West Bengal
Biodiversity Board

The Board functions towards ensuring proper implementation of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the West Bengal Biological Diversity Rules, 2005. The important functions undertaken by the Board include

▪ To make people aware of the biodiversity and its importance in human wellbeing.
▪ Constitution of Biodiversity Management Committees(BMC) in the Panchayat Samity and Municipality level.
▪ Documenting biodiversity, their uses and traditional knowledge and practices associated with those in the form of People's Biodiversity Register (PBR) involving local people through the concern BMCs
▪ Initiating and guiding Post PBR activities: conservation initiatives, entrepreneurship development on sustainable biological resources, biological resource management and other such activities.
▪ Identification of Heritage Sites and Sacred Groves of the state and prepare the management plan of those area in consultation with the concern BMCs.
▪ Conducting Studies on biodiversity related issues of the state.
▪ Regulating commercial activities related to bio-resources of the state as per the Biological Diversity Act, 2002
▪ Regulating other activities which affect the biodiversity of the state as per the said act & rules
▪ Documentation of Biodiversity of the state: in the form of comprehensive digitized data of available resources of the State along with a digital library and also an annotated bibliography of available literature on biodiversity of the State.
▪ The Board has planned to restore at least one wild habitat in a Block having considerablearea for sustenance of diverse life forms of that area.
▪ Awareness generation is a major function of the Board, particularly among the students. For thatthe Board undertakes various programmes, like - Seminars, Bio - Tour, Field Training, Programme, publication of awareness materials, etc.