Development%20of%20Belize%20CHM

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Development of Belize CHM

• Through BEA by Forest Department, Ministry of
  Natural Resources and the Environment
• CHM-WG very crucial in providing guidance
• User Needs Assessment conducted
• 32 potential nodes interviewed to assess data
  management capacity and information needs

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Guiding Principles

• Aligns with aims of CBD
• Meets needs of Belizean User community
• Logical, Reliable, Scalable Architecture
• Sustainable Approach to Use of IT collaborative,
  efficient, cost effective
• Public Domain info user beware

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Meerman Clabaugh (2004)
7 Participation in this instance infers that
Belize is either a signatory to a Convention
under which this initiative is part (e.g., CBD,
GISIN, GTI) or is a participating country in a
regional initiative (e.g., SIAM/SINIA, MBC, MBRS)
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RESULTS OF User Needs Assessment
Meerman Clabaugh (2004)
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Meerman Clabaugh (2004)
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Design and Implementation

• Starting with about 7 initial node agencies/data
  contributors
• To be designed and hosted by Conservation
  Management Institute out of Virginia Polytechnic
  University
• Hope to launch in Aug/Sept 2005

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CONTENT

• Report library pdf
• Roster of Experts
• Discussion Form
• Internet map Server
• Research permits database/reports

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CHALLENGES

• Sustainability continuing development funds for
  CHM e.g. to develop PA database, specimen
  database reformat BBIS to more functional
  observational database develop geospatial
  component include other types of
  datasocioeconomic, environmental etc

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• Important to consider the existence/non-existence
  and type of information policy (culture) at the
  national level AND also that the availability of
  information or decision-making tools does not
  necessarily imply better biodiversity management
  or decision-making. Availability ? Use.
• How do you measure IABIN outcome/ impact
  indicator IABIN-supported information management
  tools being downloaded and demonstrably used in
  decision-making? Must be more that site hits.

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• In the roles of focal points and support through
  IABIN project there is the need to consider what
  support can/will be provided to strengthen
  capacity of NFPs in promoting/ advocating for
• culture that values information as basis for
  sound management
• promoting the USE and ANALYSIS of information at
  the national level.

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• Mechanisms of information sharing have a cost.
  Need to consider the disparity in levels of
  development and capacity of different countries.