The “Inspeccion General de Montes” was
inaugurated under the Spanish Government pursuant
to a Spanish Royal Decree under the Direccion
General de Administracion Civil whose function was
to determine, through data collection, the extent
of the country’s forest resources and oversee
their proper utilizationjune 1863
The Forestry Service was allowed by the Superior
Civil Government to intervene in all matters
pertaining to cutting, extracting timber, resins, etc.
and to open up virgin lands to give concessions over
mountain lands and transact business related to
lands and forests.September 3 1863
The government authorized the free use of timber
under the gratuitous license.February 1874
The Royal Decree promulgated in Spain approved
the definite Forest Laws and Regulations for the
Philippine Forest Service, which was drafted by
"Ministro de Ultimar"
. The regulations contained 138
articles under nine titles.November 30 1894
The Land Law of the Philippine Islands was created
to designate, inventory and mark the
limits/boundary of the forests belonging to the
state, which shall constitute the forest zones which
shall be by the Governor-General under the General
Dictorale of Civil Administration.August 13 1898
Emilio Aguinaldo made a decree combining the Division
of Forests in Bureau of Public Works and the Division of
Mines in the Bureau of Agriculture & Industry as General
Inspeccion of Forests and Mines.January 18 1899
The "Inspeccion" was renamed into Forestry Bureau by
the U.S. Military Governor in the Philippines with the
issuance of General Order No. 50. Captain George P.
Ahern, of the 96th U.S. Infantry, was named as its first
Director.April 14 1900
The Forestry Bureau was changed to Bureau of
Forestry and was placed under the newly created
Department of Interior by virtue of Act No. 222.September 6 1901
The establishment of the Forester’s Training
School in Los Baños gave opportunity for Filipinos
to be trained and educated with Forestry Science.
The first generation of graduates assumes the
position of the Bureau of Forestry.1910
The Department of Interior was abolished and
transferred all its functions and authority to the
Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources
(DANR). Under Act, the DANR took "direct executive
control, direction and supervision of the Bureau of
Agriculture, Bureau of Forestry, Bureau of Lands, Bureau
of Science and the Weather Bureau and all matters
concerning hunting, fisheries, sponges and other sea
products and such others as may be hereafter assigned
to it by Act 2666.November 18 1916
The Division of Forest Fauna and Grazing of the Bureau
of Forestry, the Division of Zoology and the Division of
Fisheries of the Bureau of Science were fused into one
special Division known as the Fish and Game
Administration, which was placed under the direct
administrative jurisdiction of the Department of
Agriculture and Commerce by virtue of General
Memorandum Order No. 4 dated December 5, 1932.January 1 1933
Signaled the filipinization of the country’s forest
service by appointing Forester Florencio R.
Tamesis as Director of Bureau of Forestry.January 1 1937
Jurisdiction by the Bureau of Forestry over pasture
areas and grazing lands was provided under
Commonwealth Act No. 452.June 8 1939
The functions of the Division of Forest Fauna and
Grazing was returned to the Bureau of Forestry and
those of the Division of Zoology to the Bureau of
Science under the reorganization plan of the Fish
and Game Administration under the Department of
Agriculture and Commerce and was renamed as
Division of Fisheries.July 1 1941
The office became Bureau of Forestry and
Fishery under the Ministry of Agriculture and
Commerce by virtue of Administrative Order No. 1 as
approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial
Forces in the Philippines.January 30 1942
After the Second World War, the Bureau of Forestry
was reopened with Forester Carlos Sulit as
Officer-in-Charge to continue the management of
the country’s resources.February 1945
The Bureau of Forestry was reconstituted with five
(5) divisions and 44 district offices. The
responsibilities of the Bureau soon expanded
requiring the creation of additional functional
divisions and units in the central office and in the
field.April 24 1945
The Bureau of Forestry was separated from the
College of Forestry as provided by the Reorganization
Plan 30-A. Before, the Director of the Bureau serves as
ex-officio dean of the college/school of forestry of the
University of the Philippines. The Forest Products
Institute was created from the merger of the Forest
Products Laboratory and the Forest Products Section of
the Bureau of Forestry by virtue of Reorganization Plan
No. 77.1957
The Reforestation Administration was created to
reforest and afforest bare and denuded forest lands
especially critical watersheds by virtue of Republic Act
No. 2706.June 18 1960
The Bureau of Forest Development (BFD) was
created by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1 wherein
the Bureau of Forestry, the Parks and Wildlife Office and
the Reforestation Administration were merged.November 1 1972
The Forest Research Institute (FORI), was
created with the Forest Research Division of the
Bureau of Forest Development as a nucleus, by
virtue of PD No. 607.
❑ It is now known as Ecosystems Research and
Development Bureau (ERDB) under EO 192.December 18 1974
The Bureau of Forest Development (BFD) was
formally organized as a result of a merger of the
Bureau of Forestry, Parks and Wildlife Office,
Reforestation Administration and the Southern Cebu
Reforestation Project as provided in the Presidential
Decree No. 705 revising PD 389 (otherwise known
as the "Forestry Reform Code of the
Philippines").May 19 1975
The Wood Industry Development Authority
(WIDA) was created to regulate, control, supervise
and develop the wood industry of the Philippines in
all aspects.
❑ WIDA absorbed the functions of the Presidential
Committee on Wood Industry Development and all
the functions and powers of the BFD pertaining to
forest utilization as provided by Executive Order No.
1039.July 10 1985
The Forest Management Bureau (FMB) was created in virtue
of Executive Order No. 192 known as the Reorganization Act of
the DENR. FMB integrated and absorbed the powers and
functions of the Bureau of Forest Development (BFD) and the
Wood Industry Development Authority (WIDA) except those line
functions and powers which were transferred to the Regional
Field Offices. The Parks and Wildlife Division and the Marine
Parks Program of the Bureau of Forest Development was
absorbed by the newly created Protected Areas and Wildlife
Bureau. Likewise, the Land Classification Teams of the Bureau of
Forest Development was integrated to the National Mapping and
Resource Information Authority an attached agency of the DENRJune 10 1987
The Master Plan for Forestry Development was
prepared to guide the long-term development of the
forestry sector in the Philippines. October 29, 1991.June 30 1990
Community-based Forest Management was adopted
as the National Strategy to ensure the sustainable
development of the country's forestland resources and
providing mechanisms for its implementation due to the
enactment of Executive Order No. 263.July 19 1995
The Revised Master Plan for Forestry
Development was drafted as a result of the review
and revision of the 1990 Master Plan for Forestry
Development.October 2003
The Forest Management Bureau was
reconstituted into four (4) Divisions by virtue of
Executive Order 366.May 11 2005
The Philippine Master Plan for Climate Resilient
Forestry Development was prepared taking into
consideration the potential impacts of climate change
to the forestry sector.January 2015
The “Inspeccion General de Montes” was
inaugurated under the Spanish Government pursuant
to a Spanish Royal Decree under the Direccion
General de Administracion Civil whose function was
to determine, through data collection, the extent
of the country’s forest resources and oversee
their proper utilizationjune 1863
The Forestry Service was allowed by the Superior
Civil Government to intervene in all matters
pertaining to cutting, extracting timber, resins, etc.
and to open up virgin lands to give concessions over
mountain lands and transact business related to
lands and forests.September 3 1863
The government authorized the free use of timber
under the gratuitous license.February 1874
The Royal Decree promulgated in Spain approved
the definite Forest Laws and Regulations for the
Philippine Forest Service, which was drafted by
"Ministro de Ultimar"
. The regulations contained 138
articles under nine titles.November 30 1894
The Land Law of the Philippine Islands was created
to designate, inventory and mark the
limits/boundary of the forests belonging to the
state, which shall constitute the forest zones which
shall be by the Governor-General under the General
Dictorale of Civil Administration.August 13 1898
Emilio Aguinaldo made a decree combining the Division
of Forests in Bureau of Public Works and the Division of
Mines in the Bureau of Agriculture & Industry as General
Inspeccion of Forests and Mines.January 18 1899
The "Inspeccion" was renamed into Forestry Bureau by
the U.S. Military Governor in the Philippines with the
issuance of General Order No. 50. Captain George P.
Ahern, of the 96th U.S. Infantry, was named as its first
Director.April 14 1900
The Forestry Bureau was changed to Bureau of
Forestry and was placed under the newly created
Department of Interior by virtue of Act No. 222.September 6 1901
The establishment of the Forester’s Training
School in Los Baños gave opportunity for Filipinos
to be trained and educated with Forestry Science.
The first generation of graduates assumes the
position of the Bureau of Forestry.1910
The Department of Interior was abolished and
transferred all its functions and authority to the
Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources
(DANR). Under Act, the DANR took "direct executive
control, direction and supervision of the Bureau of
Agriculture, Bureau of Forestry, Bureau of Lands, Bureau
of Science and the Weather Bureau and all matters
concerning hunting, fisheries, sponges and other sea
products and such others as may be hereafter assigned
to it by Act 2666.November 18 1916
The Division of Forest Fauna and Grazing of the Bureau
of Forestry, the Division of Zoology and the Division of
Fisheries of the Bureau of Science were fused into one
special Division known as the Fish and Game
Administration, which was placed under the direct
administrative jurisdiction of the Department of
Agriculture and Commerce by virtue of General
Memorandum Order No. 4 dated December 5, 1932.January 1 1933
Signaled the filipinization of the country’s forest
service by appointing Forester Florencio R.
Tamesis as Director of Bureau of Forestry.January 1 1937
Jurisdiction by the Bureau of Forestry over pasture
areas and grazing lands was provided under
Commonwealth Act No. 452.June 8 1939
The functions of the Division of Forest Fauna and
Grazing was returned to the Bureau of Forestry and
those of the Division of Zoology to the Bureau of
Science under the reorganization plan of the Fish
and Game Administration under the Department of
Agriculture and Commerce and was renamed as
Division of Fisheries.July 1 1941
The office became Bureau of Forestry and
Fishery under the Ministry of Agriculture and
Commerce by virtue of Administrative Order No. 1 as
approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial
Forces in the Philippines.January 30 1942
After the Second World War, the Bureau of Forestry
was reopened with Forester Carlos Sulit as
Officer-in-Charge to continue the management of
the country’s resources.February 1945
The Bureau of Forestry was reconstituted with five
(5) divisions and 44 district offices. The
responsibilities of the Bureau soon expanded
requiring the creation of additional functional
divisions and units in the central office and in the
field.April 24 1945
The Bureau of Forestry was separated from the
College of Forestry as provided by the Reorganization
Plan 30-A. Before, the Director of the Bureau serves as
ex-officio dean of the college/school of forestry of the
University of the Philippines. The Forest Products
Institute was created from the merger of the Forest
Products Laboratory and the Forest Products Section of
the Bureau of Forestry by virtue of Reorganization Plan
No. 77.1957
The Reforestation Administration was created to
reforest and afforest bare and denuded forest lands
especially critical watersheds by virtue of Republic Act
No. 2706.June 18 1960
The Bureau of Forest Development (BFD) was
created by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1 wherein
the Bureau of Forestry, the Parks and Wildlife Office and
the Reforestation Administration were merged.November 1 1972
The Forest Research Institute (FORI), was
created with the Forest Research Division of the
Bureau of Forest Development as a nucleus, by
virtue of PD No. 607.
❑ It is now known as Ecosystems Research and
Development Bureau (ERDB) under EO 192.December 18 1974
The Bureau of Forest Development (BFD) was
formally organized as a result of a merger of the
Bureau of Forestry, Parks and Wildlife Office,
Reforestation Administration and the Southern Cebu
Reforestation Project as provided in the Presidential
Decree No. 705 revising PD 389 (otherwise known
as the "Forestry Reform Code of the
Philippines").May 19 1975
The Wood Industry Development Authority
(WIDA) was created to regulate, control, supervise
and develop the wood industry of the Philippines in
all aspects.
❑ WIDA absorbed the functions of the Presidential
Committee on Wood Industry Development and all
the functions and powers of the BFD pertaining to
forest utilization as provided by Executive Order No.
1039.July 10 1985
The Forest Management Bureau (FMB) was created in virtue
of Executive Order No. 192 known as the Reorganization Act of
the DENR. FMB integrated and absorbed the powers and
functions of the Bureau of Forest Development (BFD) and the
Wood Industry Development Authority (WIDA) except those line
functions and powers which were transferred to the Regional
Field Offices. The Parks and Wildlife Division and the Marine
Parks Program of the Bureau of Forest Development was
absorbed by the newly created Protected Areas and Wildlife
Bureau. Likewise, the Land Classification Teams of the Bureau of
Forest Development was integrated to the National Mapping and
Resource Information Authority an attached agency of the DENRJune 10 1987
The Master Plan for Forestry Development was
prepared to guide the long-term development of the
forestry sector in the Philippines. October 29, 1991.June 30 1990
Community-based Forest Management was adopted
as the National Strategy to ensure the sustainable
development of the country's forestland resources and
providing mechanisms for its implementation due to the
enactment of Executive Order No. 263.July 19 1995
The Revised Master Plan for Forestry
Development was drafted as a result of the review
and revision of the 1990 Master Plan for Forestry
Development.October 2003
The Forest Management Bureau was
reconstituted into four (4) Divisions by virtue of
Executive Order 366.May 11 2005
The Philippine Master Plan for Climate Resilient
Forestry Development was prepared taking into
consideration the potential impacts of climate change
to the forestry sector.January 2015