Srinagar: The Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-Kashmir) has brought together 37 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers from 18 States for a three-day national capacity-building programme focused on the emerging opportunities and challenges in sustainable ecotourism and forest and wildlife management.
Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, the programme on “Ecotourism in Forest and Wildlife Realms: Prospects & Challenges” is being held from September 1 to 3 at the university’s Shalimar Campus.
The programme brings together senior forestry professionals, university leaders, researchers and subject experts to discuss approaches that can balance tourism development with ecological conservation and local community interests.
Sustainability Must Drive Tourism in Fragile Himalayan Ecosystems
Addressing the participating IFS officers, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-Kashmir, stressed that tourism in ecologically fragile regions must be guided by sustainability, conservation and community participation.
He said the objective should not simply be to maximise tourist numbers, but to maximise the positive value generated by tourism while minimising its ecological footprint.
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Highlighting the vulnerability of Himalayan ecosystems, Prof. Ganai called for a calibrated approach in which tourism becomes an instrument for conservation rather than a source of ecological degradation.
He also highlighted the increasing importance of GIS, remote sensing, Artificial Intelligence and digital monitoringin protected-area management, biodiversity assessment, visitor management, ecosystem monitoring and evidence-based decision-making.
According to him, SKUAST-Kashmir has an important role to play in generating scientific evidence, strengthening professional capacities and developing technology-driven solutions for emerging environmental challenges.
Former Chief Secretary Calls for Conservation-Centric Ecotourism
Ramesh Negi, former Chief Secretary and Guest of Honour, emphasised the need to shift ecotourism from a tourism-centric model to a conservation-centric approach.
He stressed that ecological carrying capacity, biodiversity protection, local livelihoods and responsible visitor behaviour must remain central to the planning and management of tourism in forest and wildlife areas.
The approach is particularly important in environmentally sensitive landscapes where uncontrolled tourism can place additional pressure on natural resources and fragile ecosystems.
Programme Designed Around Field-Based Learning
Dr. Javeed Iqbal, Course Director, said the programme has been designed to move beyond conventional classroom-based training.
The three-day programme combines field-oriented, interdisciplinary and technology-enabled learning, allowing participating officers to examine conservation and ecotourism challenges through practical exposure.
With officers participating from 18 States, the programme is also expected to facilitate cross-state learning and the exchange of experiences from diverse forest, wildlife and ecological landscapes across the country.
Focus on Technology-Driven Forest and Wildlife Management
The capacity-building programme covers a broad range of themes relevant to contemporary forest and wildlife administration.
Key areas include:
- Himalayan biodiversity and protected-area management
- Ecosystem carrying capacity and overtourism mitigation
- Legal and institutional frameworks for ecotourism
- Eco-Development Committees and participatory planning
- Gender integration and sustainable local livelihoods
- GIS, remote sensing and AI-based conservation monitoring
The focus on technology reflects the growing use of digital tools in forest and wildlife management, particularly for biodiversity assessment, ecosystem monitoring, visitor management and evidence-based planning.
IFS Officers to Visit Key Ecological Landscapes
As part of the experiential learning component, the participating officers will visit several important ecological and tourism landscapes in and around Kashmir.
The field exposure includes Wular Lake, Gulmarg, the Zabarwan landscape, Chandaji Eco-Restoration Site and Hokersar Wetland.
The officers will also be introduced to technological innovations at SKIIE and the Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, SKUAST-Kashmir.
These visits are intended to provide practical insights into the management of ecologically sensitive areas, restoration initiatives, wetland conservation and technology-enabled environmental monitoring.
SKUAST-Kashmir’s Continued Engagement with MoEFCC
The programme builds on SKUAST-Kashmir’s continuing engagement with MoEFCC through capacity-building initiatives in areas such as smart conservation, forest landscape restoration, climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
The university has also been pursuing multidisciplinary and technology-driven approaches involving Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), CRISPR and precision systems to address emerging challenges in agriculture, environment and natural-resource management.
The participation of 37 IFS officers from 18 States provides a national platform for sharing field experiences and exploring how sustainable ecotourism can contribute to conservation, community livelihoods and responsible management of India’s forest and wildlife landscapes.
