The two-day study tour was hosted by CSTAF, administered by UF/IFAS International Programs and supported by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization.

Accompanied by CSTAF Assistant Director Michael Bannister, the Indian officials met with UF faculty in forestry for presentations. They visited the Austin Cary Memorial Forest, the Florida Division of Forestry’s Goethe State Forest, a state nursery, and a private plantation where fast-growing trees are produced. During the visit to Goethe State Forest and to a plantation near Waldo, participants learned how prescribed burns help reduce the threat of wildfires. In 1998, when wildfires threatened Waldo, the practice played a role in protecting the city.

Indian foresters, Division of Forestry Director Earl Peterson, left, and CSTAF's Mike Bannister, third from left, meet at the Division of Forestry for a tour of state forests.

India’s forest departments emphasize forest conservation, biodiversity, and sustainability. Kerala Forest Department officials arranged the tour to learn more about technological developments and trends in forest management.