According to the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), “Peoples’ Biodiversity Register is a document which contains comprehensive information on locally available Bio-resources including landscape and demography of a particular area or village.” Bio-resources mean plants, animals and micro organisms or parts thereof, their genetic material and by-products (excluding value added products) with actual or potential use or value but does not include human genetic material.
People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) contribute in :
1. Sustainability of Biological resources used by local people.
2. PBR addresses the major objectives of Biodiversity Act i.e. conservation, sustainable use, ABS & safeguarding Traditional Knowledge.
3. Linking PBR with management plans of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).
4. Mainstreaming of Biodiversity issues-Linking PBR to planning process of Local bodies and Working Plans.
5. Income Generating Groups – linkage in PBR.
6. Using PBR for securing livelihoods.
7. Focus on conservation of Threatened species.
We started working with Uttarakhand State Biodiversity Board in 2017 for preparing People’s Biodiversity Registers in the state. It included extensive field work in remote villages documenting all the floral and faunal biodiversity in the village jurisdiction. Till now, we have prepared 15 PBRs in 3 districts of Uttarakhand. In 2019, we started working with Haryana State Biodiversity Board and are currently working for preparing PBRs in more than 100 villages in Haryana.
