It was a long cherished dream come true, when the foundation stone for the Forest Training School, (FTS), Valpoi was laid on 23.2.1981 by Shri Pratap Singh Raoji Rane the then Chief Minister of Goa. The history of FTS has been one of steady growth, where from it flourished into a centre of excellence under the Govt. of Goa and occupies a place of pride among the forest training schools of the country.

Situated in a picturesque and sylvan campus of an area of 10 ha, in Valpoi about 52 km away from Panaji, the FTS apart from its Administrative block of offices, classrooms and dormitory etc. also houses a medicinal plant arboratum and a sprawling playground. A well-equipped auditorium and a seed-testing laboratory have recently been constructed.

Grooming of forester is a specialized task. Apart from possessing knowledge and skills, forester require to imbibe and nurture specialized attitudes and outlook. A forester cannot look for quick results nor can he have "quick-fix" solution to problems. His contribution are at best rarely aknowledged, but his lapses too well known and frowned upon. The FTS training schedule is designed to equip the budding foresters with discipline, patience and commitment to face such tribulations during their professional lives.

The FTS can train 15 person at a time. The training facility is basically meant for Forest Guards and Round Foresters. So far, the FTS has imparted training to 420 Forest Guards and 27 Round Foresters. Though, primarily, the FTS has to cater to the needs of the Goa Forest Department, the Union Territory of Daman & Diu has also benefitted from the services of this institution.
The FTS had also organized some Refresher Courses for serving forest officers and judging from the success of these pilot courses, it is proposed to make such courses a regular feature of the institutions training schedule.

Curriculum
The forests of Goa are rich in floral and faunal life. Western Ghats-which constitutes a considerable portion of Goa's forests has been identified as a mega-bio-diversity hot spot. Forester should know how to protect and nurture the plants and animals found therein. Population pressures, urbanization trends, industrial Advances etc. are threats to the substenance of forests. Pests and pestilence constitute another menace to the life and health of forests. While managing forests, it is important to take the local people also along-a condescending and confrontational attitude by foresters will do good neither for the forest nor the foresters. All these aspects have been care off in the curriculum-A list of major subjects is reproduced below.
Silviculture
Forest utilization
Forest survey
Forest mensuration and management
Accounts and Procedure
Forest protection and law
Soil science & conservation
Wildlife management & gardening
Forest botany
Forest engineering
Social forestry

Physical fitness for a forester is something that cannot be overemphasized. The FTS pays adequate importance to this in its curiculum. All working days of the trainee forester commence with rigorous physical exercises in the morning for 45 minutes. In the evenings, the games period is also compulsory. The institution has facilities for all major games like football, cricket, volleyball etc. Annual sports event is conducted here with great enthusiasm and gusto. Fostering sportsman spirit is as vital as maintenance of sound physical health for any forest officer.
Tours form an integral part of the curiculum. In so far as forestry is an applied science with moorings in a wide spectrum of theoretical concepts, a sound appreciation of ground realities is as important as understanding the theoretical aspects. Forestry management principles transcend state and even national boundaries. FTS has, therefore, in its tour schedule included a number of states other than Goa. Each tour is followed by a tour examination which is assessed as seriously as any other examination.

Keeping in view the threats to which forest wealth is prone to, the FTS in the process of trainning foresters in the maintenance and handling of arms and ammunition. The training will be imparted taking help from the Police Training School at Valpoi. Here also, the competence and performance of each trainee will be tested and marks awarded.
In keeping with the present trend of Information Technology, being the most current and most efficacious tool in all modern management sectors, FTS has introduced computer courses also for the trainees. It is proposed to make the course more comprehensive in the years to come.

Assessment of Trainees:
Assessment of individual trainees is done on a daily and continous basis. Examinations, for which rigrous and detailed rule have been drawn and are being enforced strictly, form only a part of the assessment scheme. The field exercises, outstation tours, cultural & sports events all of which form part of the course give ample opportunity to the faculty members to assess the trainees performance, competencies and attitudes. Trainees after attending all the different components of the curriculum and getting at least 40% marks in each paper and 50% aggregate are awarded certificates. A trainee securing 75% and above aggregate is given two advance incrementa subject to approval of the Government.

Administrative set up:
The FTS is headed by a Principal who is of the rank of Assistant Conservator of Forests. He is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the school. He is assisted by two instructiors of the rank of Range Forest Officers and two Assistant instructors of the rank of Dy. Range Forest Officer. There is also PT & Games Instructor who is an Ex-Army personnel or staff from Police Training College, Valpoi. The Deputy Conservator of Forest (Research) is the ex-offico Director of the school. The supporting and assisting staff is as follows:
Accountant :1
U.D.C :1
Forest Guard :4
L.D.C :1
Peon :1
Cook :1
Mess helper :1
Driver :1
Dhobi :1
Sweeper :1
Orderly peon :1

Despite its infancy, the FTS has been able to register an enviable accomplishment both in quality and quantity of training in the forestry in Goa. This has been made possible assets strong in hand, the FTS stands to gain greater and greater heights in the days to come.

The refresher courses are also conducted at the Forest Training School, Valpoi. During 2001-02, the FTS has conducted 4 refresher courses and 1 regular training course for Forest guards. In the year 2002-03, 2 refresh er courses and 1 regular course for Round Foresters were also conducted. During 2003-04, the FTS has conducted one refresher course for Forest Guard and one workshop for Round Foresters. A workshop on Legal matters and defending the cases in court was also held.

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