Vikash Ghildiyal

I am a forester and wood technologist with expertise across the forestry value chain—from tree genetics and wood formation to processing, protection, and end-use performance. I am passionate about advancing the use of plantation and underutilised timbers through science and innovation, with the goal of adding value, supporting sustainable practices, and extending carbon storage in wood products.

I have worked across both research and applied industry contexts, where I am contributing to EU-funded research on wood properties and climate resilience. My experience combines lab-based analysis with field-based assessments, helping link forest characteristics with wood quality outcomes for better decision-making from forest to product.

With a strong foundation in both science and strategy, I bring systems thinking to forestry, bioeconomy, and sustainability challenges.

Research expertise:
Wood quality: 

Advancing single-tree traceability and wood quality modeling—a vital step toward unlocking the full value of each tree across the forestry value chain.

Tree breeding: Investigating genetic approaches to enhance wood traits, ensuring fit-for-purpose resources for the future.

Developing non-destructive techniques for assessing wood properties critical for early selection of trees.

Wood properties of emerging tree species, with a particular focus on the impact of climatic factors such as drought on growth and timber quality.

Electrophysiology of wood and trees: Investigating the role of electrical phenomena in wood and trees, with potential applications in wood processing and wood quality.

Wood anatomy: Delving into the macroscopic and microscopic features of wood, contributing to wood identification, quality assessment, and understanding variability.

Wood processing:

Wood modification techniques: Advancing methods to increase wood’s durability and service life, thereby prolonging carbon storage in wood.

Appropriate pre-drying and drying technologies: Developing efficient drying methods to improve wood quality.

Wood composites and sustainable materials: Exploring eco-friendly solutions such as bio-based adhesives and novel composite materials.

Ph.D. in Forestry (Wood Science) University of Canterbury, New Zealand 2023

• Doctoral research focused on timber drying and quality enhancement in plantation species.

M.Sc. in Wood Science and Technology
Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India 2019

• Master’s dissertation completed at the Institute of Wood Science and Technology (IWST), Bangalore, with a focus on wood modification.

B.Sc. (Hons.) Forestry
VCSG Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, India
2017