Action headed by President, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, visited ICFRE, here today. A Memorandom of Understanding between Chinese Academy of Forestry and ICFRE, Dehradun to foster Cooperative relationship between two countries on identified areas of research, was signed by Prof, Zhang Shongong, President, Chinese Academy of Forestry and Dr. V.K Bahuguna, DG, ICFRE.
Dr. V.K. Bahuguna dwelt upon the emerging areas of mutual interest viz. impact of Climate Change on Forest Ecosystems, Forest Hydrology and Tree improvement with scope of bilateral coperation. He also harped upon the high expertise of China in the area of Bamboo cultivation and technologies for Bamboo products which could be shared in a institutionalised manner for the livelihood support.
Sandeep Tripathi, Director (P&IC), ICFRE outlined the objectives of visit of the delegation under the over arching unbrella of BRICS Cooperation.
A detailed presentation of activities of the ICFRE, research strength and challenges was made by Dr. Sanjay Srivastava, ADG. The delegation made a presentation highlighting. Tree Breeding, Ecological Improvement, germ-plasma conservation and sustainable Forest Management as the priority area of Chinese Academy of Forestry.
It was decided that an Umbrella Action Plan would be prepared under the over arching BRICS Cooperation Agreemtn, with main emphasis in Bamboo cultivation and development of industrial Bamboo products and Tree Improvement programme of important tree species like Teak, Sisso, Sandalwood, Red Sander, Casurina and Eucalyptus. The modalities of exchange experts isit, sharing of research findings and technologies and capacity building program was also deliberated.
In the afternoon the CFA delegation visited various research laboratories and museums of Forest Research Institute. The delegation also visited the mining reclamation work undertaken by FRI in Maldevta. This long term bilateral collaborative programme has a tremendous scope for exchange of technologies in the area of Bamboo improvement and Product development and Tree improvement programme to address the livelihood issues and Sustainable Forest Management.
