Introduction

Pakistan has been facing different environmental problems such as air, water, and soil pollution, overuse of natural resources, deforestation, silting of reservoirs and loss of biodiversity. Humans have ruthlessly used the environmental resources during last decades. The protection of environment from degradation is very essential for sustainable life on the surface of the earth. Natural resource conservation, preservation and management have lately drawn not only the national but international attention as well. The Department of Environmental Planning and Management was established in collaboration with Environment and Urban Affair Division, Government of Pakistan in 1987, at University of Peshawar to cater formal education and research in the filed of Environmental Sciences at postgraduate level. Lately the Department has been renamed as Department of Environmental Sciences (DES) in 2001. Its curricula were improved and new subjects introduced. Besides, the Department has decided to launch a four years bachelor degree program in Environmental Sciences from the current session. The program will run under semester system comprising eight semesters and students will be required to complete 130 credit hours Starting the graduate as well as the post graduate courses from the basics of Botany, Zoology, Geography, Computer, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, English, Islamic & Pakistan Studies, the subjects of Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Microbiology, Applied Ecology, EIA, Research Methodology, Remote Sensing and GIS, Pollution Control Technologies, Environmental Economics and Natural Resource Management are taught to the students through class room teaching, assignments and field visits. Similarly, students are given the opportunities for conducting research and internships in various Gos and NGOs working for the protection of our environment and natural resources. To provide policy inputs and professional advice to various governments bodies and NGOs and make the study program more market oriented, the department regularly organizes workshops, seminars, conferences and meetings. The department also offer short and long term certificate and post graduate level diploma courses and trainings in the field of Environmental Education, EIA, occupational health and safety, Natural Resources Management and GIS and remote sensing for mid career professionals working in public and private sector organizations. The department also offers consultancy services in the field of EIA; air, water and soil analysis to Gos, NGOs, CBOs, Engineering firms, industries etc in all related fields. The department also run MS, M.Phil and Ph.D. programs.

Vision

The Department looks up for creating mass awareness and understanding about fundamental processes that contribute to environmental pollution and natural resource degradation and train human resource to combat pollution and ensure sustainable development in the country.

Mission

To cater formal education, research and training in the field of Environmental Sciences at BES, MSc, M.Phil and PhD levels through course work and research.
To study and explain the significant role of biodiversity in establishing ecological balance, and deal with different types of ecosystems, food chains and webs, productivity, biomass, and carrying capacity of ecosystems.
To provide a good research environment and publish research findings in international and national journals.
To work for water and natural resource conservation, watershed management, and deal with the impact of ethical principles in the conservation of wild life, biodiversity and environment.
To offer short and long term certificate and diploma level courses and training sessions in the field of Environmental Sciences for mid carrier professionals working in public and private sector organizations.
To provide professional services such as special trainings, tests/analyses, surveys, certification and consultancies to the manufacturing and processing industry, NGOs, CBOs, engineering firms and private consultants in all related fields of environment

Objectives

This Department wants to improve research capacity and curricula, and move up the education standards up to international level.

Department of Environmental Sciences

Highlights of Department of Environmental Sciences