The history of CSUFT, one of whose predecessors was established in 1958, Hunan Forestry College, dates back to 1917, the establishment of Ke Qiang College. The other predecessor is the Department of Forestry of Central South Agricultural College, which dates back to 1917, the establishment of Guangdong Public Agricultural College. In 1963, under the guidance of Mr. Tao Zhu, who then served as the First Secretary of the Bureau of Central South, the CPC Central Committee, Hunan Forestry College moved to Guangzhou and merged with the Department of Forestry of Central South Agricultural College, thereby, Central South University of Forestry was founded directly under the supervision of the State Forestry Administration. Mr. Tao Zhu went to the selected area used for the new campus, sketched the blueprint and inscribed the school name personally. In October1970, Central South University of Forestry incoporated with Central South Agricultural College to form Guangdong Agricultural College. In 1974, the school moved from Guangzhou to Xupu county, Hunan province and was renamed as Hunan Forestry College.

（Former site in southern suburban Changsha）

In 1978, the school was renamed back to Central South University of Forestry again. In 1980, the Zhuzhou campus was under construction, then 1 year later, the school moved to Zhuzhou. In November 2000, with the approval of the Hunan Provincial People's Government, the former Hunan Forestry School and Hunan Forestry and Technical School were incorporated with Central South University of Forestry, and then the main campus returned to Changsha city, the original school site of Hunan Forestry College. In June 2003, with the approval of the provincial government, Hunan Agricultural Machinery Research Institute was incoporated into Central South University of Forestry. In December 2005, approved by the Ministry of Education, the school officially changed its name to Central South University of Forestry and Technology. In April 2006, Hunan Economic Management College merged with CSUFT.

（Former site in BaiYunshan,Guangzhou City）