Mumbai: Amid a campaign by Mumbaito retain its green cover — through activism and at times with government help — a nature conservation organisation has ringed over a million birds in India, officials said, resulting in more than 3,000 recoveries from 29 countries spanning five countries.

Meanwhile, to mark 134 years in nature conservation by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday visited the centre to release a much researched Indian Bird Migration Atlas.

The Atlas, by Dr S. Balchandra, Tuhina Katti and Dr Ranjit Manakadan, details the origins, migration routes as well as stopovers and wintering sites of birds migrating in and outside the Indian sub-continent.

It also includes discussions on the finds of satellite-tracking and geolocator-tagging studies on ‘Indian Birds’ undertaken by BNHS and other organisations in recent times.

Interacting with BNHS members and senior scientists, Fadnavis appreciated the extensive work in the field of biodiversity conservation and environmental awareness done by it from its Conservation Education Centre (CEC).

He assured the government would soon renew the CEC lease at the rate suitable for non-profit activity.

He extended support to BNHS in its efforts to digitise its irreplaceable collections to ensure easy accessibility for the public.

The 14-hectare plot in Goregaon houses BNHS’s centre, which provides nature education activities for the public spanning all age groups.

On an average, 20,000 visitors come to CEC — most of them schoolchildren.

Interest in birdlife has been growing in leaps and bounds, as is evident from the thousands of Mumbaikars flocking to Sewri when flamingoes arrive during the season as well as taking part in the annual bird count.

The highly informative Atlas could also find an audience among avid birdwatchers.

It is a monumental body of scientific work and captures bird migration data spanning nine decades.

BNHS has been engaged in bird ringing studies since 1927 with more than a million birds ringed in various parts of the country.

All of these studies were undertaken with continuous support and cooperation from the State Forest Departments.