The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) was established in 1914 to prevent and suppress forest fires and reforest bare lands.
This activity falls into five components: The Department is under the direction and supervision of the State Forester, who is appointed by the Governor of Virginia.
[1] The current State Forester is Rob Farrell, appointed by Ralph Northam in 2018.
VDOF's reorganization will allow it to fulfill its mission as a first response and public service agency while requiring less in appropriations and utilizing fewer full-time employees compared to the traditional model.
These managers will be in the field working side by side with their team members to provide all-hazard response capabilities, fight wildfires, provide forest management assistance and ensure timber harvests do not pollute our waterways.