SHIMLA: The forest scientists today plead to stakeholders that eco-restoration of wastelands of Shiwaliks with appropriate technologies is a way forward to make up for the largescale degradation of the forest areas in Himachal Pradesh.
They raised this concern at the two days long virtual training programme for the stakeholders organized at Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI) today in which over 50 participants from various departments and organizations including Agriculture, Horticulture, Education, Panchayati Raj Institution, Revenue, Technical Personnel of the research institutes, Bank officials are participating.
Addressing the stakeholders, HFRI director, Dr. S.S. Samant said the Institute carries out the research activities and also imparts training for the overall benefit of stakeholders from varied spheres of the life. “The forest area is decreasing day by day due to various anthropogenic activities. Most of the useful species are in the verge of extension due to invasion of weeds and alien species”, he said.
He further said eco-restoration of mined out/degraded areas and wastelands holds the key for productivity enhancement through eco-restoration practices. Hence, efforts need to be directed for developing suitable technologies for resource conservation and management of the degraded and wastelands and transferring the knowledge to the end users. The scientifically sound afforestation technologies assume immense significance to put these lands for productive use, he added.
He further said Institute is working in tune with the national mandate and as per the present day requirements of the general public. The training programme will benefit the participants so that they can find ways and means to orient the process of the policy formulation in this direction and the cause of the humanity can be suitably addressed.
The training coordinator Dr. R.K. Verma said resource persons and experts will apprise and provide in depth knowledge about the land resources, management and mitigation techniques employed for eco-restoration of degraded or wasteland areas. Institute has nursery and plantation techniques for eco-rehabilitation of wasteland and other degraded areas of Shiwalik hills, he said.
He also elaborated upon trees and shrubs suitable for eco-rehabilitation of degraded areas of different zones of Himachal Pradesh.
Resource Persons from University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Dr. Satish Bhardwaj, Professor and Head, Department of Environment Science and Dr. D.R. Bhardwaj, Professor, Dr. Sandeep Sharma, GCR & Scientist-G, Pitamber Singh Negi, Scientist-D from Institute gave elaborated presentations on various aspects of the eco-restoration of wastelands.
Dr. SS Samant and Dr Rajnish Mahajan, Assistant Project Director, HPFECPP KFW, Chamba, Himachal Pradesh State Forest Department, Dr. Jagdish Singh and, Dr. Ashwani Tapwal, Scientists from the Institute will be the Resource Persons for delivering the lectures.
