Nauni/Solan: Dr. DR Bhardwaj, Principal Scientist (Forestry/Agroforestry) in the Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni has been awarded the Indian Society of Agroforestry (ISAF) Gold Medal for the year 2019.
The award was given during the executive council meeting of the Society held earlier this month at CAFRI, Jhansi.
Dr. Bhardwaj has over 27 years of experience in teaching and research. He has guided 37 students as a major advisor in the field of agroforestry and silviculture. He has several research achievements to his credit including the development of propagation and plantation technology of many tree species of the Himalayan region.
Dr Bhardwaj has successfully introduced important edible bamboo species in Himachal like Phyllostachys pubesens (temperate region), Dendrocalamus asper, Dendrocalamus gigenteus and Bambusa balcooa. These species are in great demand among the farming community. Based on the experiments, the best performing bamboo species for different agro-climatic conditions of the state have also been identified. Several agroforestry models for the state have been developed by him.
He has been actively involved in studying the impact of climate change on tree species of the north-western Himalayan region and fodder tree and bamboo species of the Himalayan region have been evaluated for their nutritional value, fodder, and fuel wood production.
Dr. Bhardwaj has also developed regression models for the estimation of the timber, fodder and fuel wood production potential of farmland tree species. These models serve as ready reckoner for estimating the supply of timber, fodder and fuel from the farmland, which helps the farmers in the farm decision-making process.
Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, Vice-Chancellor and all the faculty and staff congratulated Dr Bhardwaj on his achievement and for bringing laurels to the university and the state.
The ISAF was founded in 1998 with the objective to encourage basic, applied and strategic research in the field of agroforestry. The society aims to disseminate knowledge and technology related to agroforestry and encourage close cooperation among organizations having an interest in the field of agroforestry.
