Chapter 2 - Kerala Govt Logo

Chapter 2Policy, Legislation and Regulationenvisages a three-tier structure comprising of a National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), StateBiodiversity Boards (SBB) and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) at the local level.The major role of BMCs is the documentation of the biodiversity in the local area with theparticipation of local people and preparation of People‟s Biodiversity Register (PBR). Eventhough it is difficult to formulate a rigid methodology for collecting information for PBR, itmay involve a series of components/steps such as: (i) creating awareness to local communitiesabout the importance of BDA and PBR to ensure the involvement of the local people; (ii)setting up BMCs; (iii) delineation of user groups and identification of knowledgeable individualssuch as local healers (vaidyas), fishermen, farmers, etc.; (iv) constitution of a broad basedstudy team involving teachers, students, and local community members; (v) obtaining consent(prior informed consent) from the local people for sharing information; (vi) individual as wellas group discussions members representing different user groups as well as local people andvillage assembly; (vii) participatory mapping of the landscape of the study area; (viii)preparing an inventory of locally known life forms; (ix) documentation of local geographic,social and economic setting; (x) identification of focal issues related to biodiversity in thestudy area; (xi) documentation of traditional knowledge related to biodiversity, ecosystems,agriculture, medicines, etc.; (xii) validation of data; (xiii) preparation of a database (PBR);(xiv) documentation of current and desired patterns of management of habitats and focalspecies; and (xv) preparation of a biodiversity management planThe PBRs, if properly planned and prepared, would become authentic natural resource database of every local body, as it envisages listing and mapping of all the ecosystems andbiodiversity. Further, PBR also envisages preparation of action plans for the management ofbiodiversity and ecosystems at the grass root level, with the involvement of stakeholders atthe grass roots. The citizen-scientist partnerships play an important role not only indocumenting and validating data collected on biodiversity, but also in utilizing thebioresources sustainably. PBRs could be used as a tool for promoting this, as the data in PBRswill be validated by technical support groups. These citizen-scientist partnerships share twocharacteristics that make them central to developing biodiversity infrastructure. They providedata on spatial and temporal scales that are impossible to document using other methods.Second, they involve the public and students in local efforts that build communityunderstanding and support for biodiversity issues. Further, this will also helpcommercialisation of products out of the TK of communities and sharing of benefits.