A major part of Jalpaiguri district is covered by forests.   Even today this area remains one of the most     prominent wildlife areas of the  country and bears the     best Sal forest in India. The main forest cover    comprises of Semi-Moist-Deceduous vegetation. Apart  from these high   rise forests there are floodplains of  rivers like Murti, Jaldhaka,   torsa etc.covered with  grasslands which nourishes a wide spectrum  of   wildlife.
The forests of Jalpaiguri is home to many rare and  endangered species of mammals and birds. The Indian One Horned  Rhinocerous is found in both Gorumara National Park and Jaldapara   Wildlife Sanctuary. Near extinct species like the Hispid Hare and   Pygmy   Hog have been reported from the Gorumara National Park. Bengal   Florican  an endangered bird had been photographed in Jaldapara   wildlife  sanctuary. Apart from this species like Tiger, Leopard,   Asian  Elephant, Gaur, Wild Boar, Sambar, Cheetal, Hog deer, Barking   Deer are also found  in the various forest tracts of Jalpaiguri.

A   number of divisions of forest department of Govt. of West Bengal are   working over this area. Forests like Gorumara, Chapramari, Jaldapara   and Buxa are declared as sanctuaries and national park to protect  wildlife.

The forests of Jalpaiguri mainly extend from plains to Terai regions of Himalayas and is located in the flood plains of different main hill rivers and other medium and small rivers and rivulets which have created a pocket of grass land. Apart from national parks and sanctuaries a significant area of this district is covered by forest. Somewhere it has such a  luxurious growth that even the sun light finds it difficult to kiss the land.

The forest of this  district are predominately Sal with pockets of various other types- Evergreen Forest,  Savannahs, Riverain forest and swamps. The Sal forests can be primarily classified as a)  Mature Sal b) Scattered Sal c) Wet mixed and d) Dry Sal. Savannahs are found where a  good quality of sand is present in the soil and are characterised by the presence of  Kumbhi, Amla, Sidha, Tanki etc. Riverain forest is a deciduous forest and its main two  species are Khair and Sissoo. At some places Odal and Sidha are found in good  proportion. In many places lands surrounding the streams are swampy and bear a special  type of vegetation viz. tree syzgygium formosum, Carallia integerrima, Elaeocarpus  species and Myristica species.

A vast population is directly or indirectly dependant on the  forest of Jalpaiguri district. The forest of Jalpaiguri bears its significance in the  international context for providing shelter and protection to various species of wildlife  included in the Red Data Book (RDB) and appendices of CITES (Convention on  International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna). One can view  forests of Chalsa, Lataguri, Diana, Nathua, Moraghat, Dalgaon, Ramshai, Banarhat,  Jayanti and Kumargram to enjoy its beauty and diversity.