Prof. Nesar Ahmad Kohestani is a distinguished Afghan academic, environmental specialist, and forestry expert who has dedicated more than three decades to higher education, environmental protection, and natural resource management in Afghanistan.

He was born in Afghanistan and pursued his early education with a strong interest in agriculture and environmental sciences. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Forestry and Horticulture at Kabul University in 1981. Driven by academic excellence, he continued his studies in the former Soviet Union and obtained his Master of Science in Forestry and Ecology in 1989 from the Forest Technical Academy in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg, Russia).

Prof. Kohestani began his academic career at Balkh University, where he served as Head of the Department, Assistant Professor, and later Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture. During this period, he played a key role in establishing new academic departments including Forestry, Horticulture, and Animal Husbandry, contributing significantly to the development of agricultural education in northern Afghanistan.

In 1995, he joined Kabul University, where he spent the majority of his professional career. Over the years, he held numerous leadership positions including Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Deputy Dean, and Dean, and ultimately served as Head of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. In this capacity, he led scientific, administrative, and educational activities in forestry, ecology, wildlife conservation, and environmental management.

One of his most notable achievements was the establishment of the Environmental Conservation Center for Afghanistan (ECFA) at Kabul University—the first academic environmental conservation center in the country. He also initiated the creation of the Botanical Garden of Kabul University and launched Afghanistan’s first scientific environmental journal, “Mohit,” promoting environmental awareness and research nationwide.

Throughout his career, Prof. Kohestani has taught a wide range of subjects including forestry, ecology, wildlife management, national parks, systematic botany, range science, and environmental protection. He supervised numerous student research projects and contributed to the development of national academic curricula and environmental policies in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Higher Education, and the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA).

In addition to his work in Afghanistan, he participated in several international academic exchange programs and served as a visiting professor at Purdue University and North Carolina State University in the United States, as well as collaborating with institutions in India, Japan, Germany, and other countries. These international engagements allowed him to share Afghanistan’s environmental challenges and strengthen global academic cooperation.

Prof. Kohestani is also a prolific author and researcher. He has published numerous scientific papers and authored more than eight academic books in Dari and Pashto on topics such as forestry principles, ecology, wildlife of Afghanistan, and protected areas. His publications have played a major role in providing locally relevant academic resources for Afghan students and researchers.