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Biodiversity celebrations in Indian Himalayas

18.06.2014

Centre for Environment Education (CEE Himalaya) celebrated International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD) with school children, teachers, local NGOs and community members on 22 May 2014 at several places across the Indian Himalayan Region.

In Jammu Kashmir, Western Himalaya, students and teachers planted saplings under the ‘Green Wave’ programme coordinated by CEE for the National Biodiversity Authority of India along with several other partner organizations. Experts discussed with students the significance of IBD, the importance of biodiversity for human survival, threats to biodiversity and how they can contribute to stopping its rapid decline.

Students and teachers from several schools in the Central Himalayan cities of Hamirpur, Manali and Mandi in Himachal Pradesh participated in the plantation drive to celebrate the international day.

In the state of Uttarakhand, students from a large number of schools planted saplings as well as listened to lectures on mountain and sustainable development issues. The expert talks covered a variety of topics ranging from nature conservation to biodiversity in the Indian Himalayas.

“Humans are responsible for the rampant destruction and loss of biodiversity. It is the prime responsibility of man to preserve and protect natural resources that are essential for the life and survival of human beings,” said Gopal Thapliyal, Team Leader of Shri Bhubneshwari Mahila Ashram, who spoke at the Government Inter College Maneri event in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand.

Other speakers pointed out that the Uttarakhand flooding disaster happened in 2013 due to excessive deforestation and the potential of mountains to provide priceless ecological services globally.

The IBD 2014 celebration was supported by the JSW Foundation, GoI-UNDP-GEF, and RCE network of the Institute of Advanced Studies of the United Nations University, Japan.

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