Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Biodiversity Council on Friday celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity at Dachigam National Park, highlighting the Union Territory’s ecological wealth and stressing the need for local action to protect biodiversity.
The event was attended by Commissioner Secretary Forests, Ecology and Environment Sheetal Nanda, PCCF/HoFF and Chairman Biodiversity Council Sarvesh Rai, PCCF/CWW and Member Secretary Biodiversity Council Chaturbhuj Bahera, senior forest and wildlife officers, members of Biodiversity Management Committees and experts from across Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the gathering, Sheetal Nanda said the International Day for Biological Diversity serves as a reminder that human survival is deeply dependent on nature and biodiversity conservation.
She stressed the need to strike a balance between infrastructure development and environmental protection, stating that economic progress should not come at the cost of ecological sustainability.
The Commissioner Secretary also directed the council to prepare a comprehensive catalogue of flora, fauna and avian species found in the region and advocated creation of ex-situ conservation areas for protection of vulnerable species.
Speaking on the occasion, Sarvesh Rai highlighted that nearly 48 percent of Jammu and Kashmir’s geographical area is under forest cover, with 25 percent designated as wildlife protected areas.
He underlined the importance of forests in providing ecosystem services such as water purification and pollination and noted the economic significance of non-timber forest products.
Rai said local Biodiversity Management Committees have collected nearly ₹25 crore over the last three years and stressed sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants for long-term ecological protection.
He also shared encouraging conservation trends, stating that populations of species such as the Hangul, brown bear, black bear and tiger are witnessing recovery.
Chaturbhuj Bahera said biodiversity includes not only forests but also agricultural and cultural diversity, both of which are essential for future food security.
He highlighted the role of 2,490 active Biodiversity Management Committees across Jammu and Kashmir in documenting and conserving local biological resources.
Professor Anzar Khuroo from University of Kashmir said India is among the world’s 20 megadiverse countries and hosts four of the planet’s 36 biodiversity hotspots.
He noted that the Himalayan ecosystem contains around 12,000 flowering plant species, with nearly 5,000 found in Kashmir alone, and called for sustainable development practices to preserve ecological balance.
The programme concluded with a collective pledge for biodiversity conservation led by environmentalist Nazir Benazir. A biodiversity atlas of Kashmir was also unveiled during the event.
