Monitoring and Research
Recommendation (g). A successful National Biodiversity Network is a linchpin of the whole Biodiversity Action Plan and we are concerned that it may fail due to inadequate resources. We recommend that the National Biodiversity Network be provided with greater funding for the next five years, to establish the network.
Recommendation (h). We are disappointed that the National Biodiversity Network cannot rely on the commitment of all government Departments. We can see no good reason for individual Departments keeping data to themselves. National biodiversity policy relies on freely available, good quality data: this prerequisite must not be blocked by the Government or academic institutions. Any data collected as a result of the use of public funds must be freely available to all and should be placed on a national biodiversity website.
The National Biodiversity Network Trust is a broadly based partnership of voluntary bodies, government agencies and other public bodies. The Government regards this shared ownership and funding as a particular strength and security against failure, especially over the longer term. In November 2000, the Government announced the allocation of an extra £250,000 to the initial development of the National Biodiversity Network, bringing the total allocation to £500,000. In addition, the Government welcomes the support offered by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the long term development of the NBN. This support framework aims to broaden participation in biological recording by engaging new volunteer recorders, develop further the skills of experienced volunteers, and enable experienced volunteers to transfer their skills to a new generation of recorders. The HLF will help local record centres undertake and implement development plans and will also support schemes to interpret and disseminate biological data to a wide audience.
The White Paper ‘Excellence and Opportunity a Science and Innovation Policy for the 21st Century’ set out the Government’s recognition that science plays a critical role in environment policy and its commitment to incorporating scientific advice into policy making across all fields in a more open way. This commitment applies equally to biodiversity. It means being open about the facts and assumptions which underlie scientific advice and decisions on it. Guidance to Departments and their agencies includes the Chief Scientific Adviser’s Guidelines on Scientific Advice and Policy Making – Guidelines 2000 – which sets out a strong presumption that data should be made publicly available. The White Paper ‘The Future Management of Crown Copyright’ and the Review of Government Information have both set in train practical steps to improve access to data such as the creation of the Information Asset Register accessible through the HMSO ‘Inforoute’ website[1]. The Government is also preparing Guidelines on Intellectual Property in Government Research Contracts.
The National Biodiversity Network is currently at an early stage of development and does not yet provide a comprehensive system for the management, dissemination and application of the wide variety of relevant information collected and held by Government Departments and academic institutions. DETR funds will support the development of core elements of the National Biodiversity Network and demonstrate how access may be created to different types of data derived from Government research and monitoring. Other Departments and institutions may be encouraged to follow this lead, however, the Government does not assume that the National Biodiversity Network will in all cases be the most appropriate and cost-effective mechanism for the dissemination of data.
Recommendation (j). We recommend that the Research Councils, particularly the Natural Environment Research Council, place a priority on funding practical research which fills gaps in the knowledge required to achieve the aims of the UK Biodiversity Action Plans. Action must be taken to address this swiftly because of the delays between providing funding for research and the availability of results.
The UK Biodiversity Group has established a Biodiversity Research Working Group to coordinate and promote research in support of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. The Working Group includes representatives of research funders in government departments and agencies, voluntary bodies and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Approximately 14% of research supported by NERC relates to Biodiversity. NERC’s role is to provide underpinning research aimed at improving understanding in this and other priority areas of Earth System Science. It is not NERC’s role to fund work aimed at conserving individual species identified in the Biodiversity Action Plan. The Working Group has looked particularly at cross-cutting issues which impinge on many species and habitats and which tend to fall between the responsibilities of research funding organisations. The Group will also look at the research requirements identified by lead partners in their reports of the Action Plans and consider whether certain research needs should be addressed centrally.
Published 21 May 2001
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