Khalek Rahaman at 10:14, 2 May 2026

2026-05-02T10:14:37Z

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{{Short description|State-level government agency in India}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox government agency
| name = Tamil Nadu Forest Department
| native_name_a = {{lang|ta|தமிழ்நாடு வனத்துறை}}
| logo = TamilNadu Logo.svg
| formed = {{Start date and age|1856|paren=yes}}
| jurisdiction = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| headquarters = [[Guindy, Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]]
| num_employees = 9,188
| chief1_name = Srinivas Reddy, [[Indian Forest Service|IFS]]
| chief1_position = [[Indian Forest Service#Principal Chief Conservator of Forests|Principal Chief Conservator of Forests]]
| parent_agency = [[Government of Tamil Nadu]]
| website = https://www.forests.tn.gov.in/
}}
[[File:Panagal Building.jpg|thumb|Head office of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is in the ''Panagal Maaligai'' or Panagal Building in [[Saidapet]], [[Chennai]].]]
[[File:IN-TN.svg|thumb|Map of Tamil Nadu, India]]

The '''Tamil Nadu Forest Department''', formerly the '''Madras Forest Department''', is a [[Government of Tamil Nadu|government department]] responsible for managing all the [[Protected areas of Tamil Nadu|protected areas]] and forests plus [[Environmental policy|environmental]] and [[wildlife]] related issues of [[Tamil Nadu]] state in [[South India]]. The objective of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is to conserve [[biodiversity]] and [[eco-system]]s of forests and wilderness areas to ensure [[water security]] and [[food security]] of the state.

The [[Principal Chief Conservator of Forests]], Head of Forest Force (HoFF) is the head of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. The Chief Wildlife Warden, five Additional Principal Chief Conservators of Forests and eight Chief Conservator of Forests function under the PCCF in the head office at ''Panagal Maaligai'' (pictured), [[Saidapet]], [[Chennai]]. All the Chief Conservators of Forests are assisted by the [[Conservator of Forests|Conservators of Forests]] and Deputy Conservator of Forests who have regional and specialised responsibilities.<ref name="EFD">
{{citation
|url=http://www.tn.gov.in/citizen/forests.pdf
|title= CITIZEN'S CHARTER – Forests
|pages=2–4
|publisher=Environment and Forests Department
|place=Chennai
|year= 2006
|accessdate=15 February 2011
}}</ref>

All officials of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, down to the level of Assistant Conservator of Forests, are graduates of [[Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration]] and the [[Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy]] and are members of the [[Indian Forest Service]], entitled to use the formal suffix IFS after their name. There are total of 9,188 employees of the department.<ref name="TVFDorgan">
{{citation
|url=http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/administration/organizational_structure.html
|title=Organizational Structure
|publisher=Tamil Nadu Forest Department
|place=Chinnai
|accessdate=9 January 2011
}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Hugh Cleghorn.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Dr Hugh Cleghorn, founder of Madras Forest Department, 1856]]
[[File:DietrichBrandis.jpg|thumb|125px|Dietrich Brandis, reorganised Madras Forestry Department in 1882]]
[[File:H. A. Gass CCF TFD.JPG|thumb|125px|H A Gass, Conservator of Forests about 1906]]
[[File:Douglas Hamilton, Alan, Teak tree, A.jpg|thumb|125px|left|Teak tree, 1870 by Douglas Hamilton]]
[[File:George Robinson 1st Marquess of Ripon.jpg|thumb|125px|Lord Ripon, Viceroy of India, 1880-1884]]
In 1855 [[Hugh Francis Cleghorn|Dr Hugh Francis Cleghorn]] (pictured) was asked to organise the Madras Forest Department and started [[Sustainable forest management|systematic forest]] [[Conservation (ethic)|conservancy]] in India.<ref name="Muthiah"/> On 19 December 1856 he was appointed Conservator of Forests in [[Madras Presidency]].<ref name="Cleg">
{{citation
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vw9EAAAAIAAJ&q=%22James+Michael%22+madras+teak&pg=PA228-IA2
|title=Pioneers of Indian Forestry
|volume= 31
|page=231
|author=H.F. Cleghorn
|year=1905
|work=The Indian forester
|issue=1
|publisher=Inspector General of Forests
|accessdate=22 February 2011

}}</ref> His persistent campaigning with the Government resulted in the banning of [[shifting cultivation]] in the Madras Presidency in 1860.<ref name="Muthiah">
{{cite news
|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/11/05/stories/2007110550080500.htm
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071108213227/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/11/05/stories/2007110550080500.htm
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=8 November 2007
|title=A life for forestry
|last=MUTHIAH|first=S.
|date=5 November 2007
|work=[[The Hindu]]
|accessdate=9 March 2009
}}</ref>
Cleghorn organised the new Madras Forestry Department with such energy and success that he was asked to extend his operations into the [[Punjab region|Punjab]]. He also afforded [[Dietrich Brandis]], [[Order of the Indian Empire|CIE]], [[Fellow of the Royal Society|FRS]], [[Order of the Indian Empire|CIE]], (pictured), efficient assistance in introducing and systematically working forest conservancy in the forests of [[Bengal]].<ref name="IF"/> Cleghorn has been called "the father of scientific forestry in India"<ref>Oliver, p. 620</ref><ref name="JSA ">
{{citation
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EVVDAAAAYAAJ&q=The+father+of+scientific+forestry+in+India&pg=PA734
|title=The Hill Forests of Western India, pp. 731–739
|work=Journal of the Society of Arts
|volume= 47
|publisher=Society of Arts (Great Britain)
|date=4 August 1899
|place=London
|page=735
|accessdate=21 February 2011
}}</ref>

On 10 January 1865, a public resolution by the Government of India designated Dr Cleghorn as the founder of Forest Conservancy in India, and added: "His long services from the first organisation of forest management in Madras have without question greatly conduced to the public good in this branch of the administration".<ref>H.F. Cleghorn p. 234</ref>

[[Douglas Hamilton]] was very interested in [[Sustainable forest management|forest conservation]] in South India, and often visited his old friend General James Michael who was organising an experimental forest conservancy in the [[Annaimalai Hills]]. In 1854, he was appointed to temporarily manage the conservancy and showed great aptitude for these new forestry duties. Douglas succeeded permanently to the appointment and for the next three years was in charge of the Annaimalai forests, supplying [[teak]] [[lumber]] for [[shipbuilding]] at the [[Bombay Dockyard]].
During this period, he became Assistant Conservator of Forests under Dr Hugh Francis Cleghorn who recently established the Madras Forest Department and whose work led to the establishment of the [[Ministry of Environment and Forests|Forest Department of India]] in 1864.<ref name="IF">
{{cite book
|last=Oliver
|first=J.W.
|title=The Indian Forester
|publisher=R. P. Sharma, Business Manager, Indian Forester
|location=Allahabad|year=1901
|edition=Original from Harvard University, Digitized 4 April 2008
|volume= v.27|pages=618–623
|chapter=Forestry in India
|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2U8YAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Douglas+Hamilton%22+madras++-johnson+-elephant+-whale+-william+1862&pg=PA623
}}</ref><ref name="IFS">
{{citation
|url=http://ifs.nic.in/
|title=Indian Forest Service, An Introduction
|publisher=Ministry of Environment and Forests
|place=New Delhi
|accessdate=9 January 2011
}}</ref>

In 1857 Douglas Hamilton had to return to his regiment. The assistant conservator vacancy at Anamalai was filled by Lieutenant [[Richard Henry Beddome]], who was an excellent explorer and who had a good knowledge of botany. He was recommended to Dr Cleghorn because of his powers of observation and description.<ref name="Cleghorn">
{{cite book
|last=Cleghorn
|first=Hugh Francis Clarke
|title=The Forests and Gardens of South India
|publisher=W. H. Allen
|location=London
|year= 1861
|pages=18, 46
|edition=Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized 10 February 2006|oclc=301345427
|url=http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/301345427?page=frame&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D_ZbC9FY1JqIC%26checksum%3D374d90c92770a514a51708f07461f0b3&title=&linktype=digitalObject&detail=}}</ref> He succeeded Cleghorn in 1860 and remained Chief Conservator until 1882.<ref name="Bedd">
{{citation
|url=http://mollus.oxfordjournals.org/content/10/2/51.full.pdf
|title=the death of Colonel Richard Henry Beddome
|work= Mollus. Stud. 10(2): OBITUARY NOTICES.
|pages=51–52
|last=Godwin-Austen
|first=H. H.
|year=1912
|publisher=Malacological Society of London
|accessdate=9 February 2011
}}</ref>

After Beddome's retirement, upon the direction of the [[Viceroy of India]], [[George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon]] (pictured) and with the strong support of [[M E Grant Duff]], [[Governor of Madras]], Dietrich Brandis reorganised the Forestry Department as it operated smoothly thereafter.<ref>Oliver, pp. 616–617</ref> J A Gamble followed R H Beddome as the conservator of forests. Gamble's successor was Horace Archibald Gass (pictured). Gass is now remembered for establishing the [[Gass Forest Museum]]. Gass was succeeded by F A Lodge and then by J A Master.<ref name="Gass">
{{citation
|url=http://iwst.icfre.gov.in/database/Xylarium/ifgtb/general/history.htm
|title=History of Gass Forest Museum
|work= Database/Xylarium
|publisher=Institute of Wood Science and Technology
|accessdate=15 February 2011
}}</ref>

In 1868, [[The Forest College and Research Institute]] was first established as part of the [[Tamil Nadu Agricultural University|Agricultural School]] at Saidapet, Chennai. In 1916, it moved to [[Coimbatore]]. In 1989, [[Master's degree|Masters programme]] in [[forestry]] was introduced at the Forest College & Research Institute, new campus at [[Mettupalayam, Coimbatore|Mettupalayam]]. In 1990, a [[Doctorate degree|Doctoral programme]] was also introduced.<ref name="tnau">
{{citation
|url=http://www.tnau.ac.in/atnau.html
|title=About Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
|publisher=Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
|accessdate=9 February 2011
}}</ref>

In 1969, [[Madras State]] was renamed [[Tamil Nadu]] (land of the Tamils) and the name of the department was likewise also changed.

==Objectives==
The overall objective of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is to conserve [[biodiversity]] and [[eco-system]]s of forests and wilderness areas to ensure [[water security]] and [[food security]] of the state. Wildlife and [[wildlife habitat]]s should be conserved and sustainably managed to meet the social, economic, ecological, cultural, recreational and spiritual needs of the present and future generations of people in the state.<ref name="TVFDwild"/>

The forests in Tamil Nadu are managed with the following objectives:
*Ensure environmental stability by restoring ecological balance in forest ecosystems.
*Increase forest and tree cover to 33% of the state, and enhance the quality of forests.
*Conserve the wide array of [[bio-diversity]] through scientific management and improve habitat conditions for improved forest health.
*Protect and develop the forest [[Drainage basin|catchment area]] of rivers, lakes, reservoirs and all aquatic eco-systems.
*Meet the local requirements of fuel, fodder, [[non-timber forest product]]s and small timber to the extent possible on a sustainable basis through the principles of watershed development and Joint Forest Management.
*Sensitise all sections of the society for [[Sustainable forest management|forest/tree conservation]] through planning, interpretation, integration and collaboration.
*Increase forest based [[entrepreneurship]] to support improved livelihood and develop efficient marketing strategies.
*Make traditional forest produce available to the tribal people living inside the forests and make them partners in forest management.
*Develop [[Alternative energy|alternative]] [[renewable energy|renewable]] energy sources to meet the energy requirement of remote villages.
*Increase scientific management of forests for multiple objectives and to strengthen growth, yield and productivity systems.
*Stabilise [[Integrated coastal zone management|coastal eco-system]]s to ensure protection from natural calamities such as cyclones and tsunamis.<ref>CITIZEN'S CHARTER, p. 1</ref>

==Strategies==
Strategies adopted by the Forest Department to achieve these objectives are:
[[File:Management sign.JPG|thumb|300px|[[Natural resource management|Management sign]] at entrance to [[Mukurthi National Park]] encouraging [[wildlife conservation]]]]
*Provide absolute protection to forested area from all factors causing degradation, depletion and destruction of wildlife and wildlife habitats, by strict enforcement of the [[Wildlife Protection Act of 1972]] and the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882.
*Undertake Eco-development works to provide benefits to the occupants of habitations and villages in and around protected areas and enlist and maintain their support and willing participation in wildlife conservation.
*Facilitate [[Women in India#Independent India|empowerment of women]] for sustainable forest management.
*Facilitate education and awareness creation facilities including creation of Education and [[interpretation centre]]s for the benefit of all sections of population, especially students.
*Create awareness of the need to conserve our natural bio-resources through various mass media and other means (pictured).
*Undertake [[fire prevention]] and control measures in and around protected areas through specific programmes.
*Undertake habitat restoration, [[afforestation]] and improvement measures wherever necessary.
*Relocate human settlements from Protected Areas.
*Prevent outbreak of contagious diseases among wild animals by taking [[prophylactic]] disease prevention measures among domestic animals entering Sanctuaries and National Parks.
*Develop ex-situ conservation centres such as [[Zoo|zoological parks]], breeding and nursery programs and gene gardens.
*Construction of [[crop protection]] structures like fences, trenches and walls, etc.
*Identify and restore [[wildlife corridor]]s to facilitate free movement of animals between, through and around Protected Areas.
*Award adequate [[compensatory damages#Compensatory damages|compensatory damages]] to affected persons for death or damage caused by [[Human-wildlife conflict]].
*Restrict and regulate pollution causing industries and activities in a radius of {{convert|25|km|mi}} around protected areas as per the Environment Protection Act.
*Integrate the wildlife Protected Areas on a watershed or landscape basis with other sectors such as Rural Development, Animal Husbandry and Social Forestry for the sustained conservation and development of the area.
*Ensure that each and every Protected Area has a [[Environmental management|management plan]] in place.
*Conserve the [[medicinal plants]] in protected areas by creation and management of Medicinal Plants Conservation Area (MPCAs).
*Promote [[wildlife tourism]] for the Parks and not Parks for tourism. Tourism demands are subservient to conservation interests of the protected areas.
*Encourage appropriate monitoring and research works to develop working programmes and plans, to tackle identified problems in achieving objectives.<ref name="TVFDwild"/>

==Geographic divisions==
The Forest Department is responsible for managing an area over {{convert|3305|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, constituting 2.54% of the geographic area and 17.41% of the {{convert|22643|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} recorded forest area of the state.<ref name="TVFDwild">
{{citation
|url = http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/WildBiodiversity/wildbiodiversity_home.html
|title = Wild Biodiversity
|publisher = Tamil Nadu Forest Department
|place = Chinnai
|accessdate = 9 January 2011
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120206055559/http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/WildBiodiversity/wildbiodiversity_home.html
|archivedate = 6 February 2012
}}</ref> The Forest Department is organised in a geographic hierarchy ranging from Regions, Forestry Circles, Forestry Divisions and Forest Ranges to Beats and Watches. Each geographic category has its own level of management.<ref name="TVFDorgan"/>

==Management==
The Forest Department is organised in an administrative hierarchy ranging from Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to Forest Watchers, Mahouts and others.

===Principal Chief Conservator of Forests===
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Head of Forest Force (PCCF – HoFF) is in overall control of the whole Forest Department. All significant orders, permissions, declarations and authorisations of the department are personally reviewed, approved and signed by him.

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Wildlife Warden (PCCF & CWLW) is the principal assistant to the PCCF and is responsible for all [[wildlife]] matters of the department. There is also an [[Ecological economics|Eco-development]] officer directly advising the PCCF.

Five Additional Principal Chief Conservators of Forests (APCCF) are separately responsible for central administration of [[Afforestation]], Planning & Budgeting, Research & Working Plan, Forest Administration and the [[Environmental policy of the Government of India|Forest Conservation Act]].<ref name="EFD"/><ref name="TVFDorgan"/>

===Chief Conservator of Forests===
There are 13 Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), each of whom manages a forest region in addition to managing a separate technical aspect of Forest Department responsibility statewide. The separate technical aspects are[[M.Karuppampatti#Government Sponsored ongoing project|Tamil Nadu Afforestation Project]] (TAP), Planning and Development, Personnel and Vigilance, [[Social Forestry]] and Extension, [[Biodiversity]], Wildlife, Department Working Plan (WP), Headquarters, Research, Extension, [[Gass Forest Museum|Tamil Nadu Forest Academy]] (TNFA), Field Director – [[Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve]] (KMTR) and Director – [[Arignar Anna Zoological Park]] (AAZP).<ref name="EFD"/><ref name="TVFDorgan"/>

====Forest Regions and Circles====
The state is divided into 6 forest regions, each composed of two [[forest circle]]s. The wildlife matters of each region, including the [[Protected areas of Tamil Nadu#National Parks|5 National Parks in Tamil Nadu]], are the responsibility of a regional [[Game warden|wildlife warden]]. There are 12 territorial Forest circles. These Regions and Forest circles plus the KMTR, AAZP, TNFA and WP are the allotted responsibility of the following CCF:
[[File:Mukurthi National Park.jpg|thumb|375px|Wildlife Warden office sign at [[Ooty]], Nilgiri North and South Divisions, Coimbatore Circle, Tamil Nadu Forest Department]]
:Chennai region: [[Chennai]] Circle & [[Vellore]] Circle, CCF ([[Social Forestry]])
:Trichy region: [[Trichy]] Circle & [[Villupuram]] Circle, CCF (Personnel and Vigilance)
:Madurai region: [[Madurai]] Circle & [[Dindigul]] Circle, CCF (Planning & Development)
:Salem region: [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] Circle & [[Dharmapuri]] Circle, CCF (Headquarters)
:Tirunelveli region: [[Virudhunagar]] Circle & [[Tirunelveli]] Circle, CCF (Wildlife)
:Coimbatore region [[Coimbatore]] Circle & [[Erode]] Circle, CCF (TAP)
:AAZP, Director & CCF
:KMTR, [[Project Tiger]] Field Director & CCF
:Special Region, [[Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve]] (GOMBRT) CCF and Trust Director
:TNFA, Director & CCF. There is also a Principal TNFTC and 2 Additional Directors TNFA
:WP, Working Plan CCF (WP)<ref name="EFD"/><ref name="TVFDorgan"/>

===Conservator of Forests===
There are 26 Conservator of Forests (CF) under the CCFs, with one locally responsible for each of the 12 Forest Circles, 4 for Working Plans, and one each responsible for Planning & Development, Protection, Project Formulation, Forest Consolidation, Publicity, [[GIS]], HRD, TAP-I, TAP-II and Research. There are also 49 Assistant Conservator of Forests, who are usually new IFS officers.<ref name="EFD"/><ref name="TVFDorgan"/>

====Forest divisions====
Within each Forest Circle there are 2 or more [[Forest division]]s managed by one or more of 17 Divisional Conservator of Forests (DCF) or 18 Deputy Conservator of Forests and 30 District Forest Officers (DFO).<ref name="TVFDorgan"/>

Each Forest division has several [[Forest range]]s that are managed locally by [[Forest range officer]]s (FRO).
Each Forest range is divided into [[Forest range|beat]]s, each of which is the responsibility of one of the 585 [[Forest Ranger]]s in the state.

Each beat is divided into Forest Watches, each of which is the responsibility of one or more of the 1,353 [[Watchman (law enforcement)|Forest watcher]]s in the state. In addition there are 2,421 [[Security guard|Forest guard]]s to assist patrolling the forests.

There are 39 [[Mahout]]s and 44 Cavady to manage and train the working elephants ([[Kumki (elephant)|Kumki]]) owned and used by the Forest Department. There are 1,320 [[Forester]]s employed to physically manage the trees in the states forests. In addition, there are 3,256 ministerial staff and other employees in the department.<ref name="TVFDorgan"/>

==Forest Uniformed Services Recruitment Committee==
{{Infobox organization
| name = Tamil Nadu Forest Uniformed Services Recruitment Committee <br>தமிழ்நாடு வன சீருடைப் பணியாளர் தேர்வு குழுமம்
| abbreviation = TNFUSRC
| formation = 2012
| extinction = 
| type = agency of the Govt
| purpose = Recruitment
| location = No.1, Jeenis Road, Panagal Maaligai, 8th Floor, Saidapet, [[Chennai]]-600 015., Tamil Nadu
| coordinates =
| region_served = Tamil Nadu
| num_staff = 4+14
| website = {{URL|http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/committee.html}}
}}

The '''[[Tamil Nadu]] [[Forest]] Uniformed Services Recruitment Committee (TNFUSRC)''' was constituted by the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]] in 2012 vide G.O Ms.No. 157, Environment and Forests (FR-2) Department, dated 29 June 2012<ref>[http://cms.tn.gov.in/sites/default/files/gos/eandf_t_157_2012.pdf Government Order]</ref> for the recruitment of personnel for the Tamil Nadu Forest Department (TNFD) and the 3 Forest Corporation namely
*Tamil Nadu Forest Plantation Corporation Limited (TAFCORN),
*Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation Limited (TANTEA) and
*Arasu Rubber Corporation Limited (ARC).
The committee is in line with the [[Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board]] that recruits constables, head constables and sub inspectors of police.<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/panel-for-hiring-forest-personnel/article3650254.ece Panel for hiring forest personnel]</ref>

The TNFUSRC headed by an officer in the rank of Additional [[Principal Chief Conservator of Forests]] and a Member-Secretary in the rank of Conservator of Forests. It will have two members, of whom one will be the managing director of a corporation or an officer recommended by him and the other in the rank of Chief Conservator of Forests.<ref>[http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/graphics/TNFUSRC.pdf TNFUSRC]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission]]
* [[Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board]]
* [[Medical Services Recruitment Board]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.forests.tn.gov.in/}}
* [http://www.forests.tn.nic.in/graphics/NOTIFICATION-TNFUSRC.pdf TNFUSRC FORESTER,FIELD ASSISTANT Recruitment 2014]

{{coord missing|Tamil Nadu}}
{{State Organizations of Tamil Nadu}}

[[Category:Government departments of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:State forest departments of India]]
[[Category:1855 establishments in India]]

Tamil Nadu Forest Department - Revision history

Khalek Rahaman at 10:14, 2 May 2026