People’s Biodiversity Register
People’s Biodiversity Registers preparation in consultation with local people is focussed on issues of conservation, sustainable use of biological resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources.. The Register shall contain comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of local biological resources, their medicinal or any other use or any other traditional knowledge associated with them.
The development of modern science and technologies notably biotechnology and information technologies have increased the value of biodiversity and associated knowledge including traditional knowledge (TK) . The growing importance of biodiversity, bio-resources and associated knowledge is fairly well understood. The first step towards conservation is sustainable utilization of biodiversity and its documentation. Biodiversity and associated knowledge is found in different ecosystems, under different legal management regimes and hence the results and manner of documentation will also differ.
Work with the local level Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) for promoting conservation, sustainable use and documentation of biological diversity including preservation of habitats, conservation of land races, folk varieties and cultivars, domesticated stocks and breeds of animals and microorganisms and chronicling of knowledge relating to biological diversity.
Different social groups in the village need to be identified for purpose of data collection from those groups. In an urban situation, spots where biodiversity are important need to be identified for the purpose of the study and documentation. The documentation process includes information gathered from individuals through detailed questionnaire, focused group discussion with persons having knowledge and published secondary information.