Demonstration Projects

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

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