Forest Department is one of the few oldest and important administrative organs of the State with its Headquarters at Thiruvananthapuram.
The forests of Kerala will be managed with the following objectives;
- To conserve and expand unique and complex natural forests of Kerala for posterity, in particular with regard to water; biodiversity; extent; productivity; soil, environmental, historical, cultural and aesthetic values, without affecting their ecological processes.
- To increase the productivity of forest plantations through appropriate management interventions and use of modern technology to meet the needs of the present and future generations.
- To increase the tree cover both inside and outside the forest to meet the timber & non-timber demands of the society.
- To conserve, maintain and enhance the existing gene pool of the state for posterity.
- To reduce pressure on forest through appropriate interventions.
- To meet the livelihood needs of tribals and other forest dependent communities.
- To sustainably conserve and manage biodiversity-rich and sensitive ecosystems such as mangroves, sacred groves, coastal areas, wetlands, homesteads, private plantations etc. which are outside the control of the Forest Department.
- To improve the standard of living of the forest dependent tribals and village communities.
Subjects assigned to the Department
General Administration including Recruitment and Establishment matters, Biodiversity Conservation, Forest Protection, Wildlife Management and Research, Forest Development, Social Forestry, Forest Vigilance and Evaluation, Eco-development and Tribal Welfare, Planning and Research, Tribal Rehabilitation and Special afforestation and Human Resource Develelopment etc