SKUAST-Kashmir organises workshop on wildlife conservation, sustainable livelihoods

Srinagar, Feb 19: In a significant step towards promoting community-driven wildlife conservation and sustainable livelihoods, the Division of Wildlife Sciences, SKUAST-Kashmir, in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Protection, J&K Government, organised a one-day awareness and training workshop.

The event was held under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS), MOEFCC, Govt. of India funded Project “Nature Learning Centre for Jammu & Kashmir (NLC J&K)”. The event, held at the Faculty of Forestry, SKUAST-Kashmir. It aimed to empower local communities with sustainable strategies for wildlife conservation, ecotourism, and nature-based livelihoods.

The workshop brought together Panchayat and school heads, community members from Chuntwaliwar, Watlar, and Benhama villages, alongside key dignitaries including Prof. Arshad Hussain Mughal, Dean, Faculty of Forestry, SKUAST-Kashmir; Heads of Divisions of the Faculty, Rashid Y. Naqash, Regional Wildlife Warden Headquarters (J&K); Intesar Suhail, Wildlife Warden, North Division; faculty members, wildlife researchers, and students.

Commending the initiative, Prof. Arshad Hussain Mughal lauded Dr. Khursheed Ahmad, Head, Division of Wildlife Sciences, for his dedicated efforts in wildlife conservation. He underscored the importance of fostering entrepreneurship through skill development in ecotourism and sustainable livelihoods, thereby reducing pressures on forest ecosystems.

Prof. Khursheed Ahmad, the Program Coordinator, welcomed the dignitaries and participants, emphasising the crucial role of local communities in conservation. He highlighted that the workshop aimed to equip villagers with sustainable practices in wildlife conservation, conflict mitigation, medicinal plant cultivation, and ecotourism opportunities. The event featured expert lectures from young researchers working on externally funded wildlife projects, including the Nature Learning Centre (NLC) Project, focusing on alternative nature-based livelihoods to alleviate pressure on forests and wildlife.

Speaking at the event, Prof. Parvez Ahmad Khan, Head, Division of FPU, Faculty of Forestry, along with Shri Rashid Y. Naqash and Shri Intesar Suhail, commended SKUAST-Kashmir’s Division of Wildlife Sciences for its pioneering work in wildlife conservation and capacity building. They emphasized the Division’s critical role in advancing conservation research and fostering human-wildlife coexistence in the region. Rashid Y. Naqash highlighted the vital role of local communities in wildlife conservation and assured the participating Panchayat representatives of the Department of Wildlife Protection’s full support in their efforts to safeguard wildlife and preserve natural habitats.