Author: NBC

A group of twenty four Nature Club students ranging from classes IV to IX of Khasadrapchu Middle Secondary School visited the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC) on 30th November 2012. The group was escorted by the club coordinator. The main objective for this kind of educational visit was to give exposure to the students about the kind of work undertaken by the centre towards conservation and sustainable utilization of our rich biodiversity and to see the different programs and facilities of NBC.

In line with the objective of their visit, an official from NBC presented on the historical background and the programs of the Centre. Subsequent to the presentation, the students visited the genebanks (Plant Gene Bank and Animal Gene Bank), National Herbarium, Bioprospecting Laboratory and the Royal Botanical Garden later in the afternoon.

The Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture and Forests, Lyonpo (Dr.) Pema Gyamtsho inaugurated the Bioprospecting Laboratory at the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Serbithang on 22^nd November 2012. The function was attended by the Secretary of National Environment Commission, Director of Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC), Director of SAARC Forestry Centre, and senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Gross National Happiness Commission, Institute of Traditional Medicine Services of the Ministry of Health, and Intellectual Property Division of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The Bioprospecting program of NBC was initiated in the 10^th Five Year Plan under the directives of the Ministry and with the financial support from Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC). The technical support in setting up the program, especially the laboratory and capacity building was provided by Nimura Genetics Solutions, Japan under the Memorandum of Agreement signed between the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests and Nimura Genetics Solutions in 2010.

The primary mandate of the bioprospecting program is to conduct exploration and research on biological resources of the country for natural product development and bio-discovery as well as to implement the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) regime related to biological resources and traditional knowledge associated with biological resources. Thus, the Bioprospecting laboratory is an integral facility for the implementation of the program.

For more information on the event,click:  http://www.moaf.gov.bt/moaf/?p=12347

A total of 75 Environmental Studies students from Royal Thimphu College visited the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), Serbithang on 5^th November 2012. The main objective of this visit was to learn about NBC’s role in Biodiversity Conservation and the conservation facilities and programs of NBC. In line with the objective of their visit, a representative NBC presented the historical back ground of NBC, its roles and mandates in biodiversity conservation and the programs under implementation at NBC. The presentation was followed by discussion wherein topics ranging from conservation challenges to opportunities for undergraduate internship at NBC were discussed.

Later in the day, the students escorted by their lecturer visited the facilities of NBC: Crop Seed bank , Animal Genebank , Herbarium, Bioprospecting and Research Laboratory and the Royal Botanical Garden.

A blue- flowered Meconopsis (blue poppy) which was earlier confused with Meconopsis  discigera  is found to be a new species, Meconopsis bhutanica Tosh. Yoshida & Grey-Wilson.  According to the authors who described the species, it is known only from the region around the northern watershed between the catchments of the two rivers, Paro Chu and Thimpu Chu in western Bhutan. This would mean that it could be a potential endemic plant species. Currently, Bhutan has a record of 105 endemic plant species.

Please read here for more…..Meconopsis bhutanica lo-res, Plantsman 11(2) p.96-101 (1)