391.95 square kilometres of protected forest, and 27.13 square kilometres of unclassified state forest.

Forestry in Bankura District is one of the wealth. The development of the district depends much on the forest and the products of forests. Bankura District is better known as "Jungle Mahal" of West Bengal. The forest of Bankura is the natural pride among the people.

Forests of Bankura District are administered by the officers of Indian Forest Services and State Service Officers. The headquarter is at Bankura. In forest areas of Bankura, the majority of the population of Bankura, who are underprivileged, depend on the forest for various purposes like grazing, firewood, collection of Sal leaves and seeds, mushrooms etc. The Sal industry is one of the major agriculture based industry in Bankura.

Forests of Bankura District are in threat for forest degradation. The climate of Bankura District is quite conducive for the production of lac. The woods are used as fuel by 60 percent of the people of the district. Kendu leaf is another product of the forest used in tobacco industry. The vast quantity of honey is also collected from forests of Bankura every year.

The areas of Bankura District, which are in the forests like Khatra, Ranibandh, Bishnupur, Sonamukhi, Borjora and Gangajalghati are covered with dense forest with lots of rare plants and animals. The district of Bankura, the sizeable part of the land both in forest areas and non-forest areas remain vacant. The land under the Forest Department is approximately 21.5 percent. At about 48 percent of the forest is of degraded type. Moreover the plant cover in non-forest area is depleting gradually. This builds up biotic pressure on the existing forest area. Also forest is an important source of livelihood for the poor people in rural areas. It provides not only employment and income but is also an important source of fuel and silage for those people.