Dr. Muhammad Irfan Ashraf, an Associate Professor of Forestry, brings over two decades of diverse experience in the corporate and government sectors of Canada and Pakistan. A distinguished professional, he holds a PhD in Forestry from the University of New Brunswick, Canada. Beyond conventional forestry expertise, he is proficient in artificial intelligence, forest modelling, and climate risk assessment. Additionally, he earned an MS in Total Quality Management from Punjab University, Lahore, and a Post-graduate Diploma in University Teaching from Canada.
Dr. Ashraf’s research focuses on forests and climate change, greenhouse gas emissions from forests, modeling natural systems using artificial intelligence, and utilizing agricultural and forest residues as biofuel. To date, he has supervised 45 postgraduate students (M.Phil. and Ph.D.) and has authored more than 40 research papers published in impact factor journals, along with four books and book chapters. He also serves as a Section Editor for the renowned research journal PLOS Climate.
In addition to his academic roles, Dr. Ashraf contributes as a technical expert to various organizations, including Allama Iqbal Open University Islamabad, Pakistan Forest Institute Peshawar, Punjab Forest Services Academy Murree, and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. He was the member of the National Working Group for the REDD+ Readiness Phase in Pakistan, under the Ministry of Climate Change, Government of Pakistan.

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Research Journal




• Imtiaz, Z. F., Ashraf, M.I., Khan, S., Goheer, M. A., Rafiq, M. K., Ahmad, H. B. & Sakici, O. E. , 2024 , Impact of industrial effluent on selected grass species , Journal of Applied and Experimental Biology , 3, 2,
• Aslam, S., Kayani, A.R., Ashraf, M.I., Jamil, A.Z. & Sahar, K. , 2024 , Food preferences of Rhesus Monkey (Macaca mulatta) in the Margalla Hills National Park, Islamabad. , Pakistan Journal of Zoology , 56, 3, IF: 0.687
• Hussain, A., Ashraf, M.I., Hussain, S., Atif, M. & Khan, B.A. , 2024 , Impacts of wildfire on soil characteristics in subtropical Chir Pine Forests of Murree, Pakistan. , International Journal of Applied and Experimental Biology , 3, 1,
• Malik, S.U., Ashraf, M.I. & Goheer, M.A. , 2023 , Spatio-temporal dynamics of greenhouse gas emissions from soil in forest ecosystems of Pakistan , Pakistan Journal of Botany , 55, 4, IF: 1.2
• Khan, K.A., Khan, S., Ahtasham, M., Malik, S.U., Saleem, M. & Ashraf, M.I. , 2022 , Influence of tree species on soil characteristics in subtropical forest ecosystem: a case study in North-West Pakistan. , Soil and Environment , 41, 2, IF: 0.6
• Ali, A., Khan, M.A., Ashraf, M.I., Goheer, M.A. , 2021 , Economic valuation of ecosystem services in alpine pastures of western Himalayas: a case study of Kaghan valley. , Pakistan Journal of Botany , 53, 5, IF: 1.2
• Ali, A., Ashraf, M.I., Gulzar, S. & Akmal, M. , 2020 , Estimation of forest carbon stocks in temperate and subtropical mountain systems of Pakistan: implications for REDD+ and climate change mitigation , Environmental Monitoring and Assessment , 192, 3, IF: 3.307
• Ali, A., Ashraf, M.I., Gulzar, S., Akmal, M. & Ahmed, B. , 2019 , Estimation of soil carbon pool in the forests of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan , Journal of Forestry Research , 31, IF: 2.361
• Sakici, O. E., Kucuk, O. & Ashraf, M.I. , 2018 , Compatible above-ground biomass equations and carbon stock estimation for small diameter Turkish pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) , Environmental Monitoring and Assessment , 190, 5, IF: 3.307
• Ashraf, M. I, Meng, F.-R., Bourque, C. P.-A. & MacLean, D. A. , 2015 , A novel modelling approach for predicting forest growth and yield under climate change , PLOS One , 10, 7, IF: 3.752
• Ashraf, M. I., Bourque, C. P.-A., MacLean, D. A., Erdle, T., Meng, F. R. , 2015 , Estimation of potential impacts of climate change on growth and yield of temperate tree species , Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change , 20, 1, IF: 3.926
• Ashraf, M. I., Zhao, Z., Bourque, C. P., MacLean, D. A. & Meng, F.-R. , 2013 , Integrating biophysical controls in forest growth and yield predictions with artificial intelligence technology , Canadian Journal of Forest Research , 43, 12, IF: 2.331
• Ashraf, M.I, Zhao, Z., Bourque, C. P.-A. & Meng, F.-R. , 2012 , GIS evaluation of two slope calculation methods regarding their suitability in slope analysis using high precision LiDAR digital elevation models , Hydrological Processes , 26, 8, IF: 3.784

Conference Proceeding




• Ashraf, M. I., Ahmed, M. I., Malik, S. U. (2015). Establishment of nursery for vegetative propagation of Olea europaea L.. In Sustainable Agriculture water management in a changing environment: A special focus on olive tree (pp. 71- 67) . Arid Agriculture University Pakistan and NRC Italy.

Chapters Contributed




• Hussain, Q., Hayat, R., Raiz, M., Rashid, M., Ahmad, M., Khan, K.S., Ashraf, M.I., Alvi, S. & Basit, A. (2022). Soil carbon and legumes. In Advances in Legumes for Sustainable Intensification, Elsevier USA ( pp. 329- 344 ).

Books




• Ashraf, M.I. & Khan, S. (2021). Sustainable Forest Management. UNDP & GEF.
• Ashraf, M.I. (2020). Sustainable Land Management. UNDP & Ministry of Climate Change, Islamabad, Pakistan..
• Ashraf, M.I. (2019). Climate Change and Role of Forests- A Community Guide. Pakistan Forest Institute & Ministry of Climate Change Islamabad Pakistan.

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