View source for Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department

{{short description|Indian law enforcement agency in Kerala}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname        = Kerala Forest Department
| logo              = [[File:Logo of Kerala Forest Department.png|frameless|center|image has rationale=yes]]
| logocaption       = Seal of Kerala Forest Department
| seal              =
| sealcaption       =
| motto             = सुरक्षित भाव्यर्थम्
| mottotranslated   = For Secure Future
| formed            = {{start date and age|1888}}
| preceding1        =
| preceding2        =
| dissolved         =
| superseding       =
| legaljuris        = [[Kerala]]
| headquarters      = [[Vazhuthacaud]], [[Kerala]]
| employees         =
| budget            =
| country           = India
| minister1name     = [[A. K. Saseendran]]
| minister1pfo      = Minister for Forests and Wildlife, Zoos & Animal Husbandry
| chief1name        = Ganga Singh, [[Indian Forest Service|IFS]]
| chief1position    = Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of The Forest Force
| chief2name        =
| chief2position    =
| parentagency      =
| child1agency      =
| child2agency      =
| website           = {{URL|forest.kerala.gov.in}}
| footnotes         =
}}
'''Kerala Forests & Wildlife Department''' is a department of the [[Government of Kerala]] responsible for [[forestry]] and [[wildlife management]] in the state of [[Kerala]], [[India]]. The department is involved with the protection and conservation of flora and fauna in their [[habitat|natural habitat]]s and conserves {{cvt|11,524.149|sqkm}} of [[forests]] forming 29.65% of the total geographic area of the state.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-03-25 |title=Kerala forest dept sensitizes staff on forest ‘cover’ and ‘area’ |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/forest-dept-sensitizes-staff-on-forest-cover-and-area/articleshow/98984368.cms |access-date=2024-04-08 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
Headquartered in [[Vazhuthacaud]], [[Thiruvananthapuram]], the department is headed by the [[Principal Chief Conservator of Forests]], serving as the [[Head of Forest Forces|Head of Forest Force]].The headquarters also houses the Forest Central Library which is open for public access.
==Organisational Structure==
The Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department, under the leadership of Minister [[A. K. Saseendran]] for Forests and Wildlife, is governed by the [[Principal secretary (India)|Principal Secretary]] to Government (Forests and Wildlife).
=== Forest headquarters ===
The Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department is headed by a [[Principal Chief Conservator of Forests]], who is assisted by several officers, including Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Conservator of Forests (CF), and Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF). The department has a staff strength of over 11,000 employees, including forest officers, rangers, guards, and other support staff.
The department is organized into five circles, each headed by a Chief Conservator of Forests. The circles are further divided into divisions and ranges, each headed by a Divisional Forest Officer and Range Officer, respectively.
===Hierarchy===
*Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & [[Head of Forest Forces|Head of Forest Force]] (PCCF & HoFF)
*Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF)
*Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF)
*Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF)
*Conservator of Forests (CF)
*Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) / Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) / Wildlife warden
*Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF)
*Range Forest Officer (RFO)
*Deputy Range Forest Officer (DyRFO)
*Section Forest Officer (SFO)
*Beat Forest Officer (BFO)
==Responsibilities==
* Biodiversity conservation
* Forest protection
* Wildlife management and research
* Forest development
* Social forestry
* Forest vigilance and evaluation
* Eco-development and tribal welfare
* Planning and research
* Rehabilitation and special afforestation
* Human resource development
==See also==
*[[Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education]]
* [[Van Vigyan Kendra]] - Forest Science Centers
* [[Operation Shikkar]] - Combat illegal ivory smuggling and poaching
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.forest.kerala.gov.in Official Website]
* [http://www.kerala.gov.in/ Government of Kerala]
* [http://moef.nic.in/index.php Ministry of Environments and Forests, Government of India]
* [http://www.minister-forest.kerala.gov.in/ Minister for Kerala Forests and Wildlife]
* [http://www.kfri.res.in/ Kerala Forest Research Institute]
[[Category:State forest departments of India|Kerala]]
[[Category:Government departments of Kerala|Forest]]
[[Category:Law enforcement in Kerala]]
[[Category:Wildlife conservation in India]]
[[Category:Environment of Kerala]]