Strengthening Biodiversity Data Mobilization at the GBIF Latin America and Caribbean Workshop

The University of Belize Environmental Research Institute (UB-ERI) was represented at the Biodiversity Information for Development (BID) Latin America and the Caribbean Data Mobilization Workshop, held in Montevideo, Uruguay, from 1–3 June 2026. Hosted by the Ministry of the Environment of Uruguay and organized by the GBIF Secretariat through the European Union-funded BID programme, the workshop brought together 30 participants representing 16 biodiversity data mobilization projects from across the Latin America and Caribbean region.

Dr. Jake Snaddon attended the workshop as part of UB-ERI's Connecting Protected Area Monitoring to National Biodiversity Reporting in Belize project. The project aims to strengthen Belize's biodiversity information systems by mobilizing records of underrepresented taxa—including arthropods, mammals, bats, fish, reptiles, amphibians and plants—from protected areas. Working closely with the National Biodiversity Office (NBIO), the project supports the digitization, validation and publication of biodiversity datasets, while developing sustainable workflows that improve access to biodiversity information for research, conservation and national reporting.

The workshop formed part of a comprehensive training programme combining online learning, practical exercises and an intensive three-day, hands-on course. Participants received training in biodiversity informatics, data capture, data management, data quality, and data publishing using internationally recognised standards, including the Darwin Core standard and the GBIF Integrated Publishing Toolkit (IPT). These tools help ensure biodiversity datasets are standardized, interoperable and freely accessible through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

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For Belize, the training represents an important step towards improving the availability and accessibility of biodiversity data. By strengthening national capacity in biodiversity data management and publishing, the project will help integrate information from protected area monitoring into the National Biodiversity Monitoring Program (NBMP), support implementation of Belize's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), and contribute to reporting under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Participation in the workshop also provided an opportunity to exchange experiences with biodiversity practitioners from across the region, building new collaborations and sharing approaches for improving biodiversity data mobilization and supporting evidence-based conservation.

As Belize continues to expand its biodiversity information systems, initiatives such as this help ensure that the country's valuable biodiversity data are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR), strengthening both national conservation efforts and Belize's contribution to global biodiversity knowledge.

This work forms part of the Connecting Protected Area Monitoring to National Biodiversity Reporting in Belize project, funded through the Biodiversity Information for Development (BID) Programme, and the Data Mobilization workshop is supported by the European Union and implemented by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

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