Centre for Ecology, Development and Research (CEDAR), Dehradun, the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, USA in collaboration of Forest Research Institute and Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education are jointly organising an international workshop on ‘Forests of the Western Himalaya: Conservation and Restoration of Ecosystem Services in a time of Climate Change’.
The focus of the workshop to be held on June 28-29 at FRI will be on forest conservation in the Himalayas, which is recognised as being the key to sustained ecosystem services such as water supply, mitigating climate change, biodiversity conservation and rural livelihoods.The Himalayas are among the most important ecosystems of the world, supporting millions of agricultural and forest-dependent livelihoods and dense urban cluster.
The provision of ecosystem services is dependent upon good forest cover of these mountains. However, Himalayan forests are under increasing threat of degradation from climate change, over-exploitation, improper land use and extensive infrastructure development including dams and highways.
The international workshop will bring together environmental and social scientists working on Himalayan ecology to help understand better the linkages between human activities and the decline of forest ecosystem services.The participants will also propose remedial measures to rejuvenate the Himalayan forest through such approaches as forest restoration, forest-based livelihoods and hydrological services.
The prominent speakers slated to participate include Professor and Dean, Yale School of Forestry and Environment Studies, Peter Crane, Prof Kamaljeet Singh Bawa from University of Massachusetts and founder of ATREE-India, Wildlife Institute of India dean Vinod Mathur, FRI director PP Bhojvaid, Doon library and Research Centre director BK Joshi and others.