Certificate Course in Key Biodiversity Area Identification and Monitoring
India, being the second most populous country in the world, is bestowed with a large working population and can take advantage of this demographic dividend. However, high drop-out rates from school, coupled with poor vocational skills, hinder the process of reaping this dividend. Between demand and supply, there exists a gap of skill sets, both cognitive and practical, at various levels in the environment/forest sectors in India.
Green skills are crucial for making a transition from a conventional energy-using and emissions-intensive economy to cleaner and greener production and service patterns. Green skills prepare people for sustainable jobs that contribute to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment, simultaneously improving social equity and enhancing the overall quality of life. Realizing the demand for green-skilled youth, the Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) was conceptualized and developed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India.
BNHS ENVIS Resource Partner on Avian Ecology, established under the Environmental Information System (ENVIS) programme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in 1996, is organizing a twenty days training programme on “Certificate Course in Key Biodiversity Area Identification and Monitoring” in Maharashtra.
Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) has been conceived as a new global standard to identify areas crucial for biodiversity taxa including both flora and fauna. The KBA criteria is based on the Important Bird Area (IBA) concept and it is expected that India will evaluate its KBAs once every 8–12 years.
BNHS has played a major role in identifying Important Birds Areas (IBAs) in the country and has published two books on IBAs of India in 2004 and 2016, respectively. All IBAs in India are effectively KBAs and currently, there are 554 KBAs in the country. However, the KBA criteria focuses not only on birds but all other taxa and underlines the need to identify important sites for the persistence of all species in the country; hence, the number of KBAs is bound to increase with time. These sites may be outside existing Protected Areas and may require community conservation approach if they have to be protected.
Keeping in mind the human power needed to skilfully identify and monitor KBAs, BNHS-ENVIS has designed this technical training course for the youth in rural areas where local communities depend heavily on natural bio-resources. The principal objective of this course is to make students aware of the science behind KBAs and impart them with skills in monitoring and identifying sites. This course will provide the participants with:
>> Basics of nature-based tourism. It will be relevant for anyone wanting to get into hospitality industry, work as nature guide, naturalist or run a homestay.
>> Knowledge of KBAs for making People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBR). It will be useful for any individual who is interested in the statutory provision of PBR.
>> Knowledge of law, policy and MEAs. These informations of law and policy and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) will be given in a simple, effective way and will enhance existing skills of participants.
>> Skills for rapid surveys, transects and species lists which will be useful for NGOs, forest guards and naturalists.
>> Using KBAs to educate about Nature – this module will help anyone looking for communicating about Nature, the importance of species and sites, and interpreting Nature
At the end of this training the participant will be able to pass on the basics of KBA identification to others.
Qualification: Anyone residing in India, graduate (dropouts in special cases will be considered) and unemployed. The candidate must be good in reading, writing, and speaking in English/Hindi. Drop-outs may also be considered for the training programme, subject to clearing the interview. Preference and relaxation in qualification will be given to tribal candidates who stay near eco-tourism destinations or whose livelihood has been affected by sanctuaries.
Course Fees: This course is free of cost, and includes accommodation, food and local travel.
Course duration: 20 Days
Training location: The training course will be conducted in Maharashtra. The venue of this course will be informed to the selected course participants via email/text message.
Course training language: English/Hindi.
Selection criteria: Interview
Candidates must upload their resumes on the online GSDP Portal. The link is given below:
http://www.gsdp-envis.gov.in/Default3.aspx
Please note that the last date to submit resumes on the GSDP portal is December 20, 2019.
Total number of seats available: 20
For details contact us at: Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Hornbill House, Dr. Salim Ali Chowk, Opp. Lion Gate, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road, Mumbai 400 001, Maharashtra Landline: 022-22821811 Email id: envis@bnhs.org
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1) What is the name of this course?
Certificate Course on Key Biodiversity Area Identification and Monitoring.
Q2) Who is conducting this course?
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) is conducting this course as per the norms of the Green Skill Development Programme under the ENVIS centre of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), New Delhi.
Q3) Who will be the trainers for this course?
BNHS’s experts will conduct this course. Experts from other institutes/organizations will be invited for specific sessions, whenever required.
Q4) Is this Government course or a private course of the BNHS?
The course has been developed by the technical team of BNHS and has been approved by the ENVIS, under MoEF&CC, New Delhi.
Q5) Where will this course be conducted?
The announced training course will be conducted in Maharashtra. The venue of this course will be informed to the selected course participants via email/message.
Q6) What is the duration of the course?
This is a 20 days residential course.
Q7) Who can participate in this course?
Any person who is passionate and enthusiastic about nature and is interested in working for sustainable development based on biodiversity and related factors can enrol for this course.
Q8) Can any interested organization or NGO send their representative for this course?
Yes, any organization working in the biodiversity conservation sector can send its representative(s) and/or may also recommend individuals for this course. The organization will need to provide details of such candidate(s) and a contact number. Telephonic interview will be conducted for such candidates too.
Q9) What are minimum criteria for attending this course?
Anyone residing in India, graduate (dropouts will be considered in special cases) and unemployed. The candidate must be good in reading, writing, and speaking in English/Hindi. Drop-outs may also be considered for the training programme, subject to clearing the interview. Preference and relaxation in qualification will be given to tribal candidates who stay near eco-tourism destinations or whose livelihood has been affected by sanctuaries.
Q10) What is the procedure for selection of candidates?
Selection of candidates will be on ‘First come first served basis’, followed by telephonic interviews. Interested candidates can apply via the following GSDP link: http://www.gsdp-envis.gov.in/Default3.aspx. [In case of any query kindly contact at: Landline: - 022-22821811; Email id: - envis@bnhs.org ]
Q11) What will be selection criteria for the candidate?
The candidate should be able to read, write, and talk fluently in either English or Hindi.
Q12) How many seats are available for this course?
Currently 20 seats are available.
Q13) What is the last date to apply and how will the selection be communicated?
The last date for application is December 20, 2019; a confirmation of participation will be sent after the telephonic interview.
Q14) What is the course fee and other expenses?
There is no course fee. All other expenses like lodging, boarding, food and local travel of participants during the training period will be borne by the BNHS-ENVIS.
Q15) Will there be any other expenses during course period (other than what is mentioned above)?
No, there will be no additional expenses for the course.
Q16) Is this training course supported with practical sessions?
All the training modules of the course are supported with practical sessions. During the course period, the participants will visit KBA-declared areas.
Q17) How many hours of training will the course include per day?
The classroom training will be up to 8 hours per day and field training may extend about one to two hours.
Q18) What type of course material will be provided to the participants?
The course material will be prepared by the technical team of BNHS and will be provided to all participants along with a notebook, pen and cap. All course material will be in English.
Q19) What is the participant expected to bring with him/her for the course?
The participant should bring enough clothing and personal items for the course period. A government photo identity proof like Aadhar / Election Card, etc. A temporary I-Card will be issued to each participant on at the time of registration. Participant will have to submit medical fitness certificate. BNHS will not be responsible for any accidents happening during the course.
Q20) After confirmation for the course, what will be my travel arrangement?
Once the selection is communicated by the BNHS-ENVIS team, the candidate should make his/her own arrangements to reach the venue. Candidates will be reimbursed for travel by the minimum distance route for non-AC bus / 2nd class sleeper by train.
Q21) Can the candidate leave the course in between or take a holiday during the course work?
There is no option for leave during the course period, except in case of medical emergency or any other unforeseen circumstances. Participation certificates will be issued only to those candidates who complete the course.
Q22) Who is the contact person for this course and his contact details?
Mr. Nandkishor Dudhe, Programme Officer, ENVIS-BNHS, Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, Dr. Salim Ali Chowk, Opp. Lion Gate, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road, Mumbai 400 001. Landline: - 022-22821811 Email id: - envis@bnhs.org Website: - www.bnhs.org
Q23) What are main modules of this course?
Introduction to Key Biodiversity Areas, Introduction to Monitoring sites, Basics of Evaluating KBAs, Protected Areas of India, Threats to KBAs , KBAs and tourism, Equipment basics, KBAs and People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBR), KBAs and management of landscape, Basics of IT skills, Coastal and wetland conservation.
Q24) What are the job opportunities once I complete this course?
A successful candidate can work for Grid Based Decision Support System (GRIDSS)/ Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)/ Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)/ Wildlife Sanctuaries/ National Parks/ Protected Areas/ Bird Sanctuaries/ Wetland Sites/ State Biodiversity Boards/ Conservation Education Centre (CEC)/ Nature Information Centre (NIC)/ Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)/ Bird tourism/ Self-employment (Naturalist, Resource Person, etc).
Q25) At the end of the course, what type of certificate will be issued to participants?
Each successful candidate will get a certificate from the ENVIS, MoEF&CC, Government of India.