The Department was responsible for State Forests and forestry policy, including issuing leases and licences, planting and/or thinning of forests, the development of plantations, forest renewal, protection and management, nurseries, forest schools, prevention and supervision of fires within forest areas, the development of commercial aspects of forestry including harvesting and marketing of produce, provision of recreation facilities, protection of wildlife, forestry research and recommendations on the acquisition or alienation of land for forest purposes. From the 1930s, it also had an interest in soil conservation. In 1983, the Forests Commission (Department of State Forests) and the two members were consolidated into the new Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands.