Pakistan Forest Institute
Peshawar, Pakistan
Peshawar, Pakistan
Forest Education Division was started in the Pakistan Forest Institute in November 1947 to complete the training of students of Pakistan who had to leave the Forest Research Institute Dehra Dun, India at the time of partition. The training facilities originally consisted of a branch which was subsequently upgraded to a Division in 1969. It started training personnel of two service cadres in the provincial/regional forest departments, namely, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACFs) and Range Forest Officers (RFOs) at professional and sub-professional levels through two separate courses leading to the award of Diploma in Forestry also called Associate of Pakistan Forest College (APFC) and Certificate in Forestry respectively. Minimum requirements for admission to Diploma course was a B.Sc. degree and for Certificate in Forestry course an F.Sc certificate. Each course was of two years duration. The Diploma and the Certificate were awarded by the Institute.
However, in order to cope with the increased responsibilities of the forest departments and other forestry related agencies the curricula were expanded and upgraded from Diploma in Forestry and Certificate in Forestry to B.Sc. Hons. in Forestry degree and Diploma in Forestry for ACFs and RFOs respectively at the time of affiliation of the Institute with the University of Peshawar in 1958. This arrangement continued for many years. Later, it was realized that the forestry graduates of the Institute could not compete with graduates from other professional institutions with the same number of years of studies in getting equitable salaries and grades in government departments. They were also facing difficulties in getting admission in Ph.D courses in foreign universities due to lack of indepth study and thesis experience. Therefore, the curricula were again revised and expanded in 1972 and 1974 for upgradation of B.Sc. Hons in forestry degree to M.Sc. Forestry degree and a Diploma in Forestry to B.Sc. Forestry degree. Specialization was also introduced at M.Sc. Forestry degree level in the subjects of Forest Products and Engineering, Watershed Management and Farm and Energy in 1981, 1985 and 1987 respectively. On HEC instructions, 4 years BS Forestry degree program was started in 2013.
In addition to classroom lecture in more than 30 different subject of Forestry, Forest Products and allied discipline, the students are imparted practical knowledge by study tours to all types of forests in all provinces of Pakistan. Every M.Sc. student has to write a Forestry Management Plan on the basis of field data collected by him on different management aspects of the forests. They have also to write thesis on various topics of Forestry, Forest Products and Allied Discipline as part of their degree programme.
The Forest Education Division consists of a Director, four Assistant Professors of Forestry and three Lecturers in Forestry. They look after curricular and extra-curricular activities of the students in addition to teaching their own subjects of specialization. The Institute has trained 1413 (including 60 foreigners) in M.Sc. Forestry 1911 (including 62 foreigners) in B.Sc. Forestry and 25 graduates in BS Forestry courses so far BS Forestry. All professional and technical manpower presently working in provincial/regional forest departments and government agencies in Pakistan has been trained by the Institute.