With an idea to get more young Bengalureans to observe and cherish the environment, Citizen Matters, Bengaluru is running a contest ‘Biodiversity in my Backyard’ for students from classes 9 to 12 in the city. In partnership with Mongabay India, an environment and conservation magazine, the contest aims at increasing the awareness of the city’s biodiversity and the importance of safeguarding it among students. Children can participate by submitting their entries as a written essay or a photograph for social media, as per their interest. The contest is open for entries till August 15.
With a theme of ‘observe, describe and share your biodiversity story’, interested participants are free to document their observations in a garden, balcony, house, or any nearby spot. The contest includes two categories. In the first one, a report with around 600-800 words is expected along with an optional photo(s) submission. The second category involves an Instagram post having a series of photographs or videos with an explanatory caption and tagged with #
The ongoing contest is part of a project on ‘Bengaluru’s Ecosystems and Biodiversity’, which is a series exploring the city’s ecosystems and biodiversity, and how these interact with citizens’ lives and livelihoods. Funded by the Bengaluru Sustainability Forum (BSF), the series has worked towards documenting the city’s biodiversity. A range of topics explored under the project include flora and fauna found in urban gardens and the many rare species across the city. It has also covered Bengaluru’s neglected water bodies that host many birds, insects, and animal species. Students interested in taking part in the contest can register here.