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| Haryana Forest Department | |
|---|---|
| Name | Haryana Forest Department |
| Formation | 1966 |
| Type | State agency |
| Headquarters | Chandigarh |
| Region served | Haryana |
| Leader title | Principal Chief Conservator of Forests |
| Parent organization | Government of Haryana |
Haryana Forest Department
The Haryana Forest Department is the state-level agency responsible for the management, conservation, and development of forest and wildlife resources in Haryana. It implements state policies aligned with national frameworks such as the Indian Forest Act, 1927, the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and schemes from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The department operates across ecological zones ranging from the Shivalik Hills to the Sutlej-Yamuna Doab, interfacing with institutions like the Forest Survey of India and the Wildlife Institute of India.
The department traces its institutional roots to colonial-era forest administration codified under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and post-independence reorganization following the formation of Haryana in 1966. Early initiatives drew upon models developed by the Forest Research Institute and guidance from All India Forest Conservation Committee deliberations. In the 1970s and 1980s the department aligned with national conservation milestones such as the enactment of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and participation in the Project Tiger paradigm, subsequently adapting to state land-use pressures from rapid urbanization in Gurugram and Faridabad. Modernization accelerated with digital mapping influenced by the National Remote Sensing Centre and policy shifts following the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
The administrative structure is headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, reporting to the Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of Haryana and interacting with the Chief Minister of Haryana and the Haryana Legislative Assembly on policy matters. The state is divided into territorial circles and divisions such as the Ambala Division, Gurgaon Division, and Rohtak Forest Division, each led by Conservators and Divisional Forest Officers drawn from the Indian Forest Service and Haryana Forest Service. Technical wings include the Social Forestry wing, Wildlife wing, Forest Protection Force, and the Research and Training units which coordinate with the Forest Training Institute and regional offices of the Central Zoo Authority for captive breeding and rescue operations.
Key responsibilities encompass afforestation, management of reserved and protected forests, wildlife conservation, and implementation of state and central schemes like the National Afforestation Programme and Green India Mission. The department administers legal instruments derived from the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 to regulate diversion of forest land, working closely with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for approvals. It oversees scientific management through inventorying protocols from the Forest Survey of India and collaborates with academic partners such as the IIT Roorkee and Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University on landscape restoration and agroforestry.
Haryana’s forest mosaic includes dry deciduous tracts, riparian corridors along the Ghaggar-Hakra River and small Shivalik forest patches. The department manages sanctuaries and protected areas including Kalesar National Park — contiguous with Patanjali Reserve landscapes — and wildlife sanctuaries that form part of regional corridors used by species linked to the Sivalik Hills and Himachal Pradesh ecotones. Biodiversity initiatives target flagship and threatened taxa such as the Indian leopard, chital, and wetland-associated avifauna monitored under the Indian Bird Conservation Network. Botanical conservation engages with herbaria traditions linked to the Forest Research Institute to conserve endemic and medicinal species.
The department implements state schemes like large-scale plantation drives under the National Afforestation Programme, urban greening partnerships in Chandigarh and Gurugram, and agroforestry promotion under models advocated by the National Agroforestry Policy. Initiatives include joint projects with the United Nations Development Programme-supported activities and technical collaboration with the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education for carbon sequestration assessments. Public outreach has involved campaigns tied to national observances such as Van Mahotsav and collaboration with corporate partners under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority mechanisms.
Enforcement responsibilities are executed by an armed Forest Protection Force which applies provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and prosecutes offenses under the Indian Penal Code where relevant. Anti-poaching operations, human–wildlife conflict mitigation, and rescue protocols are coordinated with the State Disaster Management Authority and veterinary networks including the National Wildlife Health Centre. The department operates wildlife rescue units and rehabilitation efforts, collaborating with NGOs and institutions like the Bombay Natural History Society for species monitoring and with the National Tiger Conservation Authority on corridor conservation where interstate linkages exist.
Community engagement employs social forestry models and implements recognition of rights under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 through local Gram Sabhas and District Committees such as those established by the District Administration of Haryana. The department runs joint forest management committees influenced by precedents from the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act-linked livelihood programs and partners with cooperatives and producer groups in agroforestry value chains. Outreach includes capacity-building with organizations like the State Rural Livelihoods Mission to align conservation with rural development and customary resource use.
Category:State agencies of Haryana Category:Forestry in India