Bandipora, July 22: A delegation of senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers from across the country on Wednesday visited Bandipora to study innovative models of biodiversity conservation, wetland restoration and community-based forest management as part of a week-long capacity-building programme on “Smart Conservation: Technological Solutions for Forest and Wildlife Protection.”
The exposure visit was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department in collaboration with Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), the Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA), the Kashmir Forest Training School, Chitternar, and the Forest Protection Force.
The programme aimed to facilitate knowledge exchange among senior forest officers from various States and Union Territories by showcasing successful conservation practices and technology-driven approaches to sustainable forest and wildlife management.
The delegation began its visit at Wular Lake, Asia’s second-largest freshwater lake, where officials of WUCMA briefed the participants on scientific interventions being undertaken to restore and conserve the ecologically significant wetland. The officers were informed about initiatives such as wetland restoration, catchment area treatment, shoreline stabilisation, habitat improvement, biodiversity enhancement and sustainable ecosystem management.
The officers later visited the historic Kashmir Forest Training School at Chitternar, established in 1911, where they were introduced to the institution’s contribution to forestry education, professional training and capacity building over the past century.
A technical session at the training school featured a presentation by Divisional Forest Officer, Bandipora, Waseem Farooq Mir, on the district’s Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) Model. The presentation highlighted community participation in biodiversity conservation, preparation of People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs), participatory environmental governance and sustainable natural resource management.
On the occasion, the visiting dignitaries also released a booklet documenting the objectives, implementation process, achievements and best practices of the BMC Model, aimed at facilitating replication of the initiative in other regions.
The delegation also viewed a documentary on the Chandaji Eco-Restoration Park, showcasing the successful restoration of a degraded landscape through scientific planning, ecological interventions and active community participation.
The visiting officers appreciated the conservation initiatives undertaken by the Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department and WUCMA, describing Bandipora’s integrated approach to biodiversity conservation, wetland restoration and community participation as a model worthy of replication across the country.
The visit concluded with an exchange of ideas and experiences among the participating officers, underscoring the importance of innovation, collaboration and technology-driven strategies in strengthening forest, wildlife and biodiversity conservation in India.
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