Search
0
✖
User

Welcome to The Forestry Department

If on hearing the word ‘Forestry’, you immediately thought, ‘Trees’ or ‘Greenery’, you would have correctly guessed the core function of Jamaica’s Forestry Department.

The Agency is the Government organization responsible for the management and conservation of the country’s forest resources.

The Forestry Department is the lead Agency responsible for the island's forest resources. We manage approximately 117,000 hectares of forests in Jamaica.

The Government's lead agency in the protection and conservation of the island's forest resources.

Mangroves are coastal ecosystems characterized by salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that thrive along tropical shorelines, creating unique habitats at the land-sea interface.

In Jamaica, mangroves play a crucial role in preserving coastal environments, providing a natural barrier against storm surges and erosion, and acting as a nursery for diverse marine life, including fish, crabs, and shrimp, which are vital for local fisheries.

Latest News

22
Apr 2025

Forests Power Our Nation

As we celebrate Earth Day, it is crucial to recognise the vital role forests play in sustaining life in our coun...

Read More
16
Dec 2024

Inspiring Place Feature: Bogue 2 Forest Reserve

The Bogue 2 Forest Reserve was gazetted on April 8, 2016, as a forest reserve comprising 455.41 hectares. The fo...

Read More
03
Dec 2024

The Forestry Department builds the investigative capacity of the Enforcement Team

The Forestry Department has moved to improve the case preparation and management capacity of its forest enforcem...

Read More
31
Oct 2024

Forestry Department disrupts illegal harvesting operation in St. Mary

Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

faq image

The Forestry Department was designated as an Executive Agency in May 2010.

The Land Use Assessment of 2013, revealed that approximately 40 per cent or 439, 937.8 hectares of the island is covered by forests.
This is up from the 30 per cent reported in 1998 Land Use Assessment.

The purpose of the National Forest Management and Conservation Plan (NFMCP) is the sector plan for the forest sector that seeks to promote the development of the sector and the conservation and sustainable use of the forest resources of the country to meet local and national needs. This is achieved through the protection, management and restoration of the forest resources for the benefit of present and future generations. This ten-year plan has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Forest Act of 1996. This plan was widely distributed and presented to the public in a series of well-attended meetings and workshops where feedback was sought before the plan was finalised. The Plan has been approved by both houses of Parliament and is now being utilized in guiding the operations of the Forestry Department and the development of the forest sector.

A Local Forest Management Committee (LFMC) is the institutional body created in watersheds management units to enable the participation of the communities in the co-management of forested areas (specifically those managed by the Forestry Department. The formation of Local Forest Management Committees (LFMCs) is provided for by the Forest Act, 1996 and is an integral component of the "Community Participation" strategy of the Agency.

National Tree Planting Day is observed on the first Friday in October of each year.

Client Feedback