Dear all, I agree with the Dr Singh ji's view. Also, their has to be some mechanism to get in touch with experts from BSI so that we can share our experiences on flora of a particular region with them and it might turned out to be totally new finding. Many of us are frequently visiting various remote locations and information gathered on flora from these areas might turned out to be of some use to BSI. Some mechanism where by individuals / group can interact with BSI should be available. Already database like those of "Flowers of India" , "IndianTreePix" has come long way (Thanks to initiave by Mr Tabish Ji, Mr Garg Ji) as more and more enthusiastics from various field (Botanists, Nature lovers, Trekkers etc..) has contributed in some way or other. Thnaks & best wishes Prashant
On 9/19/09, 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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