A weeklong practical training tour program was organized in the south-central part of the country for

the 15th Batch Professional Forester Certificate Course (PFCC) trainees from 6th till 13th February

2025. The program was conducted to develop their skills through hands-on training about the aspects of nature conservation and management, including biodiversity assessment (survey on birds, mammals, and vegetation), managing watersheds, rescue and release of wildlife, monitoring ecotourism activities, and managing wildlife habitats.

The field visit tour was arranged within the in-situ conservation sites of Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary

(PWS) and visit to some offices of the Royal Manas National Park (RMNP) and Sarpang Forest

Division (SFD).

The tutors for NCM-212 coordinated the program in collaboration with the field management

offices of PWS, RMNP, and SFD for the 15 future foresters. The team had opportunities to learn

many innovative, integrated conservation, and development program success stories, day to day

Range office activities and challenges, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, ecotourism, wildlife habitat conservation and management activities carried out within the sub-tropical broadleaved forests, and challenges that our field colleagues face while delivering their services. The team also got an opportunity to engage in managing and maintaining grasslands for wild herbivores with practical training on conducting prescribed burning. There was a power point presentation at Wangchucklingka organized by the PWS team led by the Chief Forestry Officer.

The trainees were introduced to the species identification of both flora and fauna species occurring

within the habitat types of wetlands (sewage ponds, streams, rivers, waterholes), settlement fringes,

agriculture, broadleaved forests (moist and dry deciduous) in the sub-tropical region.

The trainees had a daylong practical exercise on measuring stream discharge along the streams flowing out

through the southern foothill deltas. Trainees enjoyed their first ever Elephant Safari at

Wangchucklingka. The team learnt that PWS and RMNP within the southern foothill region are the hubs for conserving the land and water tigers besides many threatened wildlife species including the conflicting megaherbivore management within the SFD jurisdiction.

The practical tour program was concluded at the Sub-tropical Forest Research Sub-center (STFRC)

based in Gelegphug with the final assessment conducted through presentations and tests as part of the

continuous and reinforced learning avenues.