Conservationists and environment experts can soon share their knowledge and field expertise on a web portal, which will act as a platform for ecological restoration efforts.
The digital platform named Ecological Restoration Alliance-India (ERA-India), to be launched on August 15, can be accessed at era-india.org. It is an effort by the Ecological Restoration Alliance to pool knowledge on all ecoregions (large areas made of distinct flora and fauna).
Anita Varghese, Director (Biodiversity) at Keystone Foundation, Kotagiri, said the platform addresses a very crucial need in India. "Helping everyone learn the where, what, and how of ecological restoration and to connect with and learn from others engaged in similar efforts," she said.
Keystone Foundation, Nature Conservation Foundation, Auroville Botanical Gardens, The Forest Way, Green Hub, Adavi Trust as well as ecologists and restoration practitioners will be the core members of the ERA.
Noting that restoration has been growing as a silent movement across India, the ERA said that addressing unique challenges - from species native to each region to creating new tools and methods was important. The platform enables access to information, helping newcomers learn from the past experiences and avoid old mistakes.
"Instead of just a few far-flung people ploughing lonely furrows in a new field, we're coming together to share, collaborate and build a strong movement to restore degraded habitats in India," said author Pradip Krishen.
(Published 10 August 2022, 18:23 IST)
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