Online mapping of Surat’s flora-fauna starts

Surat: For the first time, environmentalists and enthusiasts have started an online biodiversity mapping project to conserve the natural heritage of the city. They will be detailing the species of plants, animals, insects, birds and flora and fauna in and around the Diamond City.
The biodiversity mapping has been started jointly by the city-based NGO, Wilderness India and the Ahmedabad-based Paryavaran Santri Trust for preparing a visual resource of the city’s biodiversity and natural heritage.
Surat, the city of diamonds and textiles, is inhabited by the dwellers known for their happy go lucky community living and food frenzy nature. Apart from this, the city is blessed with rich biodiversity and fascinating landscape thriving on the banks of Tapi river that creates estuary due to proximity to the Arabian Sea.
The team from Surat and Ahmedabad have taken up the campaign for conservation of local biodiversity, which essentially is the sum of all the different species of animals, plants, fungi and microbial organisms and the variety of habitats in which they live.
Viral Prajapati of Wilderness India told TOI, “The idea for biodiversity mapping of Surat clicked us during the lockdown. We want to engage the local citizen in biodiversity conservation and highlight the benefits and the often hidden values imparted by natural diversity for the larger human welfare.”
Prajapati added, “The project will help in documentation of flora and fauna and understand changes in biodiversity, adaptation by animals and birds as well as conservation practices.”
Those participating in the online mapping process will be honoured with e-certificates. The nature lovers will have to drop a message on a dedicated number for getting the online forms to fill up their observations regarding the flora and fauna in their surroundings.
“We will collate the observations submitted by the enthusiasts and will prepare a biodiversity map, ” said Prajapati.