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:

Thakur Silwal, PhD

Name:                            Thakur Silwal, PhD

Position:                         Associate Professor

Appointed Subject:          Wildlife & Protected Area Management

Department:                   Park Recreation and Wildlife Management

Education:                        

  • PhD in Wildlife Management, Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Brno, Czech Republic (2016)
  • MSc Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal (2003)
  • BSc Forestry, Tribhuvan University, Institute of Forestry, Pokhara, Nepal (1995)

Interest Area:

  • Biodiversity conservation, Protected Area Management, Conservation Governance and Rural Livelihoods

Latest Research and Publications:  

  • Ruda A, Kolejka J, Silwal T (2020) Spatial concentrations of wildlife attacks on humans in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Animals 10, 153. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10010153
  • Ruda A, Kolejka J, Silwal T (2018) GIS-assisted prediction and risk zonation of wildlife attacks in the Chitwan National Park in Nepal. ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 7, 369. DOI: doi:10.3390/ijgi7090369
  • Devkota B, Silwal T, Shrestha B, Lakhey S, Yadav B, Sapkota A (2017) Abundance of snow leopard Panthera uncia and its prey species in Tsum Valley of Manaslu Conservation Area, Nepal. Banako Janakari 27(1).
  • Silwal T, Kolejka J, Bhatta BP, Rayamajhi S, Sharma RP, Poudel BS (2017) When, where and whom: assessing wildlife attacks on people in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Oryx 51 (2):370-377 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0030605315001489
  • Silwal T, Kolejka J, Sharma RP (2016) Injury severity of wildlife attacks on humans in the vicinity of Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Journal of Biodiversity Management and Forestry 5:1. DOI:10.4172/2327-4417.1000154
  • Silwal T, Shrestha BP, Bhatta BP, Devkota BP (2013) Revenue distribution pattern and park-people conflict in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Banko Janakari 23 (1): 35-41. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/banko.v23i1.9465
  • Devkota B, Silwal T, Kolejka J (2013) Prey density and diet of snow leopard (Uncia uncia) in Shey Phoksundo National Park, Nepal. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences 1 (4): 55-60. DOI: 10.12691/aees-1-4-4
  • Bhatt BP, Awasthi KD, Heyojoo BP, Silwal T, Kafle G (2013) Using Geographic Information System and Analytical Hierarchy Process in Landslide Hazard Zonation. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences 1 (2): 14-22. DOI:10.12691/aees-1-2-1

Selected Task & Research Projects

Team Leader:

  • Mid-term evaluation report: Living with tiger in Nepal: Poverty reduction for human wildlife co-existence in Chitwan and Bardia National Park, Nepal (2018);
  • Study on the effectiveness of buffer zone programs in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal (2017);
  • Shantiban Batika Management Plan 2017-2021, Institute of Forestry, Dean’s Office, (2017);
  • Human wildlife encounters in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. The Rufford Foundation (2014);
  • Wildlife damages and adaptation strategies: a case from Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Supported by Institute of Forestry/ ComForM Project, Pokhara (2012);
  • Parsa Wildlife Reserve and its Buffer Zone: Management plan (revision) (2011); and
  • Contribution of the Buffer Zone Program on Rural Livelihoods: A case study from Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Supported by Institute of Forestry/ NUFU Project, Pokhara (2010).

 Team Member:

  • Status of snow leopard and prey species in Tsum Valley of Manaslu Conservation Area, Gorkha, Nepal. Supported by Institute of Forestry/ MemCoE Project, Pokhara (2011)
  • Human leopard conflict mitigation action plan Nepal. Supported by WWF Hariyo Ban Program (2019)

Selected Awards & Grants

  • International students’ talented scholarship, Masaryk University, Czech Republic (2016);
  • PhD scholarship, Russell E. Train Fellowship for Current and Aspiring Faculty, WWF US (2015);
  • Small Grant, The Rufford Foundation, UK (2014);
  • PhD scholarship: European Union/ Erasmus Mundus- EXPERT II (2012); and
  • MSc scholarship: The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) fellowship, Japan (2003)

Selected International Training and Workshops:

  • 2015: Governing landscape restoration: governance, restoration, privatization (2 weeks) organized by Wageningen International, The Netherlands  
  • 2015: Food security in mountain areas (2 weeks) organized by FAO-Mountain Partnership Secretariat, University of Milan and University of Turin, Italy  
  • 2010: Training of trainers conservation practitioners course (8 weeks) organized by Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, USA and Wildlife Institute of India
  • 2009: International seminar on protected area management (3 weeks) organized by The Montana University and US Forest Service, USA
  • 2008: International training on multi-stakeholder process and social learning (3 weeks) organized by Wageningen International, The Netherlands  
  • 2007: International training on participatory monitoring and evaluation (3 weeks) organized by International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), Cavite, Philippines 
  • 2007: International training of trainers on wetland management (3 weeks) organized by Wageningen International and SEAMEO/ BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia

Email: [email protected];  or [email protected]                            

Phone: ++977 98460 59909

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