Vembanad Bioblitz, the campus biodiversity register preparation in the schools of Vembanad-Kuttanad areas, organised jointly by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) and the India Biodiversity Portal (IBP), began here on Thursday.

The programme is supported by the Ministry of Environment and Forests under the National Environmental Awareness Campaign (NEAC) 2012. The programme aims to train the schools in preparing the biodiversity register in the school campus and upload the information to the India Biodiversity Portal (IBP) site which is endorsed by the National Knowledge Commission. A one-day workshop related to Vembanad Bioblitz was organised here on Wednesday. Priyadarshan Dharmarajan, conservation scientist inaugurated the workshop. Jojo T.D , Project coordinator, ATREE took the sessions on biodiversity and its importance. Dr. Prabhakar from India Biodiversity portal explained the activities of IBP and how the students can contribute to it. Murukan P. of ATREE explained the field techniques. A biodiversity quiz program was also arranged for the students. Around 110 participants from 27 education institutions, including schools and colleges attended the programme.

A campus biodiversity register was prepared at St. Marys HS, Kainakary on Thursday. The wetland study centre members along with the teacher in charge Annamma Xavier actively took part in the program. The participants listed and documented the flora and fauna around the campus with the help of experts Dr. Joby Paul of MG University, Dr. Thomas Vattakaval of IBP, Ashish Mathew of ATREE, Mr. Murukan, Shibu Bhaskar, naturalist and Mathivanan of ATREE.

The students with the help of the experts identified about 105 plants, 30 birds and 20 butterflies. In the afternoon, the students uploaded the information along with the photos to the India Biodiversity Portal website.

Source:The Hindu,November 23, 2012