President urges young forest officers to balance growth and conservation

The President told the officers that forests are essential for securing India's environmental future and supporting global efforts towards sustainable development.

President Droupadi Murmu has called on young Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers to become guardians of India's natural heritage by protecting forests while ensuring that the needs of local communities remain at the heart of conservation efforts. Addressing probationers at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre on Friday, she said their responsibilities extend far beyond forest administration as the country faces growing challenges from climate change and biodiversity loss.

The President told the officers that forests are essential for securing India's environmental future and supporting global efforts towards sustainable development. She encouraged them to work with a strong sense of responsibility, reminding them that expanding and protecting forest cover is vital because forests sustain ecosystems, biodiversity and human life.

Forest officers have a key role in tackling climate change

Highlighting the increasing importance of the Indian Forest Service, the President said the officers would play a significant part in strengthening the country's ecological security. She noted that climate change and the rapid loss of biodiversity have made forest conservation one of the most important public responsibilities, adding that their work would contribute not only to India's environmental well-being but also to international efforts to build a more sustainable future. She urged the probationers to remain committed to protecting natural resources while adopting approaches that deliver long-term environmental benefits.

Communities must be partners in conservation

The President stressed that environmental protection and development should move forward together instead of being viewed as competing priorities. She encouraged the young officers to find practical solutions that allow both forests and communities to flourish, creating opportunities where conservation supports livelihoods rather than limiting them.

She also emphasised the importance of involving tribal communities, forest dwellers, women, farmers and local institutions in decision-making. Listening to their experiences and understanding their concerns, she said, would help officers develop more effective conservation strategies. When people living close to forests become active stakeholders in protecting natural resources, conservation efforts become stronger, more sustainable and better accepted at the local level.

Ecological security is central to Viksit Bharat

Describing public service as a commitment to improving people's lives, President Murmu said ecological security is an essential part of India's vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047. She expressed confidence that the new generation of Indian Forest Service officers would play a defining role in ensuring that economic progress remains environmentally responsible, socially inclusive and sustainable.

The probationers currently undergoing professional training at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy in Dehradun include 111 officer trainees from the 2024 batch and 131 trainees from the 2025 batch. Each batch also includes two officer trainees from Bhutan, reflecting continued cooperation in forestry training between the two countries.