Announcement: National Biodiversity Information Management Workshop

Hosts: SANBI in collaboration with DEAT and SAEON
Venue: Burgers Park Hotel, Minnaar Street, Pretoria
Date: 6 - 7 November 2007

The National Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004) mandates the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) to effectively collect, collate, coordinate and disseminate biodiversity information. To achieve this mandate, SANBI needs to develop relevant partnerships, policy, technological infrastructure and capacity to facilitate access to information on biological diversity.

To address this challenge strategically, SANBI has developed a Knowledge and Information Management Strategy to proactively ensure that biodiversity information is effectively managed. This will be achieved through the development of appropriate technological systems, policy and dissemination tools to inform users about the opportunities and constraints of using the systems and data. Furthermore, the strategy will enhance learning networks across the user community.

A major challenge for SANBI is to ensure that, as the custodian of vast data collections, it creates synergy between its partners to prevent duplication, gaps or defects in data management.

Purpose of the workshop

The purpose of the workshop is to identify how best to harmonise biodiversity information management between SANBI and its partners in support of relevant research, decision-making and policy advice.

This is a central theme to many organisations and projects, such as the South African Biodiversity Information Facility (an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology implemented by SANBI).

Expected outcomes

The expected outcomes of the workshop will be:

To identify current challenges in managing biodiversity data
To identify various user communities
To identify available information, tools and systems
To establish the need for a Biodiversity Information Management Forum to address the identified challenges
To initiate a biodiversity information management community of practice

Thematic issues to be addressed at the workshop

Biodiversity information for local government decision-making
Policy and standards
Macro systems architecture
Data ownership and custodianship
Capacity

Workshop format

A two-day workshop.

Interactive sessions are also planned whereby participants can demonstrate applications, databases or display posters.

Workshop limitation

The workshop will be limited to 40 participants.

Cost

There is no registration cost. Participants must cover their own travel and accommodation expenses.

Workshop programme

A workshop programme and registration instructions will be made available with the second announcement.

For more information contact Selwyn Willoughby at willoughby@sanbi.org, 021 – 799 8695 or Reuben Roberts at roberts@sanbi.org, 021 – 799 8699, or visit www.infoforum.org.za