ABBOTTABAD: The study tour of the 90th Forest Guard and 5th Wildlife Watcher Regular Courses commenced from Abbottabad, providing trainees with practical field exposure to forestry, wildlife conservation, silviculture and natural resource management.
The study tour is being conducted under the supervision of Faseeh-ur-Rehman, RFO Instructor, KP Forest School and Tour In-charge, along with course instructors and trainees.
On the first day, the trainees visited a saw mill in Mansehra, where they received a detailed briefing on timber processing and saw-milling operations. The field visit enabled participants to gain practical understanding of timber handling and processing procedures.
The group subsequently visited Dhodial Pheasantry, where Waleed Anjum, RFO, briefed the trainees on pheasant management and conservation practices. The session provided an opportunity to understand practical approaches to the management and protection of wildlife species.
At Batrasi, the trainees participated in technical sessions on Chir Pine (Pinus roxburghii) forest management and silvicultural practices. The sessions focused on practical aspects of managing pine forests and applying appropriate silvicultural techniques in the field.
The trainees later visited various bioengineering, river training, soil conservation and watershed management works undertaken under the Billion Tree Afforestation Project (BTAP) in Balakot. The visit provided hands-on exposure to field-level measures aimed at soil and watershed conservation and strengthening ecological resilience.
The day’s activities concluded with a visit to the Central Tube Nursery, Balakot, where the trainees were briefed on nursery establishment and management, as well as the production of quality planting stock.
The group then proceeded to Shogran as part of the ongoing study tour.
The field programme is designed to complement classroom instruction with practical experience, enabling trainees to better understand forestry operations, wildlife conservation, forest management, soil and watershed protection, nursery management and other aspects of sustainable natural resource management.
The study tour is expected to strengthen the professional knowledge and field skills of future forest guards and wildlife watchers and enhance their capacity to contribute effectively to forest and wildlife conservation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
