Author: NBC

Bhutan spans across two major biogeographic realms, the Indo-Malayan and Palearctic and is part of the Himalayan biodiversity hotspot with a diverse array of flora and fauna. However, one of the major taxonomic groups, which forms more than 97% of the extant diversity, the “invertebrates” which includes animal groups such as mollusks, spiders, insects, worms, etc. are hardly researched or documented presenting an incomplete view of the Bhutan’s biological wealth. Therefore, in an effort to instil interest and develop capacity to fill this gap, training on inventory and taxonomy of invertebrates is underway at Rural Development Training Centre (RDTC), Zhemgang. It is jointly organized by the Ugyen Wanghuck Institute for Conservation and Environment (UWICE), Bumthang and National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), Serbithang, with experts from the Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity, Naturalis. The training is attended by 16 field officials working under the Department of Forests and Park Services and that of NBC.

  The current training program is structured as a combination of lectures and field demonstrations on the basics of entomology, malacology, sampling, collecting and preservation techniques, registration and identification of different groups of invertebrates, with focus on insects, snails and slugs.

The training program is funded by WWF Bhutan program and Jigme Singye Wangchuck Environment Stewardship Endowment managed by UWICE.

The National Biodiversity Centre (NBC) in collaboration with  the Bioversity International organized a two day workshop on ‘Strengthening National Capacities on the Implementation of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture’ from 7^th-8^th 2012. Bhutan became a member of the International Treaty in 2003 after ratification by the 83^rd session of the National Assembly. The key objectives of the Treaty are the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use, in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity, for sustainable agriculture and food security.

The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Ronald W Vernooy, Genetic Resources Policy Specialist, Bioversity International with the aim to educate the participants on the ITPGRFA and also to provide a forum to identify key stakeholders that could participate in a thematic research project to strengthen the understanding and the implementation of the International Treaty, supported by Bioversity International.

The workshop was attended by a total of 21 participants from various agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests namely the  Department of Livestock, Department of Agriculture, Council for RNR Research of Bhutan, Department of Agriculture Marketing and Cooperatives, Planning and Policy Division, National Soil Service Centre, National Mushroom Centre, Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority, RNR-RDC Yusepang, RNR-RDC Bajo, National Seed Centre and the National Plant Protection Centre as well as a representative from Bhutan Alpine Seeds.

The Community Orchid Garden at Jangbi village, Trongsa was established in 2004 through the support of the Dzongkhag Forest Sector and GEF-Small Grants Program. The Orchid Garden was established to promote community income generation and conservation of orchid species found in the locality. However, the community could not generate viable income due to poor orchid propagation and management skills. 

On the request of the of the Monpa community, the National Biodiversity Center (NBC) in collaboration with the Dzongkhag Forest Sector, Trongsa strengthened the community orchid garden and  provided a five-day hands-on training on orchids propagation and management to 51 farmers of Jangbi, Wangling and Phumzur villages from 11 to 15 June, 2012.

The key objective of the intervention is to promote conservation of the orchid diversity in the locality, community income generation (from sale of the orchids) and discourage collection from the wild. The Dzongkhag Forest Sector, Trongsa will very soon develop by-laws and a management plan for the sustainable management of the Orchid Garden. The garden has over twelve species of orchids including Cymbidium, Calanthe and Dendrobium species. Similar support was provided to the farmers’ groups of Samtengang,Wangdiphodrang and Simpho, Trongsa.