Biodiversity Board organises training for interns

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 22

The Himachal Pradesh State Biodiversity Board (HPSBB) here today conducted a one-day comprehensive training programme for interns highlighting the critical importance of ‘People’s Biodiversity Registers’ (PBR) as a valuable tool for biodiversity documentation and management on the occasion of International Biodiversity Day with the theme “Be Part of the Plan”, that emphasised the importance of collective action in conserving and sustainably using biodiversity.

The training aimed to equip the interns with the necessary skills and knowledge to document rich biodiversity of the state, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources.

The one-day event witnessed participation from eminent experts and heads of Technical Support Groups (TSGs), who shared their invaluable insight and perspectives. Experts from the University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF)-Nauni, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT)-Palampur, UHF-Neri, HPU-Shimla, Himalayan Forest Research Institute-Shimla and GB Pant Institute-Kullu participated in the event.

Dr Attri, HPSBB, mentioned that PBRs serve as detailed records of local biological resources and traditional knowledge, forming the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation at the grassroots level.

“These registers play a pivotal role in ensuring the successful implementation of the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) provisions under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. By documenting biodiversity comprehensively, PBRs help in recognising the contributions of local communities and ensuring they receive fair and equitable benefits arising from the use of these resources,” he said.

Experts from various fields, including ecology, botany, zoology and traditional knowledge systems, imparted the training. The experts emphasised the significance of accurate data collection and the ethical considerations in documenting traditional knowledge.

The training also featured interactive sessions where the Technical Support Groups (TSGs) constituted for PBR preparation shared their experiences with the interns. These groups, comprising local experts and community members, have been instrumental in the preparation of PBRs across different regions of Himachal Pradesh.

HPSBB Chairman Prabodh Saxena, while addressing interns, stressed on the crucial role they play in the conservation of the state’s biodiversity.

The training programme concluded with a pledge by the interns to diligently apply their acquired skills in their respective assignments to protect state’s biodiversity.

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