State Forest Minister Dinesh Aggarwal flagged off a 30-member Nanda Devi decadal expedition team to the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve here on Wednesday. The expedition team comprising Forest department officials and scientists will trek in the Nanda Devi landscape for 24 days while studying the status of biodiversity and wildlife in this protected area before submitting its report to the Government of India.
Rich in its unique flora and fauna, the NDBR region also includes the world heritage site valley of flowers among other unique aspects of environmental wealth. Every 10 years, a team of scientists and officials undertake an expedition here to ascertain the status of environment here.
The expedition team this year comprises 30 scientists and officials along with 40 porters. The expedition will spend about 24 days in the region visiting various areas of NDBR, learning of its geographical features, biodiversity and status of wildlife.
The team also includes scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India and GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology. The core area of the national park in the biosphere reserve has been closed to the public for about 30 years now in order to protect its fragile environment from negative impacts of human activity.