IUCN Red List Assessor Training Workshop Begins at Botanical Survey of India in Howrah
By Antara Tripathy | IBG NEWS
Howrah, July 8, 2026: The Botanical Survey of India (BSI) on Wednesday inaugurated the fourth batch of the IUCN Red List Assessor Training Workshop at the Central National Herbarium (CNH), Howrah, marking another significant step towards strengthening India’s scientific capacity in biodiversity conservation.
The four-day workshop, being held from July 8 to July 11, 2026, is designed to equip scientists and researchers with the knowledge and skills required to assess plant and animal species under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, one of the world’s most authoritative systems for evaluating the conservation status of biodiversity.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Dr. Kanad Das, Director of the Botanical Survey of India; Dr. Dhriti Banerjee, Director of the Zoological Survey of India; Dr. Rahul Kaul, Director of the Centre for Species Survival (CSS) India at the Wildlife Trust of India; Dr. Aparna Watve of the Keystone Foundation; and Dr. Deepu Shivadas, Scientist at the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), who are serving as resource persons for the training programme.
As a symbolic commitment to conserving threatened species, the dignitaries jointly watered a sapling of Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), one of India’s most valued and endangered tree species.
The inaugural session was coordinated by Dr. Dinesh Kumar Agrawala, Scientist-E and Head of Office, Industrial Section Indian Museum (ISIM), Botanical Survey of India, who also serves as the Nodal Officer of the IUCN Cell at BSI. Addressing the participants, he outlined the objectives of the workshop and highlighted the critical role of scientifically rigorous Red List assessments in biodiversity conservation, environmental policy formulation, and the sustainable management of India’s rich floral resources.
Around 40 participants, including scientists, forest officers, researchers, and research scholars from the Botanical Survey of India, Zoological Survey of India, the University of Calcutta, and several leading academic and research institutions from across the country, are taking part in the intensive training programme.
The inaugural programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Chaya Deori, Scientist-E, who acknowledged the support and contributions of the dignitaries, expert resource persons, participants, and organising team in ensuring the successful launch of the workshop.
The training workshop is expected to enhance India’s expertise in Red List assessments and contribute significantly to evidence-based conservation strategies for protecting the country’s rich biodiversity.
