National network for biodiversity data exchange (2018-2020)

The full name of this two-year project is “National network on biodiversity data exchange for improved Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) management”. It is funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF).

The project is based on the success of a previous project, led by PCA members, on Seychelles’ Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). At that time a considerable amount of biodiversity data was collected, including many species discoveries and an extensive collection of images (www.seychellesplantgallery.com).

Another key aspect of the KBA study’s success was the collaboration between various institutions and NGOs of Seychelles.

Our new project aims at giving the KBA studies a new ‘kick’. What we want to achieve is:

1. Have the KBA database available online to members of the scientific community (= "Biodiversity Holistic Database").
2. Create a KBA National network (="Bio-Network") and give members the possibility to enter new data in a standard way and with a powerful, user-friendly tool.
3. Allow anybody to contribute observations and photos (via iNaturalist - www.inaturalist.org/projects/seychelles-bio-gallery). They will benefit from the galleries of images and the local pool of experts, and help build up species knowledge and identification capacities.
4. Enlarge the KBA database and the image gallery to integrate data collection at the ecosystem level (not only species level).
5. Enlarge further the KBA database and improve the quality of the data ('Bio Data') for KBA species of plants within the Bio Holistic Database, and review their preliminary IUCN threat categories.
6. The development of these tools is mostly aimed at generating more synergies between the different actors of the Seychelles scientific and conservationist community. We believe that this tool will encourage the production of joint studies, publications and projects for ongoing biodiversity data conservation and conservation actions.

Training opportunities in July/August 2019:

This training has been completed but if you are interested in any of the following modules, get in touch (details below) as there could be other opportunities in the future.

There were SIX training modules:

1. Plant identification (for environmental NGOs & government organisations)
2. Biological photography (as above but for a wider group of people)
3. iNaturalist as a tool for citizen science (a wider audience, including amateurs)
4. GPS navigation and smartphone GIS (specialised members of NGOs etc)
5. KBA surveys using professional tools (specialised audience including EIA consultants)
6. Bio-Holistic Database us and management (as for Module 5 above)

For further details please contact either PCA Secretary (pca.seychelles@gmail.com) or Herbarium Curator (charles6422@gmail.com)