In order to have an adequate research back up for development of forestry sector in the northeastern region of the country, the Institute came into existence in April 1988, although its origin dated back to 1976 when a Regional Centre of Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, was established at Burnihat (Assam) to extend knowledge on forestry related issues through research, education and extension in general and to support forestry research in northeastern states Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. The Centre advanced steadily in terms of infrastructure and established itself as a nucleus for research on forestry and ecology related issues of the region.