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Proposal for PhD Programme (Forestry) 
COLLEGE OF FORESTRY KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY KAU ( PO),Thrissur- 680 656 CONTENTS
Proposal for PhD Programme (Forestry)
COLLEGE OF FORESTRY KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY KAU ( PO),Thrissur- 680 656 Proforma Proposal for starting degree / diploma / certificate course
Checklist PROFORMA TO BE FORWARDED ALONG WITH PROPOSAL FOR STARTING NEW COURSES IN KAU
Proposal for PhD programme in Forestry1. Name of the institution College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, KAU P.O., Kerala, India 2. Objective To strengthen research and education in forestry at the doctoral level at Kerala Agricultural University. 3. Background The College of Forestry at the Kerala Agricultural University was established in 1986 as part of the national efforts to start forestry education programmes in academic institutions (Ref: letter No. 12-10/85 Edn. dated 28-7-1986 from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi). Developing the manpower resources required for the state’s forestry, agroforestry, non-wood forest products, wildlife sciences, wood science, and social forestry sectors is the principal mandate of the college. To cater to this requirement, a BSc (Forestry) degree programme was started in 1986 and a master’s programme just preceded that. Until 2007, 202 BSc (Forestry) and 70 MSc (Forestry) candidates have graduated from this college. For undertaking teaching and research activities, five statutory departments viz., Silviculture and Agroforestry, Tree Physiology and Breeding, Forest Management and Utilization, Wood Science and Wildlife Science have been established in the College (Ref: gazette notification GA/E3/7756/90 dated 13-5-93). 4. Justification for starting PhD at the College of ForestryForests form one of our most important renewable natural resources. Indiscriminate use of forest resources, however, has threatened our very existence on earth. Tropical forests, which are the harbingers of biological diversity, are being destroyed at an alarming pace. Declining availability of timber and other forest produce, altered microclimate, global warming, soil erosion, floods, droughts and desertification are some of the major consequences of large-scale tropical deforestation. Pressures from sophisticated technology and an ever-increasing human and livestock population will also place greater and greater demands on these resources in future. Furthermore, increased social concerns for environmental values have given foresters the additional task of managing land to protect and enhance other resource values such as wildlife, aesthetics and water quality. The challenges to natural resource managers for more intensive management and more accurate predictions of environmental impacts are unprecedented in the history of mankind and this has lead to changes in forestry and natural resource management curricula, the world-over. The main thrust in our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes is on imparting theoretical and practical knowledge in forestry and allied aspects of natural resource management. People trained in these subject matter areas at doctoral level are best equipped to meet the challenge of solving today's environmental problems and of working for the continual future supply of goods and services from our forest resources. In Kerala, however, opportunities for doctoral studies in forestry scarcely exist. Although a limited number of scholars are working at Kerala Forest Research Institute and elsewhere, many aspects of forestry research are often neglected. Land use systems of Kerala also present a complex scenario with tremendous diversity of trees and crops. Only very little emphasis has been given to improve the productivity of manmade forests and to optimise the productivity of different ecosystems. Unless rigorous efforts are made by the forestry professionals to improve the productivity of timber stands of forest tree species and manage them optimally, the society would face severe shortage of timber, food, fuel wood, and fodder in the near future. In the recent times, there is also a growing shortage of highly trained personnel in the forestry sector in several parts of the country. In particular, the specialized forestry projects launched in various parts of the country with outside funding agencies have necessitated substantial qualitative changes in the training to meet the job requirement. There are a number of vacancies coming up in Govt. and private sectors, universities, and research institutes for doctorate holders in forestry. Keeping in view the changing scenario in modern forestry programme from just protection to sustainable management by the application of science, this specialized doctoral programme assumes special significance. Kerala Agricultural University is the most appropriate institution to initiate full-fledged doctoral programme in forestry. It may also be remembered that College of Forestry is the only one institution in the state accredited by ICAR. The ICFRE team, which visited the college recently, has also emphasized the need to start PhD programme. In consonance with these recommendations, the present proposal is made. The programme can be started initially by admitting one student in each of the five statutory departments in the college, as shown below. 5.0. Programme: PhD in Forestry 5.1. Location: College of Forestry, Vellanikkara 5.2. Number of seats: 5 5.3. Major area: Forestry (Silviculture, Agroforestry, Forest and Environment Management, Forest Genetic Resources, Forest Biotechnology, Wood Science and Technology and Wildlife Sciences) 5.4. Minor area: Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Statistics, Plant Physiology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Livestock Production and Management 5.5. Method of selection: as per KAU regulations 5.6. Eligibility for admission: MSc (Forestry) degree of the Kerala Agricultural University or its equivalent or Associateship of the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun 5.7. Name of other collaborative institutions, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi. 5.8. Faculty
5.9 Bio-data of the faculty members in the major disciplines: attached separately 5.10. Course content: attached separately 6. Infrastructural facilities 6. 1. Laboratories The college has well-equipped laboratories. In addition to the undergraduate and postgraduate laboratories, exclusive laboratories for biochemistry, silviculture, biotechnology, tree physiology, tree propagation, tree tissue culture, mensuration, wood quality testing, wood anatomy, seed technology, forest management, and wildlife science are available. In addition, there is a central instrumentation facility functioning in the college. Laboratories are provided with modern equipment including Leaf Area Meter, Plant Water Status Console, Data Logger, Radiation Sensors, Plant Canopy Analyser, Laminar Flow, Sound Level Meter, UV Spectrophotometer, Flame Photometer, Precision Balances, Automatic Nitrogen Analyser, Wood Microtome, Automatic Knife Sharpener, Image Analysis System, Automatic Tissue Processor, Microscope with digital photographic attachment, Integrated Wood Working Machine and Turnery Lathe, Programmable Biofreezers, Digital Vernier Callipers, Lux Meter, TDS Meter, Densitometer, Electrophoresis unit, Continuous Flow Analyser, Portable Photosynthetic System, various instruments connected to Seed Technology, etc. There are facilities for making accurate identification of timber specimens sent by various governmental, private agencies and the public in the department of Wood Science of this College. Dendrochronological (finding age of trees and plantations from ring counting) analysis is also rendered as a consultancy service. Besides these services, the department also undertakes wood quality assessment of timbers based on their anatomical and physical property. The faculty in the department have published a field key for identification of timbers of Kerala, which is a widely consulted document. They have also developed an on-line (web enabled & CD versions) manual of timbers of Kerala Timbers of Kerala that provides accurate and up to date information about important timber species using a click and query system. The wood workshop-cum-laboratory is a special training facility for the students with emphasis on training in frontier areas such as tissue processing, microtomy, and microscopy. An Integrated saw mill unit with facility for sawing, re-sawing, planning, and sanding conversion of timber specimens for testing is also available. 6.2. Instructional farm An instructional farm of about 20 ha comprising of a tree nursery, arboretum, woodlots, agroforestry experiments, provenance testing of different species etc. is maintained. The nursery has modern facilities and produces good quality plant propagules. Over the last ten years, more than eight lakh seedlings and stumps of commercial forest and flowering trees were produced for campus planting and distribution to the general public. The annual revenue generated on this account ranges from Rs.5.0 to 6.5 lakh. More than 150 tree species, including rare and endangered have been planted and maintained in the arboretum. “Nakshathra Vanam” and Butterfly Park are special attractions of the college campus. In addition, the All India Coordinated Project on Agroforestry is functioning at Thiruvazhamkunnu, as an integral part of the college. The experiments laid out there serve the purpose of both pedagogic and research purposes. 6.3. Computer and internet facilities A computer laboratory was established at the college with support under the FIST (Fund for Improvement of S&T infrastructure in universities and higher educational institutions) programme of the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India. All faculty members and students have access to computational and internet facilities round the clock. Computer facility is also available in the office for administrative and other office related works. 6.4. College information centre and museums An information centre cum museum, depicting an overview of the college and the various teaching and research activities (about 200 sq. m area), besides xylarium, herbarium, animal biodiversity museum, wildlife museum, seed museum and NTFP museum are maintained in the college for the benefit of students and visitors. 6.5. Library College library has multiple copies of more than 5000 titles of core subjects in forestry. Reprographic facilities and computer terminals with internet connectivity are available in the library. The library has a separate civil service exam corner and a collection of bound volumes of all previous question papers of university examinations. Library remains open up to 10 pm on all working days. 7. Research achievements In addition to regular teaching programmes, the faculty members are involved in research activities on various fields of forestry and allied areas. In addition to KAU, the major funding agencies include ICAR, ICFRE, DBT, DSIR, DST, USDA, State Forest Dept., etc. More than 30 externally funded research projects have been completed by the faculty members for the last ten years. Major research areas include agroforestry, biotechnology, ecology, environmental management, forest management, litter decomposition dynamics, nursery technology, phytosociology, provenance testing ,seed technology, silviculture, tree physiology, tree propagation, tree genetics, wood science, wildlife science, ornithology, forest protection, wood science and technology etc. The teachers and master’s students have published more than 500 research and popular articles in national and international journals, magazines, and dailies. Books, CDs and practical manuals also have been published on nursery technology and management, silviculture and agroforestry, dendrology, taxonomy, propagation, arboriculture, forest management, wood science, ornithology, wildlife etc. are being widely used by scientists, students, foresters and farmers. 8. Extension activities The major extension activity carried out at the college is distribution of quality planting materials of commercial timber, and ornamental tree species to farmers through the information-cum-sales centre. Planting materials are also routinely supplied to various research institutes, farms, and colleges of the university besides and non-governmental organizations. The teachers of the college offer consultancy services to farmers in various areas of forestry, particularly establishment of nursery, green-belt plantings, agroforestry, and pest and disease management. The college is also vested with the responsibility of scientific evaluation of tree species grown in the research stations and farms of the University for felling and final disposal. The facilities of timber identification using computerised image analysis system is made use of by the Forest department, Central and State government organizations, private companies, farmers and the general public on payment basis. Dendrochronological (finding age of trees and plantations from ring counting) analysis is also rendered as a consultancy service. The college helps the State Forest Department in wildlife forensic cases using DNA finger printing technology. Our students also routinely participate in wildlife census and other activities of the State Forest Department. List of major courses: Attached 
Proposal for starting M Sc. Programme in Wood Science at College of Forestry, KAU
COLLEGE OF FORESTRY KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY KAU ( PO),Thrissur- 680 656 Proforma Proposal for starting degree / diploma / certificate course
Checklist PROFORMA TO BE FORWARDED ALONG WITH PROPOSAL FOR STARTING NEW COURSES IN KAU
PROPOSAL FOR STARTING M SC. PROGRAMME IN WOOD SCIENCE AT COLLEGE OF FORESTRY, KAU 1. Name of the institution: College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, KAU P.O., Kerala 2. Objective: To strengthen research and education in wood science at post-graduate level at Kerala Agricultural University. 3. Background and justification For undertaking teaching and research activities, five statutory departments viz., Silviculture and Agroforestry, Tree Physiology and Breeding, Forest Management and Utilization, Wood Science and Wildlife Science have been established in the College (Ref: gazette notification GA/E3/7756/90 dated 13-5-93). M Sc programmes were started in all these departments except Wood Science. It is a well known fact that wood is the natural by product of most forestry operations. The application of silvicultural, management and even protective measures will result in a change in wood properties that will ultimately result in wood quality variation. Also, the end result of all breeding activities and other genetic manipulations with the aim of tree improvement is also reflected in timber quality. Needless to say the study of wood and its variation is a topic of utmost significance in the present scenario of shift in forest management strategies towards sustained yield management as well as the climate change phenomenon. The discipline of Wood Science is also gaining tremendous importance in view of the recent trends in product diversification and substitution and associated requirement of trained man power in the wood products industry. M Sc in Wood Science is offered only in just two universities across the whole country and due to this reason, graduates in Forestry have to seek admissions in this discipline in faraway states and even abroad to obtain post graduation in this subject. The KAU general council that met on March 19, 2006 had also decided to start M Sc programme in Wood Science in the College of Forestry and the same was announced by the then general council member Adv. V.S. Hareendranath in his budgetary speech. The Department of Wood Science is one of the major departments of the college with approved syllabi already existing for offering various PG courses. It is currently offering post graduate courses in the area of Wood Science for students specializing in other disciplines. PG programme was not started earlier in this department along with other departments since faculty with expertise in the subject area of Wood Science was not available at that time. The department is now fully equipped in terms of trained manpower as well as infrastructural facilities. Under the financial assistance of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), a Xylarium, wood workshop and instrumentation facility for wood science have been set up in the department. The work of timber identification on payment basis from wood anatomy samples taken using the wood microtome and image analysis system is undertaken in the department. Large number of samples were received from the Forest department, Central and State government organizations, Private companies and farmers and the general public. Dendro-chronological ( finding age of trees and plantations from ring counting ) analysis is also rendered as a consultancy service. Besides these, the department has a Wood Workshop-Cum-Laboratory that is a special training facility for the students with emphasis on training in frontier areas in wood science such as tissue processing, microtomy, and microscopy. An Integrated saw mill unit with facility for sawing, re-sawing, planing, and sanding of timber specimens is also available. The faculty in the department have undertaken higher studies and have obtained training from the Wood Anatomy division of the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Wood Properties and Uses division of the Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bangalore, Wood Science division of the Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi and the Germplasm division of the Rubber Research Institute, Kottayam. The faculty has several publications in this field including a Field Key for the Identification of Timbers of Kerala and a CD Rom on Timbers of Kerala which are first of their kind. Realising the lack of skilled professional human resource in the wood-based industries and considering the importance of capacity development for sustainable utilization of tropical hardwoods, it is proposed to begin M Sc programme in Wood Science in College of Forestry, under the faculty of Agriculture from the next academic year onwards. 4.0. Programme: M Sc. in Wood Science 4.1. Location: College of Forestry, Vellanikkara 4.2. Number of seats: 2 4.3. Major area: Forestry (Wood Science and Technology, Silviculture, Agroforestry, Forest and Environment Management, Forest Genetic Resources, Forest Biotechnology and Wildlife Sciences) 4.4. Minor area: Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Statistics, Plant Physiology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Livestock Production and Management 4.5. Method of selection: as per KAU regulations 4.6. Eligibility for admission: B Sc (Forestry) degree of the Kerala Agricultural University or its equivalent 4.7. Name of other collaborative institutions: College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Rubber Research Institute of India, Kottayam.
Associate Dean College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University, KAU P.O., Thrissur, Kerala 680 656, India. Phone (office) 0487-2370050; Fax 91-487-237 1040; E-mail: bmkumar.kau@gmail.com Yüklə 328,76 Kb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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