Forest officers should disseminate the knowledge and skills learnt during the general refresher course for in-service officers at the Central Academy for State Forest Services (CASFoS). Director, Forest Education, Dr Dharmendra Verma said this while speaking at the conclusion of the course here on Friday.
Addressing the participants Verma said that they should disseminate what they have learnt during the course to the subordinate staff and in the forest training schools in their respective States.
The CASFoS principal N Sonzalian talked about the genesis of the course design under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project, about how the course was designed as a platter offering skill upgradation on every aspect of forestry and expressed hope that the participating officers would put their newly acquired skills to good use in the States.
The general refresher course which began on September 8 was attended by 14 officers from Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
The course consisted of classroom lectures, participatory discussions, field visits, panel discussions and outdoor excursion.
The main objective of the course was to upgrade the professional skills of the officers enabling them to face the changing scenario in forest governance.
Inputs were given on the latest developments in forest, wildlife and environment issues including the emerging issues and concepts like forest certification, climate change and REDD, IPR issues in forestry and green economy.
The lectures were supplemented with field visits to FRI nursery, museum and WII forensic laboratory and a daylong excursion to Dhanaulti ecopark; where the participants had an interaction with the members of the local community and forest staff while studying the functioning of the community based ecotourism model.
The participants were also imparted a hands on training on computer applications and digital planimeter. Panel discussions were held on HR issues in forestry and media management.
The participants made group presentations on varied subjects including ecotourism, NTFP management, Forest Rights Act, community forestry and wildlife protection.