Forest Survey of India (FSI) and Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) sign MoU to strengthen geospatial tools for wildlife and forest conservation.

Key facts

• Forest Survey of India (FSI) and Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Saturday.
• The MoU aims to strengthen the use of geospatial technologies, remote sensing, and AI/ML-based tools in forest fire management, wildlife conservation, and decision support systems.
• The signing took place during the 90th meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) chaired by Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav in Dehradun.
• SC-NBWL is a statutory body constituted under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, and advises the government on conservation and protection of wildlife and forests.
• The committee considered proposals across sectors such as roads, drinking water supply, transmission lines, defense, irrigation, and other infrastructure.
• The committee noted the status of key national initiatives relating to species recovery, habitat management, and institutional strengthening.
• The committee deliberated on the dependence of nomadic and pastoral communities on Protected Areas and emphasized balanced approaches for conservation goals while considering traditional practices and socio-economic dependencies.