The Himachal Pradesh University Shimla has been involved in studying problems related to the Himalayan environment since 1973. A Centre of Environmental Studies (CES) was established in 1989 at the University, in accordance with the decision of the Environmental Protection Council (EPC), Govt. of Himachal Pradesh. The need of CES in the state and the university was felt so as to utilise the wide amplitude of biowealth of the state from dry-scrub forests to alpine pastures with large number of exotic and endemic flora, a rich repository of medicinal and aromatic plants, diversity of wildlife and with 8% protected area network. The Centre aim to utilise the vast amount of accumulated knowledge of the people and expertise of the ecology group and of the other departments of the university collected over the years.

• Establish a multidisciplinary platform for furthering research pertaining to Himalayan region.
• To impart environment education  to students, researchers and others pertaining to knowledge and understanding of Himalayan ecology and environment manifesting bio-economic aspects.
• To carry out detailed survey, analysis and evaluation of biodiversity.
• Sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
• Restoration of degraded ecosystem through ecodevelopment approach.

• Conservation of biological diversity.
• Development and conservation of Grasslands.
• Development and conservation of Wetlands.
• Indigenous practices in Biodiversity.
• Environment impact Assessment.
• Interaction of man and forests.
• Study of air and water quality.

• Ecological variations in Chenopodium species and ecophysiological requirements of ecotypes in c. album.
• Analysis of lake ecosystems of H.P. with special reference to their management and conservation.
• Herbage dynamics of natural and modified ecosystem of Shimla Hills.
• Structure and function of grassland ecosystem of Ghamber catchment of river Sutlej, Himachal Pradesh.
• Bionomics of rural and urban ecosystems with emphasis on energy flow.
• Environment impact assessment around Arki Lime Stone Deposits, Arki.
• Floristic Survey around Bharmana (ACC) Cement Factory.

     1.     Impact of Grazing on the productivity of Alpine Grassland in Himachal Pradesh.

     2.     Hydrobiological Studies of various parameters of Renuka Wetland.

    1.   Indigenous Biodiversity Conservation strategies in Himalaya.

    2. Ecological studies of the flora of Shimla Hills.

    3. Hydrobiological studies on some wetland in Himachal Pradesh.

    4. Ecological studies on the Flora around Gujarat Ambuja Cements, Darlaghat.