Workshop on threatened and invasive species held at KU
Srinagar: A workshop-cum-brainstorming session was organized at the University of Kashmir, Srinagar on Saturday.
In this workshop, all stakeholders, particularly researchers, officers and officials of State Forest and Wildlife Departments, policy planners, filmmakers and other media persons participated to discuss and deliberate upon the objectives, deliverables and field implementation of outcomes of our two ongoing important research projects titled “Invasive Alien Plants in Himalayas: Status, Ecological Impact and Management” and “Ecology, monitoring, recovery and bio-prospection of some threatened plant species of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in relation to regional socio-economic development” sponsored by the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Govt. of India under its National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS).
The first project on invasive species is a collaborative project between 12 institutions in different Himalayan states in India for which Prof. Zafar A Reshi and Dr Manzoor A Shah of the Department are partner and co-partner, respectively.
The second project on threatened species is implemented by Dr Manzoor A Shah in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions with research partners from Jammu University and Kargil campus of the University of Kashmir.
The Dean Academic Affairs and acting VC KU, Prof. M A Shahaf, inaugurated the workshop and stressed for more such collaborative discourses and vibrant academia-industry-society interface for effective implementation of conservation plans.
Registrar KU, Dr Nisar A Mir, shared his experiences and assured all administrative support to such important endeavors.
Dean School of Biological Sciences, Prof. Irshad A Nawchoo highlighted the importance of traditional knowledge and tribal communities for successful conservation plans. Prof. A H Wani, Head Department of Botany, KU discussed the achievements of the Department of Botany in research.
Prof. Z A Reshi acknowledged the special support in terms of research projects and special fellowships to KU from NMHS. Dr. Manzoor A Shah conducted the proceedings and presented vote of thanks.
In the Technical Sessions, Dr. Anzar A Khuroo, Prof Z A Reshi and Dr M A Shah delivered talks, which was followed by a vibrant penal discussion in which officers and officials from the state Forest Department and Wildlife Department participated as penalists, besides other scientists such as Prof. Azra N Kamili, Director CORD KU, Dean School of Biological Sciences, Prof. Nawchoo, Prof. Reshi and Dr M A Shah.
The workshop concluded with a set of specific recommendations that would be shared with various stakeholders.
KV News
