Author: NBC

The first Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting of the NBSAPs and the 7th National Report projects was conducted from 3rd to 5th July at Paro. The meeting focused on developing the plans to assess and develop NBSAP and the 7th National Report to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The TWG members include:

1. National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock (Co-chair, Member Secretary & Secretariat, Nagoya Protocol)
2. Department of Environment & Climate Change (DoECC), Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources (Co-chair and CBD National Focal Point)
3. Bhutan Food & Drug Authority (BFDA), Ministry of Health (Cartagena Protocol)
4. Department of Forests & Park Services (DoFPS), Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources
5. Department of Livestock (DoL), Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock
6. Department of Agriculture (DoA), Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock
7. Department of Water (DoW), Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources
8. Department of Macro-Fiscal & Development Finance, Ministry of Finance
9. Women & Children Division, Department of Education Program, Ministry of Education & Skills Development
10. Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN)
11. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – Bhutan
12. Bhutan Trust Fund for Environment Conservation (BTFEC)
13. College of Natural Resources (CNR), Royal University of Bhutan
14. United Nations Development Program (UNDP) – Bhutan
15. A representative from the Private Sector

Considering the importance of citizen education on biodiversity conservation and its awareness, the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC) in collaboration with the Butterfly Society of Bhutan (BSoB) conducted Butterfly BioBlitz in Punakha and Gasa Dzongkhags from 16^th to 19^th June 2023. The BioBlitz is aimed at building interest and enhancing the butterfly knowledge of citizens. The event also aimed to document the butterfly diversity in the region considering its rich biodiversity.

The BioBlitz is supported by GEF-LDCF (NAPA 3) project implemented by the Ministry of Finance with support of UNDP-Bhutan, as a part of knowledge management and advocacy to citizens.

Citizen science plays a vital role in documentation and conservation of biodiversity including butterfly diversity. Thus, to enhance the butterfly knowledge base among the citizens, NBC in collaboration with the Butterfly Society of Bhutan (BSoB) conducted Butterfly BioBlitz to tour guides, foresters, Desuups and students in Punakha and Gasa regions. The BioBlitz site was selected owing to its rich record of butterfly diversity and the close proximity to the Centre. The participants are expected to learn basic butterfly identification techniques, its habitats and behaviors, and to document the butterfly diversity.

Objectives:

• Enhance basic capacity of citizens on butterfly identification techniques and family classifications.
• Understand the butterfly habitats and its importance.
• Documentation and photography of butterflies.

The Butterfly BioBlitz was conducted along the highways and the nearby forested areas and streams. The specific study stops were selected from the highway stretches from Thimphu until Gasa including Dochula and the Royal Botanical Park in Lamperi. Butterflies were documented and photographed by the participants.

The BioBlitz was attended by 20 participants consisting of tour guides, foresters, Desuups and students. The participants were introduced to basic butterfly identification techniques, understanding habitats, difference between butterflies and moths, catching and handling of butterflies, and butterfly family classifications.

19th June 2023: Currently happening, final session of the sensitization workshop on
Biodiversity Rules and Regulations 2023 of the Biodiversity Act of Bhutan 2022 is being
currently carried out in Samtse for the enforcement agencies and Access and Benefit
Sharing (ABS) Checkpoints.

A total of 16 participants from Royal Bhutan Police, Bhutan Food and Drug Authority, Regional Revenue & Customs Office and Department of Forests and Park Services are participating the workshop. Similar workshops were conducted in Phuentsholing, Samtse, Samdrupjongkhar, Paro and Thimphu.

Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on Seed System continued with the farmers of 4 chiwogs viz Sangbay ama, Shepji, Babji and Yaba Shama of Sangbay Gewog under Haa Dzongkhag. The FGD was conducted as a part of an ongoing study on the Seed System in Bhutan under the project “Biodiversity for Opportunity, Livelihood and Development (BOLD)-Work Package (WP3) supported by the Crop Trust and Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Due to the remoteness and scatteredness of the Chiwogs, FGD was conducted separately on the 12th of June at Sangbay Gewog Centre for two Chiwogs viz. Sangbay ama and Shepji and the 14th of June at the Babji Chiwog for Babji and Shema Yaba. The FGD was attended by 9 farmers of Sangbay Ama and Shepji and 17 farmers of Babji and Shema Yaba.