Kotagiri: Thirty-two Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers participated in a three-day residential workshop on the principles and practice of ecological restoration in Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu, from September 9 to 11.
The programme was held at the Keystone Foundation campus and was led by the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in collaboration with the Ecological Restoration Alliance-India (ERA), Keystone Foundation, Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) and Adavi Trust.
The training brought together forestry officers and researchers to examine scientific approaches to restoring degraded ecosystems and applying restoration principles in forest management.
Workshop Focuses on Restoration Science and Field Practice
The sessions covered different aspects of ecological restoration, including the planning, implementation and monitoring of restoration interventions.
Key areas included:
- Principles and approaches to ecological restoration
- Restoration of degraded landscapes
- Monitoring and evaluation of restoration sites
- Role of local communities and institutions
- Ecological characteristics of the Nilgiris’ shola-grassland landscape
- Application of restoration science in forest management
The programme combined classroom discussions with field-based learning, allowing participants to examine restoration work at different stages. Officers visited a benchmark site as well as a newly initiated restoration site to understand how restoration interventions are assessed over time.
IFS Officers Engage With Forestry and Restoration Experts
The workshop also featured interactions with experts with experience in forest administration and ecological restoration.
Among the facilitators were Pramod G. Krishnan, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (SF), Kerala, and Sanjeeva Pandey, a former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests from Himachal Pradesh.
The programme included discussions on the practical challenges of restoration and the importance of monitoring ecological recovery rather than relying solely on plantation-based approaches.
Why the Nilgiris Is a Key Restoration Landscape
The Nilgiris forms part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which encompasses diverse forest ecosystems including montane shola forests and grasslands. The region has also faced ecological pressures from invasive plant species and other forms of land degradation.
Keystone Foundation has worked on restoration in the Nilgiris, including the removal and control of invasive species and the regeneration of native vegetation. Its restoration work has involved methods such as manual removal of invasive plants, native-species planting and community engagement.
The three-day workshop therefore provided IFS officers with exposure to both the scientific principles and practical considerations involved in ecological restoration in a landscape with diverse and sensitive ecosystems.
Read Also: IFS 2025 Probationers Begin Hands-On Ecology, Conservation Training at IGNFA with NCBS
