Inauguration of Landscape Ecology and Visualization Laboratory at WII The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE), a program under the National Action Plan for Climate Change by the Prime Minister’s Office, is being coordinated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. Six Task Forces have been identified and are being implemented by six national research institutes including Wildlife Institute of India (WII), which is the Task Force on “Micro flora and fauna, Wildlife and Animal Population”. Under the Task Force, WII is implementing the project “Assessment and Monitoring of Climate Change Effects on Wildlife Species and Ecosystems for Developing Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies in the Indian Himalayan Region”. One of the objectives of this project is to set up Landscape Ecology and Visualization Laboratory that allows (1) creation of inter-operable spatial database, (2) linking field data and GIS data, (3) detailed spatial analyses to understand various drivers of biodiversity responses, (4) modeling and scenario building, (5) 2D and 3D visualizations, (6) map production and (7) capacity building including stakeholder negotiations for developing adaptations and policy planning. Conceived and designed by WII, funded by DST under the NMSHE program, the facility was executed by CPWD, Dehradun, with regular technical inputs by project team and resident engineer. It is a pioneering state-of-art-facility integrating field-based biological research, data center, visualization and communication facility, teaching devices and map productions at one place.

The Landscape Ecology and Visualization Laboratory (LEVL) was formally inaugurated on 17 December 2016 by Shri Ajay Narayan Jha, Secretary to the Government of India (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) at Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. Dr. V.B. Mathur, Director and Dr. G.S. Rawat, Dean of WII briefed the Secretary on the overall aim of such facility, while Dr. K. Ramesh, Scientist, along with the LEVL Team (Mr. Arun Kumar, Project Associate; Ms. Sujata Upgupta, Project Scientist and Ms. Tanvi, Project Fellow) made a detailed presentation on the evolution, objectives and operational components of the facility. The working of Laboratory will be interactive with project personnel and the stakeholders, and the outcome would be shared periodically, so that local solutions and adaptation strategies may be developed simultaneously. There is also a plan to design and execute concept-based and skill-based courses on landscape approach to natural resource management. It was placed on record the funding support by DST; execution by the CPWD and initial inputs by the University of British Columbia, Canada. The inauguration was attended by faculty members and Sectional Heads, research fellows of NMSHE project, staff of GIS and IT Cell of WII and staff of CPWD.

Speaking on the occasion Shri A.N.Jha, Secretary, MoEFFCC, who is also the Chairman of WII Governing Body appreciated the initiative taken by the Institute in establishing a state-of-the-art facility, which would greatly facilitate both environmental decision-making at the country-level and in articulating India's position during international negotiations. This 'inspiring facility' would also serve as a role model for other scientific institutions as well as for MoEFCC, he added.