Sources of Funding for Digitization and Georeferencing Natural History Collections

Presentation and Discussion

HerpNET Current Sources

US National Science Foundation GBIF DIGIT Seed Grant Supplementary Funds

Sources of funds for digitizing

Volunteer and Student programs:- HerpNET uses URAP (Undergraduate

Research Apprentice Program) – 38 volunteers since 2003

- Students obtain class credit and gain some experience in a research atmosphere

- Are there students from local universities that could volunteer each semester?

GBIF DIGIT Seed Grant

2007-2008 approximately 400K€ budgeted for seed money program

Formulation of target groups etc. will be determined through a consultative process early 2007

Request for proposals mid-2007 Funding available early 2008

Efficiency and cost effectiveness of data capture

Industrialized workflow process Imaging of labels Using appropriate skill level for each

task Built in quality control checking Georeferencing

GBIF National Nodes

80% of GBIF related investment is expected to be provided at the National Level

By signing GBIF MOU National Governments have made a commitment to invest

Examples: Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, and others

Belgium Call for Expression of Interest2nd Biodiversity Platform Digitization Project Call

Deadline Jan. 16, 2007

Targeted at small well curated collections

40000 € available

http://www.biodiversity.be/News/digitization-projects-2007

Global Biodiversity Information FacilityPolicies on Open Access to biodiversity data

In light of the importance of mobilizing biodiversity data around the world, the GBIF Governing Board made a recommendation to research councils, funding agencies and private foundations on Open Access to biodiversity data (January 2006) to: Promote that species and specimen level data and

associated metadata that are generated in funded projects are made publicly available through mechanisms cooperating with GBIF, within a specified period after completion of the supported research.

Convention on Biological DiversityDecision VIII/11. Scientific and technical cooperation and the clearing-house mechanism

Paragraph 3. Invites Parties and other Governments, as appropriate, to provide free and open access to all past, present and future public-good research results, assessments, maps and databases on biodiversity, in accordance with national and international legislation;

Possible Sources in Europe and Other Countries ? Your countries GBIF node Societas Europeae Herpetologica Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles Synthesys Your countries’ scientific funding agency EU directly – Inspire, LifeWatch 2010 In-house matching funds along with volunteers

from local universities (biology and geography students)

Leverage Funds from Available Resources: By putting your institutions’ data online through

HerpNET and GBIF, this shows the scientific worth and accessibility of these collections to the public, shows your commitment

Use these national and international connections to improve chances of obtaining funds (CAS, MCZ, UCSB, MVZ are doing this).

A limited amount of digitizing and georeferencing can open doors to obtaining further funding

Discussion:

What sources of funding or volunteers available in your country?

How much digitizing/georeferencing have your completed so far?

Do you have servers already available to help these connections?