Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry Nauni,Solan (HP)

Dr DR Bhardwaj
Professor & Head

The department was established after the reorganization of the departments in the College of Forestry, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, in November 1987. The department undertakes research in Seed Technology; Nursery Technology; Plantation Forestry; Forest Regeneration; Forest Management; Forest Productivity; Quantitative Silviculture; Remote Sensing and GIS; Agroforestry Practices and Management; Rangeland Science and Wildlife. This department has an area of approximately 300 ha out of the total 538 ha of land available with the university. The research funding is mainly through externally funded research projects on Silviculture and Agroforestry through Government and private agencies, viz., ICAR, CAFRI Jhansi, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Govt. of India, Dept. of Space, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun, U.K., India, State Forest Department, State Agriculture Department, and World Bank aided Kandi Project.

Department has handled 25 ad hoc projects so far since inception. Department has published over 100 research papers with NAAS ratings> 6 in leading national and international journals, over 50 book chapters, and 6 books/manuals for technology dissemination to students, farmers and entrepreneurs. The department transfers technology to users like, State Forest Department, Farmers/Orchardists and different voluntary organizations. The department in its journey of over 36 yrs has generated valuable and highly skilful human resources in the form of 231 M.Sc. and 108 Ph.D. students. The department has enrolled international students from Nepal, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Syria, Ghana, Gambia, Zambia, etc. for postgraduate degrees.

Mandate

Develop human resources in silviculture and agroforestry aimed at enhancing the productivity and sustainability of tree crops.
Undertake teaching, research and extension activities aimed at sustainable land management, productivity enhancement, increasing tree cover, and quality seedling production.
Development of site-specific agroforestry models, eco-restoration and management of pasture lands and degraded sites and stressed sites, through bio-physical approaches.

Strengths

Three hundred hectare of large experimental area comprised of a natural forest, plantation, well-designed agroforestry systems, arboretum, bambusetum and fully equipped nurseries.
Well established laboratories for soil and plant analysis, Remote Sensing and GIS lab, tree and forest measuring instruments, wildlife specimens, etc.
Dairy and goat unit for experimental purposes besides fulfilling the day-to-day requirements of the university residents.
Young and dynamic faculties, with versatile expertise in the field of nursery production, forest mensuration, forest management, RS & GIS, Dairy management, etc.
Well-established network of alumni, spread over forest department of the different states, various universities of the country and in administration.

Academics

The department offers degree programmes for:

M.Sc. (Forestry) Silviculture and Agroforestry
M.Sc.(Forestry) Forest Resource Management
Ph.D. (Forestry) Silviculture and Agroforestry
Ph.D. (Forestry) Forest Resource Management

Click here for course details

Achievements

Ms Mitali Mehta has been appointed as Scientist B at ICFRE, Dehradun in the year 2023.
Ms Sakshi Tomar has secured Rank 1 in the ICAR-AICE-JRF/SRF-2023 examination.
Mr Satyajeet Kar has been appointed as Assistant Conservator of Forest at Orissa State Forest Department in the year 2021.
Mr Umesh Sharma has been awarded Uma Dutt Memorial Research Award for best Master’s Thesis conferred by the Society for Advancement of Human and Nature (SADHNA) in 2021.
Mr Pradeep Chauhan has been appointed as an Assistant Conservator of Forest at Himachal Pradesh State Forest Department in the year 2020.
Mr Nitesh Thakur qualified HPAS Allied Services and was appointed as Naib Tehsildar in Govt of Himachal Pradesh in 2019.
Five students- Mr Prashant Sharma, Mr Harish Sharma, Ms Amanpreet Kaur, Mr Jatin Kumar and Ms Alisha Keprate have been awarded DST- INSPIRE Fellowship since 2019.
Four students- Mr Alok Kumar Singh, Mr Shiva Janju, Mr Uday Kumar and Mohd. Husnain has qualified UGC-NET Exam since 2019.
Fourteen students of the Department have qualified ICAR-NET Exam since 2019.
Four Students (Mohd. Husnain, Mr Ngahanuii Kengoo, Ms Jyoti Chaudhary and Ms Srishti) have acquired National Fellowship for Scheduled Tribe since 2019.
Ms Nidhi Sharma and Mr Umakanta Dash have been appointed as Agricultural Research Scientist-ICAR since 2019.
Nine graduates of the Department have been appointed as Assistant professors in state/ Central Agriculture Universities of India since 2019.

Research

Thrust Areas

Develop appropriate seed and nursery technology for the production of quality planting stock.
Rejuvenation of degraded lands, stress sites and mined areas through biophysical approaches.
Dynamics and productivity of forest stands– regeneration, growth and yield relationships.
Developing site-specific integrated land uses– agroforestry models for different niches/agro-climatic zones.
Undertake diagnosis and design exercise on a regular basis for the identification of farmer’s problems and provide appropriate scientific solutions thereof.

Ongoing Research Projects (Externally Funded)

ICAR- All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Agroforestry.
Establishment of big bamboo nursery, Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh.
Development of superior clones of Bamboo in Himachal Pradesh, Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh.
Establishment of High-Density bamboo plantation, Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh.
Evaluating the performance of sea weed extract, protein hydrolysates, biochemical and botanical extract in crop growth, CAFRI, Jhansi.
Techniques for protecting infrastructure, forest plantation and utilization of pine needles funded by Govt. of Himachal Pradesh under Research and Development Fund Scheme.
Diversification of Dairy unit and Backyard poultry Unit Funded by Govt. of Himachal Pradesh under Research and Development Fund Scheme.

Achievements

Prepared the database on biomass productivity, and carbon storage potential of different land uses viz., forests, plantations and agroforestry systems.
Studied the effect of forest fire, canopy density and invasive species on floristic composition, phytosociology, biomass productivity and carbon stock of different forest ecosystems.
Evaluated the performance of grasses under different agroforestry tree species and natural forests. Methods for the improvement of grasslands were standardized.
Evaluated the multipurpose trees and bamboo species for their biomass productivity, optimum lopping time, nutritive value, palatability and farmer preference rating.
Investigated the impact of climatic patterns on phenophases and growth response of multipurpose trees of the north-western mid-Himalayan ecosystem.
Diagnostic survey of existing agroforestry systems and practices in different agroclimatic zones and catchments of the state have been conducted.
Estimated the area under agroforestry and its suitability in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh by using Remote Sensing.
Developed agro-techniques for the cultivation of field crops, vegetables, pulses, and medicinal and aromatic plants under the fruit, fodder, timber and bamboo-based agroforestry systems.
Developed volumetric equations for important agroforestry tree species of the mid-hill zone of Himachal Pradesh.
Fodder tree species viz., Bamboos, Grewia, Bauhinia, Morus, Leucaena, Quercus etc. were evaluated to study their feeding effects on the growth and milk performance of cross-bred calves and cows.

Extension

To transfer the scientific silviculture and agroforestry techniques to the farmers, diagnose their problems, distribution of quality planting material, plantation and rehabilitation of degraded and barren lands.

Achievements

Organized more than 25 farmers' training-cum-awareness programmes focusing on the selection of suitable agroforestry tree species.
Distributed quality planting material and tools to more than 300 farmers of Himachal Pradesh under the SC and STSP scheme.
The scientists have delivered 6 TV/radio talks and 50 lectures to the beneficiaries of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining states focusing on the potential of agroforestry, selection of suitable tree species, plantation of economic tree species for livelihood improvement and dairy management practices.
Organising Van Mahotsava every year.
Conducted field exposure visits for the students and Forest Ranger Officers Trainees from the state of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujrat and Uttar Pradesh.

Awards/Recognitions

Dr Prem Prakash Sharma has been awarded Best Poster Award by Indian Society of Agronomy, 2023.
Dr Rohit Bishist has been awarded Best Paper Award 2022 by Indian Society of Agroforestry, 2023.
Dr D R Bhardwaj has been awarded Gold Medal by Indian Society of Agroforestry, Jhansi, for the year of 2019.
Dr D R Bhardwaj served as a nominated Member of the V.P. Mohan committee constituted by Hon’ble supreme court of India for guidance and monitoring of Silvicultural Green Felling in the state of Himachal Pradesh, 2018- 2022.
Dr D R Bhardwaj has been awarded 2nd Prize in Poster presentation by NRCAF, Jhansi, 2008.
Dr D P Sharma has been awarded 1st Prize Poster presentation by ICFRE, Dehradun, 2006.
Dr D R Bhardwaj & Dr K S Verma has been awarded 1st Prize in Poster presentation by Indian Society of Agroforestry, Jhansi, 2006.
Dr PS Thakur has been awarded Brandis Prize by Indian Forester Society, FRI, Dehradun, 2004.
Dr B Gupta has been recognised as Visiting Associate Professor in University of Alemaya, Ethiopia, 2000.
Dr S D Bhardwaj has been awarded World 2000 Millennium Award in 8th Environment Congress, New Delhi, 1999.
Dr S D Bhardwaj has been awarded Social Forestry Award by Environment Society of India, Chandigarh, 1995.
Dr B Gupta has been awarded Post–doctorate Fellowship by Commonwealth Fellowship British Council, 1994.
Dr V K Mishra has been awarded Brandis Prize by Indian Forester Society, FRI, Dehradun, 1993.