The modular structure of nature protection information systems of the Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has existed since 2018. This portal, named e-priroda (e-nature), contains information about the natural heritage of our country. Unfortunately, the capacities offered by the e-priroda portals are far from being filled with data on the natural heritage of our country.
The Center for Environment has recognized the need to populate these national databases on species and habitats as one of the crucial issues related to biodiversity and environmental conservation. Namely, the lack of knowledge about the presence and distribution of species and habitats throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina poses an obstacle not only for researchers working with specific groups of organisms but also for state institutions, for whom access to this data can help improve understanding of the country’s natural heritage as a whole.
To that end, the Center for Environment organized a workshop on March 18, 2024, titled “Filling National Databases with Data on Species and Habitats.” In addition to participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, representatives of organizations and institutions from Croatia and Serbia also shared their experiences at the workshop.
“To our great delight, the topic was recognized as highly important not only by independent researchers and organizations from across the country but also by state institutions from both Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH. We believe this is one of many steps we need to take with the support of all workshop participants,” said Branislava Dukić from the Center for Environment.
As the next step, the Center for Environment plans to develop and refine the ideas and proposals exchanged during this meeting, with the support of collaborators and partners.
“What we firmly believe is that this is just one in a series of meetings among researchers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, because by exchanging experiences, ideas, and plans, we can certainly achieve more together,” stated the Center for Environment.
The project is supported by a Core Grant from the regional project SMART Balkan – Civil Society for a Connected Western Balkans, implemented by the Center for Civil Society Promotion (CPCD) Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM) North Macedonia, and the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) Albania, and financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway.
