Consultative Workshop Biodiversity Statistics of Bhutan held

29 March 2019: One-day consultative workshop on Biodiversity Statistics of Bhutan was held in Thimphu. The workshop aimed at validating the species checklists and the number of species found in Bhutan till 2017 and 2018, and finalizing the information to be presented in the publication. The primary focus of the Biodiversity Statistics of Bhutan is to collate and create an accurate and reliable baseline of biodiversity statistics for the country. This publication is the first of its kind, to be developed through collaborative efforts from various institutions. By creating a platform for the collection and discussion of biodiversity data from stakeholders with wide-ranging expertise, this publication will bring together knowledge from various sources and aims to present a thorough introduction to the biodiversity in Bhutan.

This report will present the number of species according to taxonomic groups, trends of new records and discoveries, as well as other information related to the biodiversity of Bhutan. It will also provide checklists according to taxonomic classifications. The checklists will be made available through an online consortium-based platform, the Bhutan Biodiversity Portal (www.biodiversity.bt).

This is the second consultative workshop on Biodiversity Statistics of Bhutan, first one being held in 2016. Experts and relevant officials from UWICER, NBC, Nature Conservation Division, Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve, RSPN, WWF-Bhutan, College of Natural Resources, National Statistical Bureau, RNR Statistical Division, ICTD, and National Mushroom Centre participated in the workshop. The workshop was organized by the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC).