It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you to the official webpage of Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI), Shimla. The Institute caters to the forestry research needs of the State of Himachal Pradesh and UT's of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Institute has been declared as an Advanced Centre for Cold Desert Afforestation and Pasture Management by the Council for taking up advanced research in eco-restoration of these harsh sites.

I hope that the information provided on the webpage will be helpful to the public. Suggestions are invited for improvement of the website. The mandate of this research institute has been expanded to suit the needs of forestry research, including ecological restoration of mining areas in cold deserts and regeneration of coniferous and broadleaf forests, management of insect/moth activities in temperate and high mountain regions, agro-forestry and other activities. The centre has been reorganized as Himalayan Forest Research Institute and made a regional research institute of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and has been entrusted with the responsibility to work in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir UT and Ladakh UT.

The Institute has made significant contributions in the artificial regeneration of Silver Fir and Spruce through research work on their seeds, nursery methods and planting techniques. Other notable achievements include development of nursery and planting techniques of Pine, Taxus, Kail and their broad-leaved associates like Birdcherry, Oak, Maple, Poplar and local species in cold desert areas. The research and extension activities of the Institute include establishment and standardization of agroforestry models in the lower and middle regions of Himachal Pradesh and economic, ecological regeneration of mining areas, including organization of workshops and training programmes for user groups.

Significant work has been done on standardization of nursery techniques along with documentation of vegetation found in the cold desert of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir UT and Ladakh UT. Studies on assessment of vegetation diversity and fauna-flora relations in wildlife sanctuaries were initiated with the hope that the Institute will contribute in these aspects in future. Insect-borne diseases on deodar, sheesham, cheel, kail, siris, ban and willow were investigated, and their remedial measures were suggested to the State Forest Departments of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. Success was achieved in the field of standardization of agro-techniques of medicinal plants of temperate regions. Thus, the Institute is contributing to the improvement of highly sensitive forest ecosystems of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir UT and Ladakh UT through scientific management.

The Himalayan Forest Research Institute, Shimla reconsidered the above mandated areas of temperate, high-mountain and cold desert regions of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir in the year 2007 and its revised mandate is as follows:

• 1. Assessment of present natural regeneration status of important plant species
• 2. Development of nursery plantation and seed technology of important plant species
• 3. Development of technology for restoration of mining areas and difficult ecological zones
• 4. Survey, selection and certification of cold desert species and development of suitable technology for biomass production of important plants
• 5. Survey and assessment of production potential of high-altitude grasslands
• 6. Development of low-cost and eco-friendly pest and disease management technology for seed, nursery, plantation areas, and natural forests
• 7. Development of agro-techniques of important medicinal and non-timber forest products and assessment of vegetation protection
• 8. Selection of multi-purpose plant species from different agro-climatic zones and awareness generation related to them, including biofuel species, to augment income sources for the communities.
• 9. Research and assessment of various components of global warming in temperate ecosystems
• 10. Selection and expansion of cost-effective forest management methods for livelihood enhancement of forest-dependent communities
• 11. Research in the field of urban forestry.Consultancy projects in the field of ecology and biodiversity conservation, research work on management of pest problems, non-forest wood products and topics of silvicultural importance