Green avenue

Students of forestry have a lot of opportunities not only in the state forest services but also in industries manufacturing forest-based products, writes Ambika Sharma

WITH environmental degradation being a prime cause of concern the world over, the forestry sector has a significant role to play in the global economy. Issues like global warming, deforestation, global climatic change, water scarcity, natural disasters, etc, are all related to the effective and controlled use of forest wealth. The forest cover not only acts like a global sink by absorbing the carbon dioxide but also serves other needs of the living creatures. With 175 million hectares constituting wasteland and another 110 million hectare forming severely degraded land in India, the need of the hour is to rejuvenate it through forestry-related programmes.

The setting up of various hydro-electric power projects in Himachal Pradesh has created a need for several catchment treatment plans. Challenging jobs in various districts like Kullu and Kinnaur are open to enterprising youth having a forestry background. With the scientific management of these areas entailing large-scale plantations of viable species, foresters are very much in demand.

Among those catering to the manpower needs of the forestry sector is the Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, 13 km from Solan, in Himachal Pradesh. A pioneer in the field of forestry education, it offers forestry as a separate discipline at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels.

It was when the Silviculture Restoration Division of the state Forest Department was shifted here in 1971 that a few introductory courses in forestry were introduced at the undergraduate level for the first time in the country. Initially, in the absence of any forestry training in India some teachers were sent to the UK, USA and Australia for receiving specialised trained for the job.

Finally, it was in 1985 that a four-year undergraduate forestry programme was introduced here on guidance from the Government of India. Later, postgraduate and doctoral courses were also introduced.

But the first two batches faced a piquant situation as there were no jobs for the students. It was then that a MoU was signed with the state government to guarantee jobs for these students in the state forest services.

The graduates and postgraduates in forestry have good prospects of being absorbed as forest range officers.They can also be recruited as assistant conservator of forests.`A0They can`A0 further compete for the Indian Forest Service, where they are placed as divisional forest officers after selection. They can reach the post of principal chief conservator of forests in the state Forest Department. The India Council of Agricultre Research (ICAR) also offers lucrative posts like director general forests , deputy director general and inspector general for its various discplines. Senior officials of the IFS cadre are promoted to this post.

The university has a well-equipped college of forestry, located on the main campus at Nauni, having six departments. In addition, the university also has five Regional Research Stations and 12 Research Sub-Stations situated in different zones of the state and four Krishi Vigyan Kendras at Chamba, Rohroo, Sharboo and Kandhaghat.

The university offers 4-year undergraduate courses in forestry for students who have completed plus two with English, physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics or agriculture as the subjects with a minimum of 50 per cent marks. It also offers a 5-year undergraduate programme for the students of the HP Board of School Education under the vocational stream. However, foreign students seeking admission to the course require at least 60 percent marks. The postgraduate and Ph.D courses in forestry include agriculture economics, agriculture statistics, agroforestry, forest products, microbiology, silviculture, soil sciences and waste management and tree improvement and genetic resources. Each requires at least 60 per cent marks at the graduate level.

A B.Sc. forestry programme for the employees of Himachal Pradesh Forest Department and the university employees’ nominees is also offered.

Admission to various graduate and postgraduate courses is through an entrance test conducted by the university.

Apart from the courses at Nauni, candidates can also train at the Indian Forest Research Institute and College at Dehra Dun or Coimbatore for a 2-year training course in forestry. Fot this they have to qualify in the written test and fulfill prescribed physical requirements. On completion of the course they are appointed as foresters, ultimately rising to senior posts like Forest Officer, Assistant Conservator of Forests, etc.

For the post of Forest Ranger, the method of selection varies from state to state, but the physical requirements are the same as for the forestry course. Selected candidates are sent to the forest ranger’s College at Dehra Dun or Coimbatore for a 2-year training programme.