The Forests & Environment Department, Government of Meghalaya, is responsible for the protection, conservation, scientific management and sustainable utilisation of the State’s forest resources, wildlife and biodiversity, as well as the preservation of the environment and ecological balance. The Department is headed politically by the Hon’ble Minister in charge of Forests & Environment, who provides overall policy direction; at the Secretariat level, it is headed administratively by the Principal Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, who oversees policy formulation, administrative matters, interdepartmental coordination and implementation of Government decisions; and at the Directorate level, it is headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force (HoFF), who leads the technical and operational administration of the Forest Department. Its principal functions include forest conservation and management, afforestation and regeneration, wildlife and biodiversity protection, social forestry, environmental improvement, climate-change-related initiatives, sustainable utilisation of forest produce and medicinal plant resources, forest research and training, and implementation of relevant forest and environmental laws, policies and programmes in the State.

Meghalaya's Forest Department is functionally structured into four distinct wings and multiple organisations and agencies to ensure comprehensive management and effective governance: the Territorial Wing, the Wildlife Wing, the Social Forestry and Environment Wing, and the Research and Training Wing. Each wing oversees specialized mandates, ranging from wildlife conservation and environmental expansion to long-term forestry research and climate adaptation initiatives across the state also with multiple Organisation and Agencies like Meghalaya State Medicinal Plants Board, Forest Development Corporation of Meghalaya Limited, Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board, Eco-Development Society of Meghalaya, Meghalaya State Biodiversity Board, State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority