South African National Parks (SANParks) manages over 4 million hectares of conservation areas and relies on tourism revenue for more than 80% of its income. The loss of visitors following the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the agency’s ability to fund key conservation functions. In particular, the capacity to curate and digitize specimens, and manage, synthesize and analyze biodiversity data is critically needed to inform management in the face of multiple threats to species, including rapid climate change. Before the pandemic, SANParks aimed to modernize its biodiversity informatics capabilities. The proposed system overhaul includes (a) integrating SANParks informatics processes to ensure compatibility with national and international bioinformatics systems; (b) the curation and digitization of a backlog of specimen and biodiversity data; (c) systematizing storage and accessibility of digital imagery; and (d) monitoring risks relating to sensitive species information. This proposal builds on the previous grant from JRS, integrating a pre-pandemic strategy to modernize biodiversity informatics functions, enhance integration with the national biodiversity data platforms at South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), and build critical capacity and skills through (1) creating a Biodiversity Information Management System (BIMS) in SANParks and (2) providing human capital to set up and initiate the system.

Critical project outcomes will be the development of a fully functional BIMS, integration of SANParks datasets into GBIF, creation of species lists, and state of knowledge reports to fill key gaps for informed decision making.

BIMS development will mainstream SANParks’ biodiversity data and will involve hiring a Biodiversity Support Manager to conduct a needs assessment with SANParks staff, oversee the appointment of consultants to build the BIMS, and ensure that SANParks staff are  trained to use the system beyond the scope of the project. A Biodiversity Information Scientist and Visual Data Scientist will also be recruited to help rescue, secure, and capture historic biodiversity datasets, while data collation staff will be hired to produce state of knowledge reports on estuaries, freshwater systems, pollinators, and invertebrates to support key management and policy decisions.

Dr. Stef Freitag-Ronaldson has worked for SANParks for 25 years in varying roles as scientist, environmental manager, and science manager. Stef’s passion is ensuring that wild spaces remain for people into the future, that the next generation of conservation scientists are given space to grow and thrive, and that various forms of knowledge and understanding are incorporated into the way protected area management decisions are made.