FRI organised a “Capacity building workshop on soil test-based nutrient management practices for the front-line employees of Uttarakhand forest department”

Venue: Manthan Hall, Van Bhawan, UK Forest Department, Dehradun

Date 8^th May 2025

Forest Ecology and Climate Change Division, FRI organised a one-day Capacity building workshopon ‘Soil test-based nutrient management practices for the front-line employees of Uttarakhand forest department’ for front-line employees.This workshop was framed to expose the participants to soil sampling and nutrient management. The above-mentioned workshop was an objective of the project entitled AICRP-22 “Preparation of Forest Soil Health Cards under different Forest Vegetation’s in all the Forest Divisions of India” funded by CAMPA, Govt. of India. The chief guest of the workshop was Dr. Vivek Pandey, IFS, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, govt., of Uttarakhand. Dr. Pandey emphasised the significance of soil nutrients and their management in the inaugural address. The participantswere introduced to the various soil sampling instruments and other research activities undertaken under the said project.

Dr. Vijender Panwar, Scientist-F, NPC of the project, said thatthe primary objective of this project was to assess the Forest soil health under different types of forest vegetation across all forest divisions in Uttarakhand and to develop comprehensive soil health cards for each division. These cards are basically prepared on 12 soil parameters which are assessed in the laboratory. Forest soil health cards (FSHC) are intended to serve as valuable tools for forest managers, providing them with the data needed to make informed decisions regarding forest conservation, restoration, and sustainable management.  A website regarding said forest soil health cards is under work, he added.

Dr. Parul Bhatt Kotiyal, Scientist-F & Head FECC Division, FRI talked about how Soil health is a crucial factor in determining the productivity and sustainability of forest ecosystems. In the context of forest management, understanding soil health becomes even more critical as it directly impacts forest regeneration, carbon sequestration, and the overall resilience of the ecosystem.Government of India’s long-term goal is to increase its forest cover through a planned afforestation drive, which includes number of programs and initiatives like Green India Mission, Green highways policy, and Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).

More than 45 front-line personnel of forest department, Uttarakhand forestdeptt., scientists of FRI, officers, and technical staff attended this workshop. Sh. Ashish Kumar proposed a vote of thanks.