Forest Department was started as the Office of the Conservator of Forests in 1887 denoting the commencement of forest conservation and scientific forestry in Sri Lanka. The first Forest Ordinance of Sri Lanka was passed in 1885. On 25th June 1887, British official, R. Thompson, a technical man from the British Indian Forest Service took charge of Forestry Activities as the first Conservator of Forests of Ceylon. Mr. Thompson was a senior Forester with wide tropical experience and at the start his role was that of an adviser to the Government Agents.