ACTIVITES
Activities of the Division (April, 2019- December, 2019)
Research: Applied and basic research in the field of Forest Botany, Biodiversity Conservation, Threatened taxa, Revision of Forest Flora, Documentation of Forest Genetic Resources, Molecular Taxonomy, Herbarium Digitization and Grassland Ecology with active co-operation of State Forest Department, Local Stakeholders and Communities.
Technical Services:
• Identification of plant specimens from researchers, students and other stake holder
• Technical support for development of Bamboo nursery, Biodiversity park, Botanical Gardens etc.
Education:
• Teaching and supervising postgraduate students for different courses of FRI (Deemed) University in Basic Botany and Natural Resource Management subjects
• Supervising graduate/postgraduate students of other Universities in Botany and Biotechnology (Molecular Taxonomy) courses.
• Supervising Ph.D. Scholars in Forest Botany.
Seminar/ Training/ Workshop:
• The Forest Botany Division of Forest Research Institute has organized one Day Divisional seminar on “Biodiversity conservation and its utilization’ on 29th May 2018with broad objective of current research and future strategies in the field of Biodiversity.
• On the Occasion of the International Forestry Day plantation of sacred trees has been organized in Botanical Garden, Forest Research Institute on March 19, 2019. On the occasion Sh. C.K. Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India planted Rudraksha while Padma Bhushan Chandi Prasad Bhatt planted Agar tree. Sh. Saibal Dasgupta, ADG, MoEF & CC Govt. of India planted Sita Ashok, Shri Noyal Thomas IGF; MoEF&CC Govt. of India planted Maulshri. In the occasion Dr. S. C. Gairola, DG, ICFRE and Sh.Onkar Singh, Director IGNFA planted Krishna Ficus.
• The Forest Botany Division of Forest Research Institute organized training on Para-taxonomy under the UNDP-SECURE Himalaya Project ‘Skilled Development in Para-taxonomy for Local Communities of Gangotri – Govind and Darma – Byans Valley of Uttarakhand’ from 30th September, 2019- 4th October, 2019.
• The Forest Botany Division of Forest Research Institute organized training on ‘Capacity Building in Herbarium Techniques’ under Umbrella Scheme of Forestry Training and Capacity Building for training for ‘Personnel of Other Services’, MoEF& CC, GoI on November 20-22, 2019.A total of 21 trainees from different
departments including Ayurveda & Unani, District Horticulture Office, Senior Police Superintendent Office, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Department, Sheep and Wool Board, Social Welfare Department, Chief Development Office, Chief Engineer, Irrigation Dept. Office, NGO etc.
Technical Services:
• Development of the Bamboo nursery by Technical Support of Forest Research Institute and National Bamboo Mission, New Delhi at Rashtrapati Bhavan Gardens, New Delhi. With a view to aware the general public about the bamboo diversity and its uses, a bamboo nursery has been established with a total sapling of 23 bamboo species.
On the occasion of Van Mahotsav, Hon’ble President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind delighted to plant a Bamboo sapling in the Rashtrapati Bhavan Gardens.
Resource Person:
• A public awareness Nature walk organized by ‘Dhaad’ group based on Dehradun at the Forest Research Institute on 04.08.2019. Dr. Anup Chandra, Scientist E and Dr. Praveen Kumar Verma, Scientist – B, have been acted as the resource person for the field visits.
• Dr. Anup Chandra, Scientist E and Dr. Praveen Kumar Verma, Scientist – B, Systematic Botany Discipline participated and delivered lecture on Seminar ‘Forestry and Allied Sciences Specific Popular Topics {FAST-2018} organized by Department of Forestry, Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical & Natural Sciences, Dehradun on November 28, 2018.
Memorandum of Understanding:
• MoU signed between Forest Botany Division, Forest Research Institute and Uttarakhand Forest Department project entitled ‘Skilled Development in Parataxonomy for Local Communities of Gangotri – Govind and Darma – Byans Valley of Uttarakhand’ (Project duration: 2 Years).
Nominated Member of National/State level committees:
• Dr. Anup Chandra, Scientist – E & Head, Forest Botany Division nominated as member of State Level Co-Ordination Committee (SLSCC) of Uttarakhand state of Central Silk Board.
Visit of dignitaries to Herbarium & Botanical garden:
• U.S. Ambassador to India Mr. Kenneth I. Juster with other US embassy officials visited DD Herbarium and Botanical Garden on 01.05.2019.
• Dr. Gannilal B. Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Pittsburgh, Russia visited DD Herbarium for herbarium consultation on 26.04.2019.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) President Zhang Xinsheng. Visited DD Herbarium and Botanical Garden on 14.11.2019.
• A Hindi article “जैव विविधिता का खजाना दून हरबेरियम” published in Hindi News Paper Danik Jagran, Dehradun dated 2nd July, 2019 edition. Page No. 11.
Other important activities
Conferences from April 2019 to December 2019:
• Participated in workshopon Decision Support System and Geo-informatics for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of Watershed Management organized by Neeranchal National Watershed Management– CBSA Project at FRI, Dehradun on 30.07.2018 – 31.07.2018 (Ms. Ranjana Negi).
• Participated in Consultation Workshop at Forest Department HQ, Dehradun on State Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (SBSAP) and Financial Need Assessment (FNA) Plan of Uttarakhand on 25.10.2019 organized by Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board (Dr. Anup Chandra).
• Participated and presented a poster in “International Conference on Conservation and sustainable use of high altitude medicinal and aromatic plants for the socio-economic development” on 29th – 30th November (Theme: Cultivation) organized by Uttarakhand Ayurvedic University, Dehradun(Ms. Ranjana Negi).
Awards:
• Awarded IIIrd Prize for Poster presentation to Ms. Ranjana Negiin “International Conference on Conservation and sustainable use of high altitude medicinal and aromatic plants for the socio-economic development” on 29th – 30th November (Theme: Cultivation) organized by Uttarakhand Ayurvedic University, Dehradun
Prakrati Programme: Organized various nature visits for the students under prakrati programme from time to time.