Indian Colleges Unite to Document Campus Biodiversity in New Initiative

A nationwide initiative is encouraging colleges and universities across India to document the biodiversity within their campuses. Led by the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) in partnership with the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), the project aims to create Campus Biodiversity Registers (CBRs).

Participating institutions will record plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms encountered during organized surveys, campus walks, or everyday observations. Over the course of a year, participants will use platforms such as iNaturalist, eBird, and SeasonWatch to log their findings. By the end of the project, each institution will have the resources and skills to compile its own Biodiversity Register.

As Indian cities expand, college campuses have become critical green spaces. According to a statement from NCF, many campuses harbour remarkable diversity, including trees, birds, butterflies, insects, reptiles, mammals, and fungi. These areas often serve as biodiversity hotspots and refuges within urban landscapes, yet little is known about the species they support. The initiative seeks to address this knowledge gap while promoting appreciation and conservation.

Observations will contribute to global biodiversity databases and help institutions manage their own ecosystems. The project is inspired by the People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) initiative, which documents biodiversity in villages, towns, and cities.

Devica Ranade, programme manager at NCF, noted that the initiative is an opportunity to notice often-overlooked species, such as geckos on classroom walls, moths around campus lights, and ants. Virendra Tiwari, chairperson of NBA, said that for students, documenting biodiversity is a first step towards conservation.