Forest Act, 2001 (No. 12 of 2001).

The Act provides for the administration and conservation of forests, the establishment of the Forestry Council, the appointments of a Director of Forestry and the designation of forestry officers, the classification of forests, the creation of classified forests and protected areas, harvesting, control of fires, enforcement, and offences.
The Act consists of 50 sections divided into 8 Parts: Preliminary; Administration (I); Forest management (II); Forest Management (II); Classified forests (III); Protection of the environment (IV); use of forests and forest produce (V); Control and management of fire (VI); Offences and enforcement (VII); General (VIII).
The Council established under section 2 shall advise the Minister on forestry policy and legislation and carry out other functions specified in section 3. The Minister shall appoint the Director of Forestry who shall be the Secretary to the Council (sect. 7). The Minister may also appoint licensing officers and forestry officers. Section 10 sets out the purpose of forest management, whereas section 11 specifies duties of the Director of Forestry in relation with forest management. There shall be prepared for each forest classified under Part III a forest management plan in accordance with section 12. The Minister may declare State Forest Reserves under section 13 and Community Forests in accordance with section 15, a Regional Council may declare Regional Forest Reserves under section 14, and the Director may create forest management areas pursuant to section 16 by written agreement with an owner of a forest that is not a classified forest. The Minister may declare protected areas for the purposes of soil protection, water resources protection, protection of plants and other elements of biological diversity (sect. 21). Section 23 provides the Director with means of control over afforestation and deforestation. Forest use shall be subject to authorization of the owner of the land or management authority of the classified forest (sect. 24). Section 25 concerns honey producing structures, section 28 concerns grazing, whereas section 29 regulates mining activities in forests. Section 31 concerns the management of activities in community forests.