The people’s biodiversity register contains details of topography, waterbodies, land pattern, trees, plants, vegetables, medicinal herbs, wildlife, domesticated animals, and traditional knowledge of the people in using land, water and crops

T’puram: Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has started digitizing People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBR) as part of an effort to create a searchable digital database of local biodiversity, plants, animals, microorganisms and traditional knowledge.The aim is to first digitize 100 PBRs meticulously gathered by biodiversity management committees of different local bodies so that they can be updated online. Around 25 registers have been digitized so far.There are 1,034 such registers in the state which were prepared in 2009-2019 under Phase I. It is now being updated under Phase II to codify changes to the biodiversity habitats.KSBB member secretary V Balakrishnan said, “The board is directly digitizing only 100 registers. The rest will have to be done by the biodiversity management committees of each local body. We will give them training for that.”He also said that Kerala is a pioneer in setting up biodiversity management committees and digitizing the registers.The data gathered and updated is currently stored in computer and is printed and kept at the respective local bodies and at KSBB. This now is being digitized.The digitized information is uploaded to a portal called BIOMIS for states under the National Biodiversity Authority. The authority aims to create an e-PBR to provide free nationwide access to biodiversity information, enabling better conservation, sustainable resource use, and benefits for local communities.PBR is mandated by the Biodiversity Act 2002 and is collected by volunteers at the local body management committees including residents, students, naturalists and others. The gathered information is validated by technical support groups.It contains details of topography, waterbodies, land pattern, trees, plants, vegetables, medicinal herbs, wildlife, domesticated animals, and traditional knowledge of the people in using land, water and crops. It also records how communities currently use biodiversity and the economic benefits they get.The registers provide baseline data for planning sustainable, local-level use of biodiversity. They ensure fair sharing of profits when biodiversity or traditional knowledge is used commercially.In BIOMIS, 72 biodiversity management committees have recorded 2938 species, 33 landscapes, 103 wetlands in 2022.