Department of Forest Conservation
Encyclopedia
The Department of Forest Conservation is a non-ministerial government department
responsible for forestry
in Sri Lanka
. Its mission is to protect and expand Sri Lanka's forest
s and woodland
s. The head of the department is the Conservator General, M.P.A.U.S. Fernando. It comes under the purview of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
It has limited policing powers in protected forest areas to stop illegal poaching and logging, with the power to arrest suspects.
Non-ministerial government department
A non-ministerial government department is a department or ministry of a government that is not headed by a Government Minister or Government Secretary, and answers directly to a legislature ....
responsible for forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. Its mission is to protect and expand Sri Lanka's forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s and woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s. The head of the department is the Conservator General, M.P.A.U.S. Fernando. It comes under the purview of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
It has limited policing powers in protected forest areas to stop illegal poaching and logging, with the power to arrest suspects.
Forests
Some of the forests managed by the Department of Forest Conservation are:- Hurulu Man and Biosphere ReserveHurulu Forest ReserveHurulu Forest Reserve of Sri Lanka was designated as a biosphere reserve in January 1977. The forest reserve is an important habitat of the Sri Lankan Elephant. Hurulu forest reserve represents Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests. There are many other protected areas situated around Hurulu...
, 1977 - Sinharaja Man and Biosphere ReserveSinharaja Forest ReserveSinharaja Forest Reserve is a national park and a biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka. It is of international significance and has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO....
, 1978 - Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya (KDN), 2004