About the Department

A balanced ecosystem is quintessential for all life on Earth. But, throughout World, unsustainable activities have destroyed aquatic as well as terrestrial ecosystems. Thus, there is an urgent need to reverse this degradation and to restore the earth for the benefits of both humans and nature. Keeping in view the urgency of the situation, the United Nations has declared this decade (2021- 2030) as decade of Ecosystem Restoration. Today, the ecosystem of Punjab is in dire need of restoration as it is losing its biodiversity due to anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, habitat fragmentation besides climate change. We require sustainable solutions to tackle this challenge and to restore Punjab’s biodiversity. Punjabi University, Patiala has established Centre for Restoration of Ecosystem of Punjab (CRESP) to look for solutions that would sustain biodiversity, improve resilience in a changing climate, and re-establish an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture.

The main objective of the Centre would be

• to re-establish and restore native species of Punjab. For this, the centre will identify areas where natural processes such as rewilding, habitat restoration could be promoted in agreement with landowners, local park agencies and Government authorities.
• generate strategies, action plans and awareness drives. Encouraging farmers to reduce tillage and plowing, substituting chemical pesticides with natural fertilizers and pesticides, and encouraging them to grow diverse crops.
• Encouraging cities and towns to grow native plants, trees, and to create wildlife habitat spaces in parks, schools and other public places.
• thus, to engage all sectors of society, and to work in collaboration with people of Punjab, government agencies and other organizations encouraging multidisciplinary approach to address the management of degrading ecosystem of Punjab.

Courses Offered and Faculty