Biodiversity uncovered
JNCC's David Ingram looks to the future benefits of improved
access to biodiversity information
| http://www.searchnbn.net/ is
an internet gateway through which you can find and use UK species
and habitat distribution data, owned and managed by participants in
the National Biodiversity Network (NBN). It also links to
additional information about species and habitats published on
other websites. The number of participant organisations, and the
content available, is growing rapidly. |
Information about wildlife at around a million locations
throughout the UK can now be retrieved within seconds. This should
help us all to take account of biodiversity in the way we use and
manage our natural resources, and shape policies for the
future.
On the 8 June 2004 the NBN Trust held a celebratory event to
introduce the new NBN Gateway. In his keynote address, Ben Bradshaw
MP, Minister for nature conservation and fisheries, said:
"Government recognises that, if we want to ensure the quality of
life for this generation and generations to come, we need to
protect our wildlife and habitats. Government is showing its
commitment through support for the implementation of the UK
Biodiversity Action Plan and the creation and funding of
agri-environment schemes.
"This new information 'Gateway' created by NBN Trust is a
very important part of this process. It will help to ensure easy
access to the best information about our wild plants and animals,
so that all our actions can be more effective. I congratulate the
NBN Trust on its work, which will benefit
everyone."
Already available are 15 million observations of flowering
plants, butterflies, birds, dragonflies, mosses, and many other
species, the result of survey work by thousands of expert
volunteer naturalists, and survey teams from public bodies and
Non-Government Organisations. JNCC, in partnership with the Centre
for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), undertook the complex technical
development to create the Gateway. Lawrence Way, JNCC Information
Manager, noted: "This is more than just another website. Many
technical innovations have made the most of online database and
Geographical Information Systems technology, and provide a modern
solution that delivers benefits of access to data across the
public, voluntary and private sectors".
Defra support has been instrumental in the success of the
Gateway; the NBN being a response to the challenge of improved
access to data set out in the Biodiversity Action Plan for the
UK.
Speaking at the launch Professor David Ingram, then Acting JNCC
Chairman, said: "A key feature of the NBN Gateway is that it can be
used locally, nationally and internationally in the sharing of
public and confidential data about biodiversity among a range of
agencies and users. This attribute not only fits perfectly with the
Government's desire to promote joined-up thinking about the
environment, but is also in accord with the public sector agenda of
freedom of information."
JNCC's own data is available through the mechanism, including
recent seabird surveys. We are also using it to support our own
work: plant data now available through the Gateway is helping
to inform options for meeting the UK's Ramsar Convention
obligations.