With its auspicious goal to produce competent and efficient human resource that can be instrumental in conservation and management of biodiversity, environment and natural resources and  development of rural communities, the IOF-PC, with the help of its enthusiastic teaching faculty and spirited staff, has always endeavored to ameliorate its academic environment and administer well designed educational programs that can address the current needs of the country  and the globe in forestry and allied fields. It is committed to satisfying student's quest for knowledge and pragmatic skills that will make all the difference in their professional career. The IOF-PC is currently running the following academic programs:

  1. Master of Science in Forestry
  2. Master of Science in Natural Resource Management and Rural Development (NRMRD)
  3. Master of Science in Watershed Management (WM)
  4. Master of Science in Community Forestry (CF)
  5. Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Forestry

Beside regular academic programs, it also conducts short-term national and international training and workshops in Forestry and allied subjects.

Assistant Professors:

Mr. Prabin Bhusal

Name: Prabin Bhusal

Position: Assistant Professor, Tribhuvan University, Institute of Forestry

Date of Birth: 17 March 1990 

Citizenship: Nepalese

Academic Qualification

  • 2011-2013 MSc. Natural Resource Management and Rural Development (Tribhuvan University, Institute of Forestry Gold Medalist with Distinction 84.8%)

Areas of Expertise

  • Thematic expertise areas: Natural Resource Management, NR Conflict Management, Community Forestry, Forest Management, Protected Area Management and Biodiversity, forest policy and practice
  • Key competencies: Research, Teaching and facilitating multi-stakeholder process at local and regional level

Current Involvement

Assistant Professor

Department of Social Forestry and Forest Management

(Subject: Natural Resource Management and Rural Development)

Tribhuvan University, Institute of Forestry, Pokhara Campus Pokhara

Research Papers

Journals articles

  • Kimengsi, J.N., Bhusal, P., and Brockhaus, M., 2020. Community Forestry Governance: Lessons for Cameroon from Nepal? Submitted to Journal of Peasant Studies (Status: under review FJPS-2020-0146).
  • Bhusal, P., Kimengsi, J.N., Mallick, B. and Awasthi, K. R. 2020. What drives environmental (non-) migration around the Himalayan Region? Evidence from Rural Nepal. Under review in Wiley Online Journal ‘Population, Space and Place’.
  • Poudel, G., Bhusal, P., and Kimengsi, J.N. 2020. Counting Losses or Gains? Diagnosing User’s Contributions and Benefits in Scientific Forest Management in Nepal. Under revision in Forest Policy and Economics.
  • Bhusal, P., Awasthi, K.R., and Kimengsi, J.N., 2020. User’s opinion in scientific forest management implementation in Nepal – a case study from Nawalparasi district, Cogent Environmental Science, 6:1, 1778987. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311843.2020.1778987.
  • Tiwari, K.R., Sitaula, B.K., Bajracharya, R.M., Raut, N., Bhusal, P., Sengel, M. 2020. Vulnerability of Pastoralism: A Case Study from the High Mountainsof Nepal. Sustainability, 12, 2737. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072737
  • Kimengsi, J.N., Bhusal, P., Aryal, A., Fernandez, M.V.B.C., Owusu, R., Chaudhary, A., Nielsen, W. 2019. What (De) Motivates Forest Users’ Participation in Co-Management? Evidence from Nepal. Forests, 0(6), 512; doi.org/10.3390/f10060512.
  • Bhandari, P.K.C., Bhusal, P., Paudel, G., Upadhaya, C.P. and Chhetri, B.B.K. 2019. Importance of Community forestry fund for rural development in Nepal. Resources. 8(2), 85; doi.org/10.3390/resources8020085.
  • Bhandari, P.K.C., Bhusal, P., Chhetri, B.B.K. and Upadhaya, C.P. 2018. Looking women seriously. What makes differences for women participation in community forestry? Banko Jankari, 28 (2). https://doi.org/10.3126/banko.v28i2.24184.
  • Paudel, G., Adhakari, S and Bhusal, P. 2019. Integration of Forest and Climate Change Policies in Nepal. Journal of Forest and Natural Resource Management. 1(1). https://doi.org/10.3126/jfnrm.v1i1.22647.
  • Ojha, H.R., Bhusal, P., Paudel, N.S., Sultana, P. Thomson P. 2018. “Turning conflicts into cooperation? The role of adaptive learning and deliberation in managing natural resources conflicts in Nepal. Climate Policy. https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2018.1556240.
  • Baral, R., Czeszewik, D., Walankiewicz, W., Marchin, C., Bhusal, P., Thapa, T. B. and Mikusinski, G., 2018. Characteristic of tree cavities in sal Shorea robusta forest, Nepal. Journal of Forest Research. 10.1080/13416979.2018.1479131.
  • Paudel, N., Bhusal, P., Thompson, P., Sultana, P., Adhikari, A. and Bhandari, K. 2018. Transforming forest conflicts: Learning from exclusion induced conflicts over forests in Nepal’s Terai. Journal of Forest and Livelihood.16 (1). https://doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v16i1.22879.
  • Bhusal, P., Paudel, N. and Banjade, M. 2018. Pastoralism in Crisis: Mounting Challenges in Herding System in High Altitude Region of Nepal. Journal of Forest and Livelihood.16 (1). https://doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v16i1.22882.
  • Bhusal, P., Paudel, N., Adhikari, A., Karki, J. and Bhandari, K. 2018. Halting forest encroachment in Terai: What role for community forestry? Journal of Forest and Livelihood.16 (1). https://doi.org/10.3126/jfl.v16i1.22880.
  • Bhusal, P., Czeszewik, D., Walankiewicz, W., Baral, R., Lamichhane, BR. and Mikusinski, G., 2015 Availability of tree cavities in sal forest of Nepal. iForest – Biogeosciences and Forestry, doi: 10.3832/ifor1493-008.

Policy Briefs/Discussion papers/ Newspaper articles

  • Paudel, G. and Bhusal, P. 2018. Is Community Forestry in Threat of Recentralization? Community Forestry Bulletin (in Nepali). 18-074/075. Department of Forest and Soil Conservation, Kathmandu Nepal.
  • Bhusal, P. Regmi, U. Paudel, N.S., 2015. Potential Role of Expanded Community Forest in Mitigating North-South Conflict and Forest Management Challenges in Terai Region of Nepal. Policy Brief-39, ForestAction Nepal.
  • Regmi, U. Bhusal, P. Paudel, N.S., 2015. Landlessness and Forest Management: What can Community Forestry Offer? Policy Brief-40, ForestAction Nepal.
  • Paudel, G. S., Bhusal, P., Paudel, N. S., Community Forestry and Yak Herders: Conflicts and Consequences. Issues Paper, ForestAction Nepal, Kathmandu.
  • Bhusal, P., Karki, J., Bhandari, K. and Paudel N.S. Landlessness and Forest Management: What can Community Forestry Offer? Nepali Policy Brief-41, ForestAction Nepal
  • Bhusal, P., Karki, J., Bhandari, K. and Paudel N.S. 2015. Potential Role of Expanded Community Forest in Mitigating North-South Conflict and Forest Management Challenges in Terai Region of Nepal. Nepali Policy Brief-42, ForestAction Nepal.
  • Bhusal, P., 2013. Physical Capital: A livelihood Option for Rural Sustainable Development, a Case Study from Ghandruk. In: proceedings of the international conference on sustainable Development, National College, Center for Development Studies, Kathmandu Nepal.
  • Bhusal, P., 2010. For Pedestrian Day, Research article published in The Himalayan times, National Daily, English Newspaper.
  • Bhusal, P., 2016. Go Local, Research article published in My Republica Daily, National Daily, English Newspaper. https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/go-local/.
  • Bhusal, P., Paudel, N.S. and Adhikari, A. 2017. Halting forest encroachment in Terai: What role for community forestry? Paper presented in Society of American Foresters (SAF) Convention, Albuquerque, USA, November 2017.
  • Bhusal, P., 2018. Future of Forests in Federalism, Research article published in My Republica Daily, National Daily, English Newspaper. https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/future-of-forests-in-federalism/?categoryId=81.

Conference papers

  • Bhusal P. and Kimengsi, JN. 2019.  What drives environmental (non-)migration around the Himalayan Region? Evidence from Rural Nepal. Conference paper. International Conference on Environmental Non-Migration: Frameworks, Methods and Cases, 19-21 June, 2019, TU-Dresden, Germany. https://tu-dresden.de/bu/umwelt/p-u-r/konferenzen  
  • Bhusal, P. Paudel, N.S. and Adhikari, A. 2017. Halting forest encroachment in Terai: What role for community forestry? Paper presented in Society of American Foresters (SAF) Convention, 15-19 November 2017, Albuquerque, USA.
  • Bhusal, P. 2015 Agroforestry promotion for livelihood improvement and biodiversity conservation. Pilot Project in the Panchase Protected Forest Area in Kaski District. In: proceeding of Rufford small grant conference, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
  • Bhusal P. 2019. “Agroforestry Promotion for Livelihood Enhancement and Biodiversity Conservation” Project in community forestry user groups in Kavre, Nepal, 2016. In proceeding of Rufford Small grant conference, Corbett, India, 2019.

Grants and Awards

  • Early career scientists grant 2019, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
  • Gergory Award, 2017 from Society of American Foresters SAF, USA.
  • Nepal Bhidhya Bhusan “Kha” 2015 from president of Nepal securing highest possible grade in Master degree in Natural Resource Management and Rural Development, Institute of forestry Nepal (2014).
  • Georgz Zohn Academic Excellence Award from George Zone foundation, Nepal of being MSc Topper (Batch 068-70, Institute of Forestry, Pokhara) among the Technical Institute of Western Region of Nepal (2014).
  • Research Grantee: from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden and Siedlce University, Poland on “Distribution and availability of tree-cavities in Sal forests of Chitwan National park and Buffer Zone with two different management types”(2013).
  • Research Grantee: from Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Dissertation award.
  • Project Grantee: Rufford Small Grant for Nature Conservation on “Agroforestry Promotion for Livelihood Enhancement and Biodiversity Conservation” (Pilot Project in the Panchase Protected Forest Area in Kaski District, 2014)
  • Project Grantee: 2nd Rufford Small Grant for Nature Conservation on “Agroforestry Promotion for Livelihood Enhancement and Biodiversity Conservation” (Project in community forestry user groups in Kavre, Nepal, 2016)
  • Project Grantee: Booster grant: Rufford Small Grant for Nature Conservation on “Public land Agroforestry for Biodiversity, Livelihood Support and North-South Conflict Mitigation in Nepal Terai. 2019)
  • Project (Research) Grantee: Nagao Environment Foundation, Japan on Availability of Tree cavities in Sal forest of Chitwan National Park and community Forests in Nepal (2017).
  • Idea Wild Grantee: Research Equipment: GPS, Binocular, Compass and Digital Camera Granted by the Ideas Wild, USA (2013).
  • Idea Wild Grantee: Research Equipment: Projector Granted by the Ideas Wild, USA (2018).
  • Strategic Research Grant: From Institute of Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Nepal on Community Forest Governance in Federal System: Exploring the Opportunities, Threats and Possible Implication
  • Research Grant: Impact study on scientific forest management in community forestry in Gandaki province, Nepal from Provincial Government Forest Research and Training Centre, 2019.
  • Research Grant: Forest research needs assessment of Gandaki province, Nepal from Provincial Government Forest Research and Training Centre, 2019.

Editorial Role

Responsibilities:

Teaching and supervision

  • Responsible for teaching Natural Resource Management, Community Forestry and Community Based Forest Management Courses both at Bachelor and Master’s level at the Institute of Forestry, Pokhara.
  • Supervising MSc. And BSc theses, and B.Sc. Project Paper
  • Carrying research on forestry and NRM

Contact Address

Phone: 977(0)61-432002          Mobile: 00977-9849215453

Email: [email protected] /  [email protected]

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