Why in News?

Recently, Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) in collaboration with the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), has launched a nationwide initiative - Campus Biodiversity Registers (CBRs) to document biodiversity.

• NBA – It is a statutory body that advises, regulates, and facilitates conservation, sustainable use, and fair benefit‑sharing of biological resources.
• Inspired by – People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR), which documents bio‑resources, landscapes, demography, and traditional knowledge at village/town/city level.

• Campus Biodiversity Registers (CBRs) – Students, faculty, and staff in college and university campuses across India will collectively document biodiversity on their campuses.

• Objective – Discover, document, and celebrate biodiversity in campuses; strengthen conservation awareness and management.
• Activities – Organised biodiversity surveys, campus walks, everyday observations.
• Documentation Platforms – Recognised citizen‑science tools like iNaturalist, eBird, SeasonWatch.

iNaturalist, eBird, SeasonWatch – Citizen science apps for tracking plants, birds, and tree life cycles globally and locally.

• Outcome – CBRs aid global databases, ecosystem management, and building student awareness and scientific skills.

Reference

The Hindu | CBR