Harnessing the Power of Environmental Data for Decision-Making IABIN Phase II

IABIN Phase I - Accomplishments Five important Thematic Networks have been established Each TN has developed strong working communities, documented data standards, and a data ‘flow’ process. A significant amount of standardized biodiversity and conservation data has been aggregated in Thematic Network databases and portals. Specialized tools have been developed to analyze parts of the data to answer some specific questions. All of the TN datasets have been integrated and made available for visualization and analysis through the IABIN Data Integration and Analysis Gateway.

IABIN Phase II - Challenges Create better conservation outcomes (sustainable development) in the face of Direct development activities –Infrastructure –Energy –Agriculture / Forestry –Urban Growth Indirect outcomes from development and other threat factors –Climate change –Invasive species –Natural disasters

IABIN Phase II - Challenges Sustain all of the critical foundational structures and functions that were created during IABIN Phase I Build the critical new capacities, partners and other functions that will ensure successful implementation of Phase II.

IABIN Phase II HOW DO WE MAKE IT HAPPEN 1. WE NEED TO CLARIFY OUR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES (TODAY) 2. WE NEED TO DEVELOP A BUSINESS PLAN (TODAY) 3. WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE BUSINESS PLAN (TOMORROW) –APPOINT A TEAM AND PROCESS –IDENTIFY AND ACT ON OPPORTUNITIES

Support the development of national biodiversity baselines. Develop national level biodiversity and environmental indicators. Complete national gap analyses based on features of identified conservation value. Identify efficient means to strategically fill conservation gaps with new Protected Areas and conservation ‘corridors’. Support the development, implementation and monitoring of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans through improved application of baseline biological and ecological information. IABIN Phase II: Support Regional / National Planning and Decision Making Processes IABIN data and tools should be used to:

Support the implementation of national, regional and project level environmental assessment and monitoring programs. Integrate ecosystem service value information critical for sustainable development across the region with the biodiversity and conservation values. Identify significant threats and change agents that could alter the landscape integrity for these biodiversity and ecosystem service values. Support the development of national invasive species strategies. IABIN Phase II: Support Regional / National Planning and Decision Making Processes IABIN data and tools should be used to:

Examples of Important Activities to Continue and to Start Implementing IABIN Phase II

Regional Level Decision Support

National Conservation Databases

National Biodiversity Baseline

National Gap Analysis

Ability to upload and download data Ability to securely manage data Data search, identify and visualize Data integration to create and save new maps Filtering functions to visualize “items of interest” Ability to run simple queries and generate visual and written reports Ability to link to detailed analytical tools Scientists and the Conservation Community National Planning and Permitting Agencies Multi-Lateral Development Banks Corporations and Consultants Civil Society Species and Specimen TN Ecosystem TN Pollinators TN Invasives TN IDB GeoSur TNC CIAT ESRI Others Analyses National Biodiversity Strategy and Actions Plans National and Regional Planning Permitting and Planning Processes Mitigation, Compensation and Offset Climate Change Adaptation Corridor Analysis Existing Tools, e.g.: IABIN Portal: Thematic Networks Other Information Portals InVest Climate Change Calculators MARXAN NatureServe Vista ESRI ArcInfo Environmental Flow Analysis INFORMATION DECISION SUPPORT DATABASE ADVANCED TOOLS AND ANALYTICAL METHODS DECISION- MAKERS Maxent IABIN DIAG Data Basin Information Holdings Protected Areas TN IABIN: PHASE II

Complete a Project Level Environmental Assessment Policy Analysis with a full Report

Watershed Data Threat Data Dams Mines Road Density Railroad Density Human population density Agricultural Lands Cattle Density Bridges Ecological Risk Analysis Index of Watershed Ecological Integrity Cumulative Impact Analysis

Offset and Mitigation Analysis Ecosystem Services Valuation Alternative Scenario Evaluation Cumulative Impact Assessment IABIN Support for Advanced Spatial Analyses

Day 2: Clarification of the Content Day 3: Develop Strategy for Sustainability IABIN Phase II

Questions for Working Group Discussion IABIN Phase II

IABIN Phase II: QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION 1.What are our objectives for IABIN Phase II -- what difference do we want to make? 2.What are the key questions that IABIN can help answer by providing data and tools to decision- makers? 3.Who are the most important audiences – users of the data – that we should be working closely with? 4.What are the best opportunities, environmental decision-making processes, we should engage in to make these differences? 5.How should IABIN be structured and governed to be successful in Phase II?

Working Group Discussion Process 1. Identify facilitator for each group 2. Identify note taker for each group. 3. Identify presenter for each group.