• Stakeholder Assessment – mapping the interests and relationships of relevant stakeholders in targeted SEE economies. This activity is linked to the role and functions, professional knowledge and experiences in biodiversity data collection and analysis, verification and validation, and reporting;



Regional Assessment of Biodiversity Information Management and Reporting Baseline For South-East Europe   PDF

• Policy Set-up Assessment – focusing on the national legislative framework, instruments and tools at each stakeholder’s home institution regarding BIMR;


• Information System Set-up Assessment – addressing ongoing initiatives related to the Biodiversity Information System, data collection, data processing and analysis, data provision and data use, information system financial and staff capacity.



National Assessment of Biodiversity Information Management and Reporting Baseline For Bosnia and Herzegovina    PDF

2. BIMR Regional Guidelines:

• These guidelines were written for the purposes of biodiversity data management and reporting by the relevant governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. Guidelines have been prepared in order to be generally applicable for all SEE economies. The main focus is on Biodiversity Information System components, taxonomic databases and species catalogues, biodiversity data standards (TDWG, Darwin Core), structured and standardised forms for biodiversity data collection, recommendations and prerequisites for Natura 2000, compliance with the EU INSPIRE Directive, data usage and authorship rights including the Croatian example, national legislation concerning BIMR, georeferencing and gender mainstreaming in line with EU directives and CBD international standards.



Biodiversity Information Management and Reporting Guidelines for South-East Europe    PDF

3. Recommendation Paper on Enhancing the BIMR in SEE region

• aimed to provide short to mid-term recommendations in terms of further EU integration reforms (e.g. Chapter 27 – particularly legislation, nature protection) by relevant ministries of environment and other relevant decision makers in the field of environment/nature conservation.



Recommendation Paper on Enhancing the BIMR in SEE region    PDF

4. GIS training “Data processing and handling techniques for the purposes of efficient biodiversity data management and reporting” (September 2017)

• was organised for representatives from relevant environmental protection agencies/institutes for nature conservation and other institutions responsible for the biodiversity information systems in the SEE region.

5. Development of List of Selected Endemic Terrestrial Plant and Animal Taxa of SEE

• List of Endemic Taxa of SEE - database on endemic species represented in the area of SEE. At the moment, the list includes endemic species from several groups of terrestrial organisms: vascular plants, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and beetles (Coleoptera). Information about species include currently accepted name, its systematic affiliation (family level), and info about first record: locus classicus, original author, original name, date and reference. Other data include author(s) of the accepted name, reference in which the name was accepted, and global distribution of taxon. Whenever possible, classic locality was georeferenced. Geopolitically, data cover SEE region.



Brochure about endemism in South-East Europe

6. The First Biodiversity Data Mobilization Workshop

• focus was on technical aspects of data transmission and management – in particular digitalization, management and online publishing in line with GBIF standards. The workshop was organized for biodiversity data collectors/integrators/providers from environmental protection agencies/institutes for nature conservation/institutes for protected areas, environmental funds, universities (biodiversity professors/assistants), natural history museums (curators, museum collectors) and NGOs from the SEE region.

7. Fundamental database of Information System for Nature Conservation in Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

• This activity aims to set up a regionally unified national biodiversity database structure, use software tools based on a defined database structure (REST WEB services - specification and partial implementation, sufficient to support WEB site developed in this activity and WEB site(s)) and to provide recommendation priorities for further development of biodiversity database and applications. The website(s) cover:
  • Standard Data Form – SDF for Natura 2000 including reporting data requirements for Macedonia, and
  • List of Endemic Taxa of SEE for Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  The regional approach in the design of the IT solution will facilitate creating a common platform for regional sharing of biodiversity data, knowledge and experience, considering the technical and organizational/ administrative differences that exist between the countries. The biodiversity database structure is based on Darwin Core, international standard with a glossary of terms used for sharing of biodiversity information. Direct beneficiaries of this activity are:
  • Environmental Protection Agency in Montenegro,
  • Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning in Macedonia,
  • Republic Institute for Protection of Cultural-Historical and Natural Heritage of the Republika Srpska,
  • Environmental Protection Fund of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.



Overview of the Fundamental Database for the Information System for Nature Conservation/Biodiversity in Southeast Europe (technical report)    PDF

Implementation of activities of BIMR 2 subproject in Bosnia and Herzegovina and SEE region:

1. Development of Protected Areas (PAs) moduls for FB&H and RS

• PAs modul represent geospatially enabled database with web applications on Protected Areas (PAs) for RS and FB&H. The information presented in the module were based on data from the relevant environment institutions from both entities. The beneficiaries of the Module are the Environmental Protection Fund of the FB&H and the Republic Institute for the Protection of the Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage of the RS.

2. Development of the geospatial functionality of ISNC

• Spatial data infrastructure was designed in accordance with EU INSPIRE Directive (accordance to PA's theme) and infrastructure of ISNC database, which was prepared to receive metadata according to the EU INSPIRE Directive standards.

3. Geospatial functionality and taxonomic component

• „Pilot module“ represent list of the 100 species from different groups of organisms, designed to present the geospatial (GIS) and taxonomic functionality of ISZP in both entities. This module serves as an example of the future look of taxonomic-distributive modules of ISZP (eg. module of vascular flora, reptile, bird, etc.).

4. Introduction of the international standards for biodiversity information sharing (Darwin Core)

• Improving ISNC using international standards in the field of biodiversity data exchange, in order to facilitate process of information sharing and reporting.

5. Project “Flora Srpske”

• Development of the geospatial functionality of the „Flora Srpske“ (http://florasrpske.rs.ba/) project, that was implemented by the Faculty of Forestry, University of Banja Luka. GIS database of the Republika Srpska flora is available on ISNC RS, as a separate modul. Project was partially funded by Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society of the Republika Srpska.

6. Training for the interface utilisation Administrator

• Several training were held for technical staff in relevant institutions (Institute and Fund). Administrator interface of database modules enable adding, editing and deleting of any type of data inserted into ISNCs.

7. Policy paper document

• This document represents a strategic plan for the implementation of activities in the field of BIMR in the region (SEE economy) for the period 2020-2025.



Biodiversity information management and reporting (BIMR) policy paper   PDF