Fonds LK-NA/203 - Forest Department

The British Rulers who administered the country during the early 19th century realized the importance of Forest Management. Firstly, Mr.Samuel Daniell was appointed as " Manager of Woods and Forests" in Ceylon by the Governor Sir Thomas Maitland (1805-1811) on 19th March 1806. It is said that the position was created especially for him and not filled after his death. After long years of silence in 1871, a number of Foresters were appointed to several provinces. Sir Joseph Hooker, who first brought the matter of conservation of Forests to the notice of the Rulers in 1874 strongly urged to reserve all Crown Forests above 5000 ft. above mean sea level.
In 1882 F.d'A.Vincent of the Indian Forest Service visited the Island and submitted his observations on Forest Conservation. As a result of his Report" Forest Ordinance" No.10 of 1885 was passed by the Legislative Council.
The Forest Department of Sri Lanka came into existence as a separate Department in June, 1887. The Forest Ordinance was amended in 1909, in order to provide wider powers to the Conservator of Forests.
The Forest Department was placed under the Minister of Agriculture and Lands under the Donoughmore Constitution in 1931.
Natural Forests were gradually exploited for supplying of Hardwood. The Gintota Plywood Factory which was established in 1946, functioned under the Ministry of Industries. The Ceylon Plywood Corporation took over the Gintota Factory in 1964 and started functioning as a separate corporation. Air Survey of Sri Lankan Forests began in 1956, and concluded in 1961. The Forest Inventory of Sri Lanka was published in 1961.
The State Timber Corporation was created in 1968 and took over the production and sale of Timber from the Forest Department. The "Man and Biosphere Programme, was launched in 1975.
The Forest Department is the State Agency for the development and Management of the Forest Resources in Sri Lanka. It manages about 3.0 million acres of forests. It has a total strength of 641 officers who attend to reforestation. protection and research functions.