Kolkata: The rich yet largely undocumented landscapes of Garhpanchokot in Purulia will become the centre of a unique biodiversity documentation initiative as Naturemates Nature Club hosts the 3rd Biodiversity Meet from Sept 11 to Sept 13. The event aims to bring together naturalists, researchers and local communities to identify, document and celebrate the region’s remarkable biodiversity while promoting sustainable, community-based ecotourism.Set against the backdrop of Purulia’s forests, hills and wetlands, the meet will focus on recording birds, butterflies, reptiles, insects and other wildlife that have received little scientific documentation despite the area’s ecological richness. Guided field surveys will be led by renowned naturalists and researchers Vijay Barve, Arjan Basu Roy and Sarika Baidya, along with experts from Naturemates Nature Club. Participants will learn scientific methods of identifying and documenting species through hands-on fieldwork, interactive knowledge-sharing sessions and expert-led discussions.A defining feature of the programme is the active involvement of locals, who will serve as ecosystem guides, leading participants to biodiversity hotspots in and around Garhpanchokot. Their intimate understanding of the landscape, wildlife habitats and seasonal changes will complement the scientific expertise of the visiting researchers, creating a collaborative model that combines traditional ecological knowledge with modern biodiversity documentation.The documentation generated during the meet will contribute to global and national biodiversity databases, with species records being uploaded to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and eBird, ensuring that observations from this underexplored region become part of internationally accessible scientific records. Participants will also receive certificates recognising their contribution to citizen science and biodiversity conservation.The organisers believe that the long-term conservation of Purulia’s wildlife — from birds and butterflies to jackals, foxes, hyenas, bees and countless lesser-known species — depends on the active participation of local communities. By empowering residents as ecotourism guides and conservation partners, the Biodiversity Meet seeks to create new livelihood opportunities while fostering greater appreciation and protection of one of Bengal’s least documented natural landscapes.
