SHIMLA: The forest field staff and other stockholders got tips from HFRI scientists on various techniques ranging from fire and nursery management to planting high-altitude aromatic and medicinal plants during the three days long training programme that concluded at HFRI campus today.
The Himalayan Forest Research Institute(HFRI) scientists highlighted how Mountains provide direct life support to 10% of world’s population and indirectly to over half of the world.
Because of their great altitudinal range, mountains such as the Himalaya, Rockies, Andes and Alps exhibit, within short horizontal distances, climatic regimes similar to those of widely separated latitudinal belts, and as a conseque feature high biodiversity.
There is a close link between mountain vegetation and climate that vegetation belt typology has been extensively used to define climatic zones and their altitudinal or latitudinal transitions.
HATZ refers to the High-Altitude Transition Zone, a narrow ecotone in the high Himalaya between 3300 – 3900 m., which is critical for climate change studies.
This HATZ plays an important role in Himalayan Ecology; it traps the snow for a longer period and, thus, helps recharging the aquifers for constant supply of water downstream, besides saving soil from erosion says Dr Vaneet Jishtu, a field Botanist at HFRI.
It is also home to variety of floral and faunal species, many of them having been assessed as ‘endangered’.
The Himalayan Pheasants are particularly known to occupy this timberline ecotone, along with musk deer.
Capacity building is the process of developing and strengthening the management skills and management.
Himalayan Forest Research Institute, Panthaghati (HFRI), Shimla organized a three days training on, “Capacity Building Programme for the Frontline Field Staff of Himachal Pradesh Forest Department” from 16th to 18th March, 2023 in collaboration with Himachal Pradesh Forest Department (HPFSD), Research Wing at Sundernagar.
Twenty-Eight frontline field functionaries posted at various Forest Divisions of Spiti, Kinnaur, Churah, Bharmour, Chamba, Rohru, Hamirpur, Rampur, Wildlife Sarahan, Shimla and Wildlife Shimla actively participated in this training programme.
During this training programme, Scientists of Himalayan Forest Research Institute; Forest Officers of Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, and eminent Advocate from the HP High Court delivered their lectures touching the various aspects of forestry and basic forestry research and laws related to their works.
The training programme was conducted with the clear objective to provide basic about plant identification in general, forest mensuration, fire management, laws and policies associated with forests, disease management in the nursery, modern nursery techniques and medicinal and aromatic plants.
A field visit was also organized during this training programme with the clear objective to give practical exposure about plant identification, forest mensuration, and forest ecological data collection protocols.
Use of GPS technology in forest management and tree measurements was also demonstrated on hands in the field.
The main objective of the programme was to provide a platform for the frontline forest staff to learn practical skills to aid them in their works in the forest.
It also emphasized on latest trends in forestry with special reference to forest fires and climate change as a result of global warming.
The training was inaugurated by Dr. G.S. Goraya, retired PCCF & HoFF (HP Forest) and was closed by Sh. Rajiv Kumar, the present PCCF & HoFF (HP Forest).
Dr. Sandeep Sharma, Director of the institute welcomed the participants and the chief guest.
Dr. Sharma impressed upon the trainees to be innovative and scientific in their work, as the challenges from global warming will be harsh.
Prominent resource persons included Sh. Abhilash Damodaran, CF (IT & Projects), Dr. Sandeep Sharma, Director HFRI, Dr. Vaneet Jishtu, Dr. Ashwani Tapwal, Sh. Pitamber Negi and Sh. Kuldesh Kumar, all from HFRI and Senior Advocate Rajneesh Maniktala from the HP High Court, Shimla.
The training was conducted as part of the global warming project being implemented by the HPSFD (Research Wing) in collaboration with the HFRI, Shimla.
Dr. Vaneet Jishtu, Principal Investigator of the project and also the Training Coordinator, apprised the PCCF & HoFF, Sh. Rajiv Kumar about the project objectives and trends being observed so far.
Dr. Jishtu informed that studies for collecting baseline information on global warming was very important to study the impacts of climate change in the region.
Sh. Rajiv Kumar also agreed that this important ecotone is very important and needs to be conserved, he also told the trainees to protect the entire forest ecosystem and not just the trees.
Earlier, Dr. Goraya, who had conceptualized this project, explained the need for such studies.
