Global Biodiversity Information Facility – Ireland's National Node
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Global Biodiversity Information Facility – Ireland’s National Node Contents Chairman’s Statement ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Introduction to Strategic Objectives ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5 Strategic objective 1: Mobilising data ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6 Strategic objective 2: Tracking change ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10 Strategic objective 3: Informing decision-making ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Strategic objective 4: Develop strategic-partnerships ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18 Strategic objective 5: International collaboration .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................20 Strategic objective 6: Communicating .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Strategic objective 7: Strengthening the recorder base ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................24 Management Board ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................29 Staff & contract management ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................29 Financial Statement ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30 Recorders and partner organisations ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 The National Biodiversity Data Centre Beechfi eld House, WIT West Campus, Carriganore, Waterford. Tel. +353 51 306 240 Email: [email protected] Web: www.biodiversityireland.ie Lysaght, L. & Fitzpatrick, U. (2014) Annual Review 2013. National Biodiversity Data Centre, Waterford. The National Biodiversity Data Centre is an initiative of the Heritage Council and is operated under a service level agreement by Compass Informatics. The Centre is funded by the Department of the Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht and the Heritage Council. 3 Chairman’s Statement Scientifically sound and relevant data are now more than ever essential to unpin policy and actions to address the challenges we face to halt loss of our biodiversity and the habitats that support it. The RTÉ broadcast Our planet is under considerable environmental pressures especially with respect to climate change, pollution and degradation of wildlife habitat, and with these the on Bioblitz 2013 potential loss of ecosystem goods and services provided by biological resources. We are just beginning to fully appreciate that our survival as a species is interlinked contributed greatly to with the health of the planet’s ecosystems and that the goods and services they provide make a signifi cant contribution to national and global economies, albeit public awareness of diffi cult to put a true monetary value of them. The annual contribution of biological Ireland’s biodiversity diversity to the Irish Economy is estimated to be at least ¤2.6 billion. Scientifi cally sound and relevant data are now more than ever essential to unpin policy and and efforts to record actions to address the challenges we face to halt loss of our biodiversity and the habitats that support it. it. Central to the Data In the light of these challenges the National Biodiversity Data Centre in 2013 set Centre’s success are the out an ambitious strategic plan for its new fi ve year term having consulted widely with a variety of sectors to take on board their data and information needs. Seven recorders who collect key objectives have been defi ned and the Data Centre will annually review its activities under each of these objectives. This publication is the fi rst of a new data in their own time reporting format and highlights some of the activities and achievement under each and most often at their objective. own expense. While data acquisition and display remain a core activity of the Data Centre the strategic objectives place an emphasis on the collection of data relevant to tracking changes in species and their habitat and that these data are also analysed, interpreted and communicated to inform policy and decision making. For example maps or reports of protected or threatened species can be produced at regional or national scale to identify priorities for strategic planning. The data have also been used to publish the fi rst report that documents overall trends in the introduction of invasive species into Ireland. Invasive species can lead to biodiversity loss and the work of the Data Centre contributes greatly to the information base needed to mitigate the threat they pose. The data are not just for national use but are made available to international initiatives such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility which provides a resource for use in biodiversity research and to inform decision making at an international level. The Data Centre has also set an objective to communicate the work it is doing and key fi nding to a wide audience. Public awareness is particularly important and has the potential to infl uence policy and ultimately improve efforts to conserve biodiversity. The RTÉ broadcast on Bioblitz 2013 contributed greatly to public awareness of Ireland’s biodiversity and efforts to record it. Central to the Data Centre’s success are the recorders who collect data in their own time and most often at their own expense. I would like to thank them for their truly invaluable contribution. The Data Centre aims to strengthen the recorder base and upskill citizen science. In 2013 it continued its successful schedule of training workshops, 23 in total, for both beginners and advanced recorders. The Data Centre also engaged with University College Dublin in 2013 to launch the fi rst university certifi cate course in biological identifi cation and recording aimed mainly at training members of the general public. When you read through this report you will get a sense of the breath and strategic importance of the projects set out under each objective. I would like to thank the Director and staff of the Data Centre for their continued dedication, hard work and achievements in 2013, and the management board for their input into development of the strategic objectives and work programme. Dr. Mary Kelly-Quinn Chair 4 Introduction The National Biodiversity Data Centre is a national organisation for the collection, collation, management, analysis and dissemination of data on Ireland’s biological diversity. It was established