... the momentum is thoroughly inspiring ... exciting days ahead assured. Regards.
On Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 7:51 PM, singhg . <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On 9/19/09, J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Dear members, I am awaiting your feedback, at least, on issues concerning >> 'Indiantreepix' community. >> >> 2009/9/18 J.M. Garg <[email protected]> >> >>> *Dear members,* >>> *The relevant aspects from the draft report, which require serious >>> attention of this group, along with my views are reproduced below. I seek >>> your independant opinions on the report as well as on my views so that these >>> are finalised before submitting to the Task Force:* >>> >>> "*Flora and Fauna of India* >>> >>> >>> >>> The primary mandate of the BSI/ZSI is to document the plant/ animal >>> resources of the country. Hence an important focus of their activity would >>> be to complete the Flora/ Fauna of India. India has produced a large >>> number of fine taxonomists, many of whom work outside BSI/ZSI, e.g., >>> universities, research organizations and as emeritus scientists. Therefore, >>> it is important that BSI/ZSI now take on the role of coordinating and >>> pooling the expertise of all the taxonomists including those working outside >>> this organization to consolidate the *Flora and Fauna of **India**volumes >>> *. This is particularly important because the local field biologists and >>> experts who have spent a considerable amount of time in a particular >>> geographical area can add tremendous information on habitat, associations, >>> biogeography and population status. Floras/ Faunas written by the >>> individuals having limited field knowledge, merely based on the museum/ >>> herbarium specimens lack in such information. Coordinated work on Flora/ >>> Fauna of India should also include all the works on various taxonomic groups >>> done through AICOPTAX Project of MoEF. Such coordination would of course >>> require a strong editorial board and a few full time dedicated executive >>> secretaries. This should be achievable in 10 years and should figure out as >>> *Priority I *in BSI/ZSI’s Vision 2020 document. This could be achieved >>> in the following phases: >>> >>> i. Establish a panel of experienced and active taxonomists for >>> each state and take their consent on participation in Flora / Fauna Project, >>> >>> >>> ii. Prepare an annotated checklist of vascular plants and other >>> taxa under consideration for each state / UTs based on all published >>> documents and herbaria, giving local names, if any, locality and habitat, >>> >>> iii. Circulate the electronic version of checklists among the panel >>> of botanists/ zoologists who would, in turn, check for omissions, >>> ambiguities, localities and habitat through active consultation with other >>> local botanists/ zoologists, >>> >>> iv. To begin with, state floras/ faunas should be published >>> electronically giving correct names, basionyms, localities, habitat, >>> sketches and photographs of important species preferably on an interactive ‘ >>> *Flora/ Fauna of India Blog’*. On this page all naturalists, >>> photographers and biological artists should be encouraged to contribute >>> information on taxonomy, distribution, natural history, biology, >>> ethnobiology, etc. This will also act as an outreach programme for all >>> the biologists. The ethnobiological surveys should be done mainly by the >>> local biologists, college and university teachers, working with local >>> Biodiversity Management Committees under technical guidance by BSI/ZSI. >>> >>> *v. *An editorial board may be constituted at the national level to >>> decide the format of the flora/ fauna and also assign plant/ animal families >>> for compilation which should include nomenclature, description, ecology, >>> natural history, distribution, sketches and photographs." >>> >>> *I am not clear what it means by ‘Flora/ Fauna of India Blog’ & seek >>> Madhav ji's guidance in the matter particularly w.r.t the word Blog. >>> Also it is not clear whether it will be accessible to all or not. I think >>> any restriction on its access as far as its contents are concerned, should >>> go away in view of the '**Approach**' followed in the paper (as >>> subsequently highlighted). While it is encouraging to see " To begin >>> with, state floras/ faunas should be published electronically giving correct >>> names, basionyms, localities, habitat, sketches and photographs of important >>> species preferably on an interactive ‘Flora/ Fauna of India Blog’. " in >>> the draft, there is hardly anything which talks of creating e-flora of >>> India on the lines of e-flora of China & other neighbouring countries. I >>> feel* *'AICOPTAX Project' of MoEF should be sufficiently strengthened >>> with a mandate for simultaneously creating of e-Flora/ e-Fauna of India on >>> lines of e-Floras of different countries of the world. How to go about >>> creating e-floras is evident at link: >>> http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/PDF/misc/eFloras_Taxon_55_188-192_2006.pdf >>> * >>> *This becomes all the more important as the report in its 'Approach' >>> rightly talks of* "......Finally, the culmination of evolution of >>> artifacts to the present day Information and Communication Technology has >>> brought us to the threshold of a tenth major transition: x] Language based >>> human societies –to- Human societies with global access to the entire stock >>> of human knowledge, and engaged in an endeavour of collaborative knowledge >>> generation." *This approach will remain an illusion until & unless we >>> are able to create e-Flora/ e-Fauna of India which is accessible to all >>> human community & appear in top 10 while searching as far as 'Indian >>> species' are concerned. The need of the hour is to move fast in this regard, >>> if India is to be visible on the world map. It is said that we have to refer >>> to 'e-Flora of China', 'e-Flora of Pakistan' etc. when we search on net for >>> information about any Indian plant species.We hardly find any inf. on search >>> in our "......*national networks like DBT’s India Biodiversity >>> Information Network (IBIN) and NBA’s India Biodiversity Information System >>> (IBIS)." *as talked about in the report.* >>> >>> *Further if the dreams of its 'Approach' *"......Finally, the >>> culmination of evolution of artifacts to the present day Information and >>> Communication Technology has brought us to the threshold of a tenth major >>> transition: x] Language based human societies –to- Human societies with >>> global access to the entire stock of human knowledge, and engaged in an >>> endeavour of collaborative knowledge generation." *are to be fulfilled >>> in this e-age, it has to speak loudly about increasing participation & >>> expertise in on-line community activities like those of 'Indiantreepix' >>> google e-group, regarding which it is totally silent. Here information is >>> shared on real time basis for the benefit of all stakeholders, minimising >>> delays & fastening processes, following multi-disciplinary approach with >>> membership from diverse background. This should also help in the process of >>> constant learning in ones' career & creating passionate scientists/ >>> taxonomists aided/ guided by other willing scientists/ taxonomists. This >>> should also help in "*Capacity building: scientists" & "Capacity >>> building: district level scientific community and barefoot taxonomists under >>> "7)Human Resources" >>> ** >>> >>> 2009/9/17 J.M. Garg <[email protected]> >>> >>>> Thanks, Madhav ji, for your prompt reply. >>>> May I requests experts on this group to go through the attached draft >>>> report and >>>> providing your inputs by making suitable additions- deletions in the >>>> >>>> existing version. Any suggestions made at this stage will go a long way >>>> in helping any sincere worker who is associated with Indian Flora in any >>>> way. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >>>> From: Madhav Gadgil <[email protected]> >>>> Date: 2009/9/17 >>>> Subject: BSI/ZSI TF >>>> To: "J.M. Garg" <[email protected]> >>>> Cc: indiantreepix <[email protected]> >>>> >>>> >>>> Dear Dr Garg, I will certainly follow the literature you suggest. But >>>> since you and your colleagues have given this much more thought, I >>>> would appreciate your going through the attached draft report and >>>> providing your inputs by making suitable additions- deletions in the >>>> existing version. >>>> >>>> On Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 1:54 PM, J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> > Thanks, Madhav ji, for giving us an opportunity to express our >>>> opinions. >>>> > You & the task force may like to go through the following threads from >>>> > 'Indiantreepix' (a google e-group with more than 1025 members from all >>>> over >>>> > India & 18500 messages to >>>> > date- http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix) on Quest for >>>> > 'e-flora' of India, discussed between experts & laymen alike, which is >>>> of >>>> > prime importance not only to experts but to thousands of laymen also: >>>> > >>>> http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix/browse_thread/thread/9cf05f448b3f2b4b/a9c949c11578b530?lnk=gst&q=Quest+for+%27e-flora%27+of+India+#a9c949c11578b530 >>>> > >>>> > >>>> http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix/browse_thread/thread/7aba8eb1b7d99b56 >>>> > >>>> > >>>> http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix/browse_thread/thread/616e12b1838a1854/007f0d08357d7a1f?lnk=gst&q=Offtopic+but+relevant+to+all+amateur+naturalists+#007f0d08357d7a1f >>>> > >>>> > If e-flora of India is created on lines of e-flora of China >>>> > ( >>>> http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/PDF/misc/eFloras_Taxon_55_188-192_2006.pdf >>>> ), >>>> > Pakistan, Nepal etc. with in a suitable time frame of say five to >>>> seven >>>> > years, your team will certainly deserve numerous accolades not from >>>> the >>>> > current generation but also from the future one. >>>> > -- >>>> > With regards, >>>> > J.M.Garg ([email protected]) >>>> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 >>>> > 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' >>>> > Image Resource of thousands of my images of Birds, Butterflies, Flora >>>> etc. >>>> > (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): >>>> > http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg >>>> > For learning about Indian Flora, visit/ join Google e-group- >>>> > Indiantreepix:http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en >>>> > >>>> > >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> With regards, Sincerely, >>>> कळावे, लोभ असावा, आपला स्नेहांकित, >>>> माधव Madhav >>>> Madhav Gadgil, >>>> Res: A-18, Springflowers, Panchavati, Pashan, Pune 411008, Tel >>>> 020-25893424 >>>> Office: Agharakar Research Institute, G G Agarkar Road, Pune 411004, >>>> Tel 020- 25652970, Fax 020-25651542 >>>> Mobile: 9881153413 >>>> माधव गाडगीळ, >>>> आघारकर संशोधन संस्था, आगरकर रस्ता, पुणे ४११००४ >>>> ए-१८, स्प्रिंगफ़्लॉवर्स, पंचवटी, पाषाण, पुणे ४११००८, >>>> निसर्गाने दिला आनंदकंद । केवळ सौंदर्य, केवळ आनंद। >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> With regards, >>>> J.M.Garg ([email protected]) >>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 >>>> 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' >>>> Image Resource of thousands of my images of Birds, Butterflies, Flora >>>> etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): >>>> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg >>>> For learning about Indian Flora, visit/ join Google e-group- >>>> Indiantreepix:http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> With regards, >>> J.M.Garg ([email protected]) >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 >>> 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' >>> Image Resource of thousands of my images of Birds, Butterflies, Flora >>> etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): >>> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg >>> For learning about Indian Flora, visit/ join Google e-group- >>> Indiantreepix:http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> With regards, >> J.M.Garg ([email protected]) >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 >> 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' >> Image Resource of thousands of my images of Birds, Butterflies, Flora etc. >> (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): >> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg >> For learning about Indian Flora, visit/ join Google e-group- >> Indiantreepix:http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en >> >> I strongly feel that the vast information lying in hard covers of BSI/ZSI > journals, publications, Fascicles of Flora of India, Flora of India volumes, > has to come out on the internet so that we may not fend for information and > identification, the Efloras of Pakistan, China, North America, etc. There is > need for compilation of this information, and I feel there are numerous > experts even outside BSI and ZSI who can collaborate. Our Eflora could be > much more meaningful with links to authentic identified photographs of > plants from India. We have huge databases of photographs on Indiantreepix, > Flowers of India and several similar privately managed sites, which can be > requested to collaborate and share their data. > For ongoing research on Indian plants it is imperative have have our > herbarium specimens (at least representative ones) and type specimens are > scanned/photographed and uploaded as virtual herbarium in lines of > Fairchild virtual herbarium, Kew virtual herbarium, Australian Virtual > herbarium and Virtual herbarium of New York Botanical Garden. > We have to open up if Indian research has to progress > > > -- > Dr. Gurcharan Singh > Associate Professor, Department of Botany, SGTB Khalsa College > University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 > Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018 > Phone: 011025518297; Mobile: 9810359089 > http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. 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