Biodiversity Indicators Program

The Biodiversity Indicators Program (BIP) supports the protection and recovery of focal species, key biodiversity areas, and hotspots.

The Program produces and facilitates access to biodiversity data, information products, and indicators that transform core data into conservation intelligence. Through data aggregation and visualizations, the BIP builds monitoring and reporting capacity across multiple partner scales, including sub-national entities, nation-states, and United Nations organizations.

In alignment with the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At its core, the Biodiversity Indicators Program improves the mainstreaming of biodiversity information by strengthening capacity, understanding, and communication of biodiversity-related targets established by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework through the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (Figure 1).

The Sustainable Development Goals can be grouped into 4 stacked Domains – Nature, Economy, Society and Means of Implementation - that build off one another, which further incorporate the Global Biodiversity Framework targets (T1-T23). The Nature Domain focuses on direct drivers of biodiversity loss, whereas the economy, society, and means of implementation domains focus on indirect drivers of biodiversity loss.

Figure 1. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets (T1-T23) are integrated across the Sustainable Development Goals. Modified from: Obura, David (2023). The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: Business as usual or a turning point? One Earth: 6 (2)

Program History

The Biodiversity Indicators Program originated at NatureServe, initially funded by a MacArthur Foundation grant to develop a dashboard visualizing biodiversity indicators. While NatureServe’s mission focuses on North America, the Warner College of Natural Resources within Colorado State University (CSU) has a global focus. The Biodiversity Indicators Program migrated to its new home at CSU in 2024 and remains in the NatureServe Network of Natural Heritage Programs through its placement within the Colorado Natural Heritage Program.

Evidence-based Biodiversity Indicators Dashboards

While the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) has made an extraordinary volume of species occurrence data available, many users still face challenges in applying appropriate quality control, filtering, and data preparation before those records can be used in spatial analysis or decision support. The 5th National Reports of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) show that only 20% of current indicators matched the CBD recommendations for utilizing national-level datasets (Bhatt et al. 2020). Leveraging nationally-generated indicators can improve stocktaking and tracking but presents challenges for interoperability and reporting to the global level.

To address this, the BIP focuses on consistent interpretation of biodiversity data at the local, national, and international scales by providing repeatable workflows aligning with the global CBD framework indicators. These workflows are applied to similar datasets to clean reference data, derive visualizations, and track changes over time.(Figure 2)

The BIP uses a custom, python-based ArcGIS toolbox that processes GBF occurrence datasets for visualization on interactive dashboards. The BIP ArcGIS GBIF Processing Toolbox addresses a critical gap between data access and data usability. This in-house capacity, developed in collaboration with NatureServe, allows the BIP to support partners in generating defensible, repeatable biodiversity datasets.

The data to decision workflow represents the steps required for transforming data into conservation intelligence. The workflow steps move from the definition of information needs to data discovery and exploration to integration through analyses and indicator development to interpretation and information usage through data visualization and decision support.

Figure 2. The Biodiversity Information Program supports the data-to-decision workflow aimed at transforming data into conservation intelligence. Modified from Kim et al. (2020). Essential Biodiversity Variables and Essential Ecosystem Services Variables for the Implementation of Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development Goals. EcoEvoRxix Preprint.

Sustainable Platforms for a Sustainable World

To meet KM-GBF Target 21 (Ensure That Knowledge Is Accessible to Guide Biodiversity Action), the BIP specializes in visualizing biodiversity data and indicators on interactive platforms.

The BIP receives datasets from partners on biological assets, human pressure and threats, ecosystem services, restoration opportunities, and invasive species. These data can then be used in decision-making, communication, and collaboration on conservation actions that achieve priority biodiversity outcomes. The BIP uses accessible and inclusive geospatial tools that ensures partners can maintain and evolve their BIP-developed platforms over time. Further, the Program implements in-person and virtual training to engage with the experts within the organizations hosting the platforms.

After development, partners can maintain and evolve the platforms (e.g., by updating or enhancing their datasets) to ensure long-term usability and to reflect advancements in data availability and interoperability.

The blueprint that guided the development of the Spatial Biodiversity Information System of The Bahamas illustrates how data is transformed to the end use for this platform,which includes data providers offering datasets which are incorporated to the system components for targeted end uses. — Figure 3: shows a flowchart linking end-use needs to available datasets from the development of the Spatial Biodiversity Information System (SBIS) of The Bahamas.

Where We Work

The Biodiversity Indicators Program supports national and regional uptake of biodiversity indicators, information products and spatial reference layers by partnering with intergovernmental entities around the world. Regional partnerships include the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (a consortium of 10 member states including Vietnam) and the Arctic Council (an intergovernmental forum of 8 Arctic states) and national partnerships include those within Ghana, Uganda, Namibia, South Korea and The Bahamas.

Global

IBCA

BIP is leading the development of the Big Cat Dashboard, a global platform that turns data on population trends, threats, connectivity, and protected area effectiveness into actionable insights for all seven big cat species. Hosted by the international Big Cat Alliance, it supports science-based decisions and global conservation commitments.
NBSAP Accelerator Partnership

BIP is a non-state actor partner in the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, a country-led initiative helping countries accelerate NBSAP implementation to achieve the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. BIP provides technical support, indicator development, reporting and monitoring, and data visualization.

Regional

Arctic CAFF (2020 – 2024)

BIP developed the Arctic Biodiversity Dashboard prototype with the Arctic Council and the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF). The Arctic Biodiversity Dashboard visualizes biodiversity data for the Arctic region (i.e., Canada, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States) to streamline tracking and reporting for the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program and CAFF assessments. This dashboard was funded by the Nordic Arctic Co-operation Program and is hosted by the Nordic Institute of Greenland.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (2020-2023)

BIP developed the ASEAN Biodiversity Dashboard with the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity. The ASEAN Biodiversity Dashboard visualizes trends and geographic variation in biodiversity indicators for the ASEAN region (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and to streamline tracking and reporting (e.g., preparing the ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook, tracking progress towards the Convention on Biological Diversity targets).

National

Ghana & Uganda (2020-2021)

BIP supported the Ghana and Uganda National Teams from the “Connect: mainstreaming biodiversity into the heart of government decision making” project to develop and visualize biodiversity information products related to agricultural impact, crop productivity, crop wild relatives, fisheries, and fragmentation. Funded by the Global Environment Facility.
Namibia (2023-2025)

BIP supported the Government of Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism and the University of Namibia to develop a reporting and monitoring framework that prioritizes, develops and visualizes biodiversity indicators (e.g. Red List Index, The proportion of populations within species with an effective population size > 500), and to create a Multilateral Environmental Agreement Tracking (MEA) Platform prototype. The MEA Tracking Platform tracks indicator progress across various policy frameworks and conventions (e.g. United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) for Namibia. Funded by the JRS Biodiversity Foundation.
South Korea (2024-2025)

BIP supported the Korean National Institute of Ecology in designing a National Indicator Reporting and Assessment System that streamlines target tracking, assessment, and reporting to support the Ministry of Environment’s revision of its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. These tools position the Institute to deliver and report on progress towards national targets under the KM-GBF. Our program also collaborated with NatureServe and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organization to support the development of biodiversity indicators (Protected Area Coverage of Key Biodiversity Areas, Red List of Ecosystems, Bioclimatic Ecosystem Resilience Index, Biodiversity Habitat Index) for South Korea. Funded by the National Institute of Environment, South Korea.
The Bahamas (2021-2025)

Our program worked with The Bahamas Department of Environmental Planning and Protection within the Ministry of Environment and Housing to develop the Spatial Biodiversity Information System of The Bahamas, discussed in detail above. The purpose of the SBIS is to support the indicator “Coverage of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures” by facilitating effective management of protected areas and adjacent land and seascapes. Funded by the Global Environment Facility project “Meeting the Challenge of 2020 in The Bahamas.”

Contact Us

Biodiversity Indicators Program Director: Vinamra Mathur

Literature Cited

Bhatt, Rashi., Gill, Michael J., Hamilton, Healy, Han, Xuemei, Linden, Ellie, Young, Bruce E. (2020) Uneven use of biodiversity indicators in 5th National Reports to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Environmental Conservation 47: 15–21. doi: 10.1017/S0376892919000365

Kim, HyeJin, Navarro, Laetitia, Balvanera, Patricia, Campbell, Jillian, Chaplin-Kramer, Rebecca, Child, Matthew, Ferrier, Simon, Geller, Gary, Gill, Mike, Krug, Cornelia, Millette, Katie L., Muller-Karger, Frank E., Pereira, Henrique (2020). Essential Biodiversity Variables and Essential Ecosystem Services Variables for the Implementation of Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development Goals. EcoEvoRxix Preprint.

Obura, David (2023). The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: Business as usual or a turning point? One Earth: 6 (2)

Landownership	Area (km2)	Percent (%)
Private	63,447	65.4
Federal	14,021	14.5
State	9,347	9.6
Indigenous lands	7,779	8.0
NGO/private conservation	2,250	2.3
Local/Regional	100	0.1
Total	96,944	100

State	Area (km2)	Percent (%)
Colorado	24,084	24.8
Montana	19,401	20.0
South Dakota	19,331	19.9
Wyoming	18,947	19.5
New Mexico	7,082	7.3
Nebraska	2,525	2.6
Arizona	1,845	1.9
Texas	1,552	1.6
Oklahoma	1,059	1.1
North Dakota	699	0.7
Kansas	420	0.4
Total	96,944	100

Biodiversity Indicators Program

Program History

Evidence-based Biodiversity Indicators Dashboards

Sustainable Platforms for a Sustainable World