Completed Projects

Canada

Proponent
Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD) and Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

After initial training in ecosystem accounting at a summer school at UQAM, representatives of a number of francophone African countries (Burkina Faso, Guinea-Conakry, Morocco, Niger, Senegal and Tunisia) convened two workshops to develop a cooperation project on the development of economic valuation tools for biodiversity and national ecosystem-based accounting systems.

The 'Guidelines for tourism partnerships and concessions for protected areas' are available here:
tourism-partnerships-protected-areas-web.pdf

The final project report is available here:
bbi-cirad-pilot-project-final-report.pdf

Republic of Korea

Proponent
National Institute of Biological Resources of Korea (NIBR)

NIBR facilitated the transfer of DNA bar-coding analysis technology for biodiversity monitoring to countries in demand, with technical support from the Genome Analysis Center of National Instrumentation Center for Environmental Management (NICEM) at Seoul National University. A technical workshop on DNA barcoding analysis and a roundtable discussion were held to identify obstacles and future needs in the application of this technology.

The final project report is available here:
bbi-nibr-pilot-project-presentation.pdf

Republic of Korea

Proponent
Korea Environment Institute (KEI)

The Korea Environment Institute (KEI), in collaboration with ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB) and Korea National Park Service (KNPS), applied an innovative modeling approach using social big data to examine the current status of management of Heritage Parks. This, in turn, supported the development of related management strategies encouraging eco-tourism that enhances cultural services (e.g. recreation, education), focusing on eco-tourism that safeguards biodiversity for the countries and regions where there were only limited field data.

The final project report is available here:
bbi-kei-pilot-project-final-report.pdf

South Africa

Proponent
IUCN TAPAS Group.

IUCN's Tourism and Parks Specialist Group (TAPAS) facilitated cooperation between protected area authorities in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa which have efficient tourism concession systems and counterpart agencies in Lesotho, Mozambique and Tanzania, which are at early stages of private concessioning/partnerships in protected areas and need support. The project enabled the latter countries to undertake feasibility studies and pilot cases and develop their own policies and systems for tourism concessions in protected areas.

The final project report is available here:
bbi-iucn-tapas-pilot-project-final-report.pdf

Belarus

Proponent
Institute of Genetics and Cytology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus

Collaborators
Armenia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine

The objective of this project was to promote cooperation between Belarus and other Central and Eastern European countries and Central Asian Republics (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan and Ukraine) on the use of modern molecular genetic technologies, such as DNA barcoding, for the identification of species taxonomy and monitoring of biodiversity. Catalytic support through the Bio-Bridge Initiative contributed to increased institutional capacities of key stakeholders within the region on the use of this technology, the establishment of a Regional Reference Library of DNA Barcodes, and the strengthening of scientific networks that are better equipped to promote the application of DNA barcoding in the region.

For more information, please refer to the Terms of Reference:
TOR.pdf

The final project report is available here:
bbi-belarus-final-report.pdf

China

Proponents
Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences
and
China Institute for Environment and Resource Protection of Minority Area at the Minzu University of China

This project aims to foster cooperation between China and other Asian countries (Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam) on the documentation and protection of traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources in the framework of the Nagoya Protocol. Support from the Bio-Bridge Initiative will lead to (i) documentation of the traditional knowledge and a series of case studies associated with biological and genetic resources in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province; and (ii) long-term cooperation on traditional knowledge within the region based on lessons learned and best practices with institutions doing similar work in Asia.

For more information, please refer to the Terms of Reference:
TOR.pdf

The final project report is available here:
bbi-china-final-report.pdf

Colombia

Proponent
Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt

Collaborators
Brazil, Mexico, South Africa

This project was designed to facilitate cooperation between Colombia, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa to enhance biodiversity data management for species and ecosystem assessments. BBI support helped to develop tools and facilitate the adoption of standards for compiling and disseminating biological information through national biodiversity information systems and platforms; improve biodiversity information management, storage, and use; and translate science to support policymaking. The project also supported the development of a conceptual framework to guide the development of quantitative and qualitative indicators for evaluating the state of biodiversity and ecosystem integrity.

For more information, please refer to the Terms of Reference:
TOR.pdf

The final project report is available here:
bbi-colombia-final-report.pdf

Costa Rica

Proponent
Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad of Costa Rica

Collaborators
Chile

The overall objective of this undertaking was to foster long-term cooperation between Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad and the Municipality of Panguipulli on the conservation and sustainable management of the territory. Cooperation entailed capacity strengthening and exchange of positive experiences in terms of establishing a territory management experience oriented to the conservation of biodiversity and local productive development, respecting and integrating scientific and traditional knowledge. This project created a joint vision among territorial management actors about what should be, and should be understood as, sustainable management of the territory. It helped develop a project aimed at addressing the most important needs to achieve sustainable territorial management aimed at the provision of ecosystem services. It also facilitated the establishment of agreements with relevant actors for the development of the long-term project.

For more information, please refer to the Terms of Reference:
TOR.pdf (please note that this document is only available in Spanish)

The final project report is available here:
bbi-chile-final-report.pdf (please note that this document is only available in Spanish)

Ghana

Proponent
Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation

Collaborators
Gambia (the), Nigeria, Sierra Leone

This project sought to foster technical and scientific cooperation between Ghana and other Anglophone West African countries (Gambia, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone) on natural resources valuation and Ecosystem-Natural Capital Accounting. The Bio-Bridge Initiative contributed to the development of national and regional capacities to take full account of the contribution of natural resources and ecosystem services in national accounting systems and to GDP. This gave countries the opportunity to measure and value the environment to support sound macroeconomic policies for development.

For more information, please refer to the Terms of Reference:
TOR.pdf

The final project report is available here:
bbi-ghana-final-report.pdf

India

Proponent
Amity Institute of Wildlife Sciences, Amity University (India)

Collaborators
Seoul National University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (Republic of Korea)

The project aimed to foster cooperation between institutions in India and the Republic of Korea in the use of technologies (including DNA tying methodology and microsatellite markers) to promote the conservation of the Asian big cats (tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, and clouded leopard) and combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade. It supported the establishment of wildlife genetics facilities in regional institutes and the development of capacity to apply consistent methodologies and protocols for genetic characterization of wild populations, which is a prerequisite for identification of the geographic origin of the wildlife seizures.

For more information, please refer to the Terms of Reference:
TOR.pdf

The final project report is available here:
bbi-india-final-report.pdf

Malawi

Proponent
Department of Environmental Affairs (Malawi)

Collaborators
National Environment Management Authority (Uganda)

The overall objective of this project was to foster long-term cooperation between Malawi and Uganda on the assessment and integration of biodiversity values into national, sectoral and local development policies, plans and accounting systems. Specifically, the Bio-Bridge Initiative supported consultative meetings, technical training and experience-sharing between experts of the two countries with a view to create stronger partnerships and deeper cooperation on these issues in the project area.

For more information, please refer to the Terms of Reference:
TOR.pdf

The final project report is available here:
bbi-malawi-final-report.pdf

Morocco

Proponent
State Secretary for Sustainable Development, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development (Morocco)

Collaborators
UNDP, IDLO, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Niger, DR Congo, Rwanda

This project contributed to the establishment of a network of 10 French-speaking African countries (Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Morocco) with a view to promoting the design and implementation of ABS legislative, administrative and policy measures. The network complements ongoing capacity development activities by facilitating exchange of knowledge and experiences of highly qualified ABS legal experts through South-South cooperation in the targeted countries.

For more information, please refer to the Terms of Reference:
TOR.pdf

The final project report is available here:
bbi-morocco-final-report.pdf

Zimbabwe

Proponent
National Biotechnology Authority of Zimbabwe

Collaborators
Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia

The scope of the project was to strengthen regional collaboration on the establishment of a regional biobank of invasive alien species. Catalytic support through the Bio-Bridge Initiative focused on the strengthening of institutional capacities in Zimbabwe through collaboration with subject matter experts from South Africa and Botswana, and the subsequent development of a detailed proposal for a follow-up long-term cooperation project on the establishment of a multilateral biobank of alien invasive species in the Southern African Development Community region. The Bio-Bridge Initiative supported collaboration among relevant stakeholders through training, on-the-job learning, mentorship, and sharing of available infrastructure and equipment.

For more information, please refer to the Terms of Reference:
TOR.pdf

The final project report is available here:
bbi-zimbabwe-final-report.pdf

Benin

Proponent
Institut de Recherches Halieutiques et Océanologiques du Bénin (IRHOB)

Collaborators
Recherches en Zones Humides (LRZH) Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin, Royal Institute of Natural Science of Belgium, CEBoiS program of Belgium

The overall objective of this Project is to foster long-term cooperation between IRHOB, the University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC) in Benin, and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) on the development of a methodology to acquire reliable scientific data for rational management and the conservation of aquatic resources in Benin, using sound scientific, technical, and socioeconomic advice. BBI funding enables cooperation in manufacturing Arduino sensors in order to measure physicochemical water quality parameters, such as temperature, salinity, acidity and dissolved oxygen, of the marine and lacustrine environment around Cotonou in Benin. This data collection will constitute the first step towards constructing habitat suitability maps.

For further information, see the Terms of Reference: LINK (please note, this document is only available in French).
The final project report is available here: bbi-benin-final-report-fr.pdf

Brazil

Proponent
The Federal University of Santa Catarina (Brazil)

Collaborators
the Federal University of Rio Grande (Brazil), the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), the Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (Argentina), the Universidad de la República (Uruguay), the Commission on Ecosystem Management of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

The overall objective of this Project is to foster long-term cooperation on the study of coastal and marine ecosystems and ecosystem services in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. Cooperation entails joint investigations to accelerate the understanding of these ecosystems, to provide a common basis for political stakeholders in the region, and to institutionalize science-based decision-making. BBI funding for the Project is creating a panel of experts from the three countries to apply an innovative risk assessment methodology for mapping and identifying endangered ecosystems, defining essential services as conservation targets, and communicating results to relevant political stakeholders with a view to institutionalizing science-based decision-making.

For further information, see the Terms of Reference: LINK

The final project report is available here: bbi-brazil-final-report.pdf

Liberia

Proponent
The Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection

Collaborators
Jane Goodall Institute (UK), Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (USA), Save the Chimps (USA), Project to End Great Ape Slavery (Kenya), Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary (Sierra Leone), Centre de Conservation pour Chimpanzés (Guinea), Great Ape Protection (Brazil), ChimpFace (USA), Conservation X Labs (USA), Microsoft (USA)

The overall objective of this Project is to foster long-term cooperation between LCRP and other Africa-based and North America-based institutions working on ape protection, towards the development of an effective image recognition technology tool to combat wildlife trafficking. Cooperation entails the exchange of expertise and data among the institutions involved to build a final product that would allow for the first time image recognition to be used to survey the Internet for evidence of wildlife trafficking, beginning with chimpanzees. “ChimpFace” is developing facial recognition technology to combat wildlife trafficking, beginning with chimpanzees and ultimately expanding to include additional species. When complete, the tool will take the form of a web-based platform capable of identifying which images/videos contain chimpanzees and the individual chimpanzee in each image/video.

For further information, see the Terms of Reference: LINK
The final project report is available here: bbi-liberia-final-report.pdf

Namibia

Proponent
Ministry of Environment and Tourism of the Republic of Namibia

Collaborators
the National Botanical Research Institute of Namibia (NBRI) (under the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry), the University of Namibia (UNAM), the Herbarium of Lubango (LUBA) in Angola (under the Instituto Superior de Ciências da Educação da Huila, ISCED), the African Centre for DNA Barcoding in South Africa

The overall objective of this Project is to foster long-term cooperation to address the unsustainable exploitation of medicinal plants, specifically in the family Apocynaceae, in the region. Cooperation entails taxonomic work to clarify the identity and phylogeny of the targeted species, and the establishment of a publicly accessible DNA barcode reference library. This BBI Project is strengthening institutional collaboration within Namibia and with neighbouring countries to facilitate exchange of expertise and access to biotechnology in the region to address the unsustainable exploitation of medicinal plants in the family Apocynaceae.

For further information, see the Terms of Reference: LINK
The final project report is available here: bbi-namibia-final-report.pdf

Republic of Moldova

Proponents
Biodiversity Office of the Ministry of Agriculture
and
Regional Development and Environment of the Republic of Moldova

Collaborators
Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

Central and Eastern Europe countries are highly vulnerable to climate change and accompanying natural hazards such as drought, floods, hail or landslides. Over-exploitation and inappropriate land use practices has led to the degradation of ecosystems, as did pollution and increased urban encroachment. This project seeks to foster cooperation among key institutions from Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia on protecting the biodiversity of the region through nature-based adaptation and risk reduction of climate change.

For further information, see the Terms of Reference: LINK

Senegal

Proponents
National Parks Directorate of the Ministry of Environmen
and
Sustainable Development of the Republic of Senegal

Collaborators
Tour du Valat, Secretariat of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA), BirdLife International, International Space Station (NASA)

An icon of Africa, the Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) continues to be under threat throughout its flyways. Lack of understanding of their breeding and other critical sites means that there is little information available to design adequate protection measures. The objective of this project is to foster long-term cooperation between the National Parks Directorate of Senegal, the French-based research institute Tour du Valat, the Secretariat of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA), BirdLife International, and the International Space Station (NASA) on the study of the migratory movements and critical sites of the species in Senegal. Joint activities entail ringing and satellite-tagging a number of specimens with a view of monitoring them and sharing data to feed into appropriate decision-making in relation to the protection of the species.

For further information, see the Terms of Reference: LINK

Singapore

Proponent
National Parks Board (NParks), Singapore

Collaborators
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand (MONRE), the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, ICLEI-CBC

The immediate Project objective, to which the BBI funding contributes, is to develop an ASEAN work programme from 2019-2025 on green infrastructure linked to the latest global ambition and innovation in this space. BBI and Project partners together are catalysing actions to achieve, among others, the integration of green infrastructure into city planning, increased capacity to conceptualize and implement urban biodiversity, and increase the number of municipal level projects that demonstrate the benefits of green infrastructure and urban biodiversity. Subsequently, Thailand and Singapore hope to translate the ASEAN Work Programme on Urban Biodiversity/ Green Infrastructure into concrete activities and projects, and to develop proposals for funding and implementation of the work programme. This will ensure a sustained programme urban biodiversity/green infrastructure in ASEAN at least until 2025.

For further information, see the Terms of Reference: LINK
The final project report is available here: bbi-singapore-final-report.pdf

South Africa

Proponent
Transfrontier Africa NPC

Collaborators
Cisco South Africa, Netherlands Institute for Crime and Law Enforcement, Southern African Wildlife College, Greater Kruger National Park

White and black rhinoceroses visiting open landscapes are subjected to frequent poaching throughout the African rhinoceros range states. The lack of ability to monitor rhinoceros across multiple boundaries, may they be political, spatial and/or temporal, makes security measures difficult, and despite ongoing efforts, this trend continues at an alarming rate. This project is designed to foster long-term cooperation between wildlife conservation organizations and technical providers in South Africa, with assistance from expert organizations from the United States of America and the Netherlands, towards the deployment of cutting-edge sensors on rhinoceros for monitoring purposes. This operation is accompanied by the development of specific Standard Operating Procedures, with a view to maximize the efficiency of wildlife enforcement agencies and security teams in protected areas and to increase the number of successful prosecutions of poachers.

For further information, see the Terms of Reference: LINK

Sri Lanka

Proponent
National Herbarium, Department of National Botanic Gardens, Sri Lanka

Collaborators
Singapore Botanic Gardens, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (United Kingdom), University of Colombo (Sri Lanka)

This Project is establishing long-term regional and international collaboration on the use of modern molecular methods and technologies in research on Sri Lanka’s angiosperm flora, including the many endemic species, with a focus on resolving taxonomic problems, identifying and discriminating problematic taxa, and obtaining baseline genetic data for the conservation of diversity in order to promote sustainable use of plant resources in a green economy. In the long term, BBI funding for the Project will also lead to the development of a globally recognized network of scientific expertise which can provide advice and recommendations on biodiversity related issues in the local flora.

For further information, see the Terms of Reference: LINK
The final project report is available here: bbi-sri-lanka-final-report.pdf

Thailand

Proponent
Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)

Collaborators
The Forest Peoples Programme, indigenous peoples and local communities in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam

BBI funding allows the AIPP to establish community-based monitoring and information systems (CBMIS) in several IPLC partners based in the region. CBMIS combines indigenous and traditional technologies and knowledge with advanced mapping and monitoring technologies for practical applications. This includes but is not limited to defining traditional territories (lands and waters), identifying indigenous community conservation areas and sacred sites, and identifying and mapping biological resources for customary sustainable use. The project consists of a five-day scoping and training workshop with IPLC participants from the different communities to lay the foundations for the development of a longer-term and wider CBMIS partnership in Asia.

For further information, see the Terms of Reference: LINK
The final project report is available here: bbi-thailand-final-report.pdf