Kolkata, July 18, 2025 — In a significant step toward strengthening environmental education, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, hosted a national-level workshop aimed at empowering teachers with the tools and knowledge necessary for biodiversity conservation. The event, held at ZSI’s headquarters in Kolkata, brought together educators, researchers, and conservationists from across the country.
The workshop focused on enhancing pedagogical approaches to biodiversity awareness, equipping teachers with scientific resources, field-based learning modules, and access to ZSI’s extensive faunal archives. Sessions included expert-led lectures on species documentation, conservation strategies, and the role of taxonomy in ecological education.
Dr. Dhriti Banerjee, Director of ZSI, inaugurated the workshop with a keynote address emphasizing the critical role educators play in shaping future conservationists. “Teachers are the first ambassadors of biodiversity awareness. By empowering them, we ensure that scientific knowledge reaches classrooms and communities alike,” she stated.
Participants engaged in hands-on training, including specimen identification, biodiversity mapping, and the use of digital tools for ecological documentation. The workshop also introduced updated teaching materials, including reprints of An Introduction to Taxonomy, a foundational text now being redistributed through a collaboration between ZSI and TCN Trust.
The initiative aligns with ZSI’s broader mission to decentralize biodiversity knowledge and foster grassroots-level conservation. As part of the program, educators received resource kits and certification, enabling them to integrate biodiversity modules into school curricula.
The workshop concluded with a panel discussion on the future of biodiversity education in India, highlighting the need for sustained collaboration between scientific institutions and academic communities. With growing environmental challenges, ZSI’s educator-focused outreach is seen as a timely and strategic move to build ecological literacy from the ground up.
