Arunachal Pradesh Governor K T Parnaik on Thursday stressed the need to integrate traditional knowledge with scientific research to strengthen biodiversity conservation in the state.
Parnaik made the remark when State Biodiversity Board Chairman Hawa Bagang called on him at Lok Bhavan here, an official communique said.
The state’s indigenous communities possess generations of wisdom about forests, medicinal plants, wildlife, sacred groves and sustainable resource use, he said.
The governor advised the Board to systematically document, preserve and promote this invaluable heritage in collaboration with local knowledge holders, ensuring that indigenous wisdom complements modern scientific approaches to safeguarding the state’s rich flora and fauna.
He also stressed the need to address challenges such as habitat loss, climate change, unsustainable resource exploitation and the erosion of traditional knowledge through active community participation, stronger Biodiversity Management Committees and effective People’s Biodiversity Registers.
Emphasising the role of youth, students, researchers and village institutions in conservation initiatives, Parnaik urged the Board to expand community-based conservation initiatives and promote sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The governor called for transforming biodiversity conservation into a people’s movement, urging Bagang to inspire citizens, particularly the younger generation, to learn from village elders, revive sustainable traditional practices and take pride in the state’s extraordinary ecological wealth.
Development and conservation must progress hand in hand, ensuring that Arunachal Pradesh’s invaluable natural heritage is protected and passed on to future generations healthier, richer and more resilient, he said.
The governor asked Bagang to take concrete initiatives to strengthen biodiversity conservation in the state.
Earlier, Bagang briefed the governor on key initiatives to conserve biodiversity, protect biological resources and promote their sustainable use.
-PTI
