Mountain forests in the Himalayas play a critical role in providing ecosystem services, yet these ecosystems face increasing pressures from climate change and unsustainable management practices, resulting in forest degradation, fires, and disaster risks like landslides and floods. As part of the TRANSMIT project, my doctoral research assesses the growth dynamics and climate resilience of mountain forests within the transboundary Mahakali River basin. Specifically, this work focuses on assessing forest structure and composition using standardized forest inventory, analyzing climate-growth relationships of dominant tree species through dendrochronological techniques, assessing drought resistance and nitrogen-use adaptations of key species by applying stable isotope analysis, and evaluating frost tolerance of tree tissues using cryoscopic analysis of collected samples. By combining forest ecology and resource assessment with a systems-oriented perspective, this research aims to advance scientific understanding of forest responses to environmental change, inform participatory sustainable forest management, and enhance the climate resilience of mountain forests and local communities.

Education:
• M.Sc. Sustainable Tropical Forestry (Erasmus Mundus Joint Degree), Bangor University, United Kingdom & TU Dresden, Germany
Work Experience:
• Forest Research Officer, Forest Research and Training Centre, Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment, Nepal