CHENNAI: The state forest department will revamp and strengthen its forest force at a cost of Rs 100.72 crore over the next five years, besides rolling out a Rs 60.58-crore forest-fire management programme to improve its preparedness and field-level response.
Announcing a slew of measures, Forest Minister R V Ranjith Kumar said the forest force would be restructured between 2026-27 and 2030-31 to tackle growing challenges in forest protection, wildlife management and man-animal conflict. The department will replace seasonal fire-fighting measures with a dedicated five-year forest-fire management programme.
As part of efforts to promote urban and community-based conservation, 25 nature parks, each spread over one hectare, will be developed across rural, urban and peri-urban areas at Rs 10 crore.
The department will also announce District Biodiversity Symbols to promote endemic and endangered species in each district. The Centre for Tree Forensics and Timber Analysis and research laboratory facilities at the State Forest Research Institute in Chennai will be modernised at Rs 5 crore. Forty-three intern naturalists will be engaged at Rs 4.2 crore for biodiversity surveys in the Eastern Ghats, coastal districts and forest divisions.