Gujarat will be first to establish Biodiversity Parks at District Level
Gandhinagar: Biodiversity and Tourism are interrelated. In order to make it more beneficial with promotion and conservation practices, the Gujarat Biodiversity Board (GBB), Gujarat Science City (GSC) and Gujarat Council on Science & Technology (GUJCOST) were jointly organised a series of programmes on Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism to mark the celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity on 22nd May 2017 at Science City.
Inaugurating the celebration Shri Ganpatsinh Vasava, Hon’ble Cabinet Minister for Environment, forest and tribal development expressed that “Biodiversity – the diversity among living organisms – plays an essential role in ensuring the survival of life on earth. Gujarat is blissed with richness of biodiversity. However, in order to make it more people friendly with awareness for conservation, the state will soon establish the Biodiversity Park at district level to showcase the best biodiversity elements of the district at one place.
He also informed that the state as well as the forest department has taken lots of efforts in rising the awareness and increase trends of tree plantation annually as a part of Van Mahotsav at different district places every year.
Shri Shabdsharan Tadvi, Hon’ble Minister of State for Forest and Tribal Development in his address urged the participants to take care of our rich biodiversity as it takes care of our health, wealth and economic up-liftment both at individual as well as societal development.
Shri Kuldeep Goyal, IFS, PCCF and Heads of Forest Force, Govt of Gujarat, in his address highlighted the design and development of eco-tourism projects in the state for education as well as tourism promotion.
Shri S. D. Vora, Executive Director, Science City gave a brief introduction on the innovative programmes and activities of Science City that inspire curiosity for a life-long learning. Dr. Narottam Sahoo. Advisor, GUJCOST proposed the vote of thanks.
On this occasion, stakeholder workshop on the theme, exhibition, hands-on activities, screening of scientific films, popular science lectures, nature and culture programmes, highlighting the importance of biodiversity to humankind and sustainable tourism development were organized at Science City and all Community Science Centres in the State.
About 250 participants including members of the Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs), nature educators, students, teachers and forest officials are attended the programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri A. K. Srivastav, Chairman, Gujarat Biodiversity Board (GBB) informed that the biodiversity of the present time is the fruit of billions of years of evolution, shaped by natural processes and, increasingly, by the influence of humans. It forms the web of life of which both animal and plants are an integral part and upon which all are fully depended. We cannot prepare an inch of soil or seed or the growth and development.
The science of biodiversity is the science of our future. It’s time to take a stand and protect the grand diversity of life – was the take home message for all participants.