Forestry experts visit PAU for accreditation of courses

Ludhiana, February 5, 2015: Two forestry experts namely Dr P.Thapliyal, Ex-Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Himachal Pradesh and Kamal Preet, Assistant Director General (Education), Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) Dehradun, visited the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) for the accreditation of forestry courses. Presently, this department is offering undergraduate basic forestry, elective and Master’s degree courses. Earlier, ICFRE accredited the forestry courses for three years i.e. from 2011-2014.

The team interacted with Dr H. S. Dhaliwal, Dean, College of Agriculture and Dr J. S. Dhiman, Additional Director of Research (Natural Resource and Plant Health Management). Experts visited the experimental areas at Ludhiana and Ladhowal.  The team appreciated the research work being conducted in the field of tree improvement, agro-forestry and silviculture. Experiential Learning Programme, in which the students raise poplar nursery, and share the income earned from the sale of nursery, was appreciated by the ICFRE experts. This is a programme where students get hand on experience in different practices of forestry and at the same time earn profit after selling their produce.

Earlier, the team was apprised of the ongoing activities in the department through power-point presentation, exhibition of salient research achievements and interaction with the faculty. Team also interacted separately with the PG students and inspected all the teaching and research facilities in the department and College (laboratories, lecture rooms, examination hall, library, etc.).