NatureServe Canada, Wildlife Conservation Society Canada and Birds Canada have partnered to lead on a project to identify Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in Canada. The KBA Canada project involves the contributions of dozens of government agencies, Conservation Data Centres (CDCs), First Nations, non-profit organizations and independent biodiversity experts (kbacanada.org).
The KBA Canada project is playing a key role in identifying priority lands for conservation under Canada's commitment to protect 30% of our land and water by 2030.
NatureServe Canada’s role in the project is focused on the gathering, management and distribution of species occurrence data (except for birds, which is led by Birds Canada), and the production of EBAR range maps to inform KBA identification.
Since the inception of the KBA Canada project in 2019, NatureServe Canada has collected over 50 million species occurrence records from the NatureServe Canada Network of CDCs, and from over 280 "Non-Network" data providers (e.g., GBIF, iNaturalist, BISON, independent biologists).
This Non-Network Data (Observations) along with the CDC Data (Element Occurrences, Independent Source Features and Observations) are made available by NatureServe Canada to KBA Canada experts to inform KBA analyses.
To access the list of CDC and Non-Network datasets managed by NatureServe Canada in our EBAR-KBA database please click HERE.
This data is also made available to the public at no cost via the NatureServe Explorer Pro Open Data platform, at precisions permitted by the various data providers. Accordingly, the species occurrence data that informed the delineation of KBA sites in Canada are available to the public in Explorer Pro, and (for bird data) the Birds Canada NatureCounts platform, promoting awareness, transparency and further analyses.
CDC Data: To learn more about accessing NatureServe Canada Network CDC data visit our Biodiversity Data webpage.
Non-Network Data: Additional information about the Non-Network data managed by NatureServe Canada is provided here:
NatureServe Canada has collected 45+ million observation records from over 270 "Non-CDC" data providers" (e.g., GBIF, iNaturalist, BISON, independent biologists). We standardize the data for integration to the database and undertake quality assurance/control (QA/QC) processes to remove "bad data" (e.g., remove species records where the location coordinates do not match the known species range). We then work with data providers and users as necessary to establish data sharing/license agreements for access to the precise data.
The Non-Network data s in the public layer of the NatureServe Explorer Pro platform are buffered to a one square mile hexagon and we encourage data users to contact the owner/provider of the original data record to access the highest precision and most current data. Attribution information pointing to the original data source is provided in the Explorer Pro record to facilitate this connection. For species that are susceptible to harm (e.g., poaching), we have buffered to a more coarse precision (typically 343 square mile hexagon) according to the precision permissions of the relevant provincial/territorial CDC.
NatureServe Canada can also provide access to precise CDC Data and Non-Network Data based on demonstrated "need to know" and the completion of data security requirements and data licensing agreements). Service fees apply.
With funding support from the McLean Foundation, Royal Bank of Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada, NatureServe Canada is working to expand and improve the Non-Network dataset and bring in partners who wish to access and contribute to the dataset. The objective of the threeyear project is to stablish a sustainable business model based on pooled investments and shared capacity.
Please contact us (info@natureserve.ca) to learn more.
