FOREST ADMINISTRATION
1. Administration
Forests in Tamil Nadu are administered by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) in the I.F.S. cadre, assisted by 8 PCCFs, 16 APCCFs, 25 CCFs, 19 CFs and 39 DCFs. Moreover 70 officers of State Forest Service and Tamil Nadu General Service also assist the PCCF (HOFF) in the administration.
2. Functions
Functions of the Principal Chief Conservators of Forests and Additional Principal Chief Conservators of Forests of different wings of this Department are narrated below:
| Officer | Functions |
| Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) | Chief administrator and overall incharge of the Tamil Nadu Forest department and advises the Government on the policy of the Department |
| Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Wildlife Warden | Incharge of wildlife matters of the State as per Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 |
| Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Project Director (TBGP) | Plans, monitors and guides the externally aided projects viz. Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project, Tamil Nadu Afforestation Project |
| Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Research & Education) | Incharge of all research, education and training programmes |
| Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Administration) | Incharge of all service matters and other officers establishment including court cases |
| Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (CAMPA and Forest Settlement) | Incharge of compensatory afforestation projects and management of funds received thereon |
| Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Forest Conservation Act) | Monitoring cases under Forest Conservation Act besides acting as Nodal officer to GOI |
| Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Planning & Budgeting) | Incharge of the preparation of budget, Five year Plans, Plan schemes, controller of expenditure and Public Accounts Committee |
| Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Project Tiger) | Incharge of all activities in Tiger Reserves of Tamil Nadu |
| Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Protection & Vigilance) | Monitors protection of forests and wildlife, intelligence and crime records besides monitors the functions of all Forest Protection Squads in the State |
| Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry & Extension) | Incharge of Social Forestry Programmes and forestry extension activities |
| Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) | Assists Chief Wildlife Warden in all wildlife matters |
| Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Working Plan) | Incharge of preparation and revision of working plans |
3. Units functioning under APCCF, CCF and CF
| Units | Headed by | Functioning at |
| Wildlife | Addl. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests | Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur |
| CCF & Field Director * | Project Tiger, Coimbatore Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Pollachi KalakkadMundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Ooty | |
| CCF & Field Director * | Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, Erode | |
| Working Plan | Chief Conservator of Forests | Coimbatore, Trichy& Vellore |
| Forestry Extension | Chief Conservator of Forests | North Region, Chennai, Central Region, Salem, South Region, Madurai |
| Territorial circles | Conservators of Forests | Chennai, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Madurai, Salem, Tirunelveli, Trichy, Vellore, Villupuram and Virudhunagar. |
*- functioning under the control of Addl. PCCF (Project Tiger, Coimbatore)
4. Functioning pattern of other units
| Unit | Headed by | Controlling Authority |
| Division | DFO / Dl. FO / WLW / Assistant Conservator of Forests | Circle |
| Range | Forest Range Officer | Division |
| Section | Forester | Range |
| Beat | Forest Guard / Forest Watcher | Section |
5. Details of Divisions, Ranges, Sections, Beats, etc.
| Particulars | Nos. |
| Forest divisions (Territorial) | 46 |
| Forest divisions (Special) | 53 |
| No. of Forest Protection Squads | 13 |
| No. of ranges (Territorial) | 203 |
| No. of ranges (Functional) | 160 |
| No. of sections | 471 |
| No. of sections (Special) | 836 |
| No. of Beats | 1374 |
6. Administrative Setup
Posts in the level of Conservator of Forests and above are manned by Indian Forest Service Officers. Deputy Conservator of Forests posts are held by Indian Service Forest Officers / State Forest Service Officers.
Sanctioned Strength of Tamil Nadu Forest Department in Tamil Nadu State Forest Service/ General Service/ Sub-ordinate Service as on 01.01.2017
| 1 | IFS Officers | Already furnished by A Section |
| 2 | Forest Service Officers |
1) ACF : 66 2) DCF : 29 3) ADS : 1 4) HDO : 1 5) Sociologist : 1 6) Social Scientist : 1 |
| 3 | General Sevice |
1) PA : 23 2) DD : 1 3) JD : 1 4) LO : 1 5) Advocate : 3 6) Research Officer: 1 7) Senior System Manager : 2 8) System Analyst : 2 |
| 4 | Deputation from other departments |
1) Account Officer : 1 2) Chief Accounts Officer : 1 3) Financial Adviser : 1 4) Chief Personnel Officer: 1 5) Joint Director (Pub) : 1 |
| 5 | Subordinate Service |
1) Forest Range Officers : 542 2) Foresters : 1286 3) Forest Guards : 2408 4) Forest Guards with Driving License : 340 5) Forest Watcher : 1580 6) Mahouts : 40 7) Cavady : 43 8) Mali : 148 9) Tamil Nadu Ministerial Staffs : 3161 |
| 1. |  Civil List of Indian Forest Service Officers in Tamil Nadu - 15.03.2019 |
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| 2. | State Forest Service & Tamil Nadu General Service Officers list - 2019 |
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| 3. | Annual list of Tamil Nadu Ministerial Service Staff as on 01.01.2019 |
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| 4. | Annual list of IT wing staff as on 01.01.2019 |
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from 01 - 04 - 2017 / Last Update On 29 - 05 - 2018