The Tropical Forest Research Institute (TFRI) is a forestry research facility located in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is one of the regional institutes functioning under the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India.
| Name | Tropical Forest Research Institute |
|---|---|
| Acronym | TFRI |
| Type | Forestry research institute |
| Location | Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India |
| Parent body | Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) |
| Ministry | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change |
| Country | India |
TFRI undertakes scientific research on tropical forest ecosystems, with a particular focus on the forests of central India. Its mandate covers the states under its jurisdiction within the ICFRE network, where it addresses issues of forest productivity, biodiversity, silviculture, forest pathology, entomology, non-timber forest produce, and the livelihood concerns of forest-dependent communities.
The institute is situated in Jabalpur, a city in the Mahakoshal region of Madhya Pradesh that lies close to extensive tracts of teak and sal forests. Its location supports field-based research relevant to the dry and moist deciduous forest types of the central Indian plateau. As part of the ICFRE system, TFRI works alongside other regional institutes such as the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun and shares common objectives in forestry education, extension and research.
Central India contains some of the country's richest tropical deciduous forests, including significant tiger reserves and tribal landscapes. Research generated at TFRI contributes to the scientific management of these forests, the conservation of regional biodiversity, and the design of livelihood-linked forestry interventions. The institute also serves as a knowledge resource for state-level forestry planning in Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states.