South African Biodiversity Mapping and Assessment Program (BioMap SA)

Author: Dean Fairbanks
Organization: Conservation Planning Unit

University of Pretoria
Pretoria, 0002
Gauteng, South Africa

Phone: +27 (0)12 420-4
Fax: +27 (0)12 420-3
dfairbanks@zoology.up.ac.za

It is becoming obvious that a knowledge based on biological diversity, from genes to landscapes and their function in ecosystems, is fundamental to the continuing well-being of society. Within southern Africa, gaining access to this information has been difficult, depending on the user's personal knowledge and contacts.

The DACST Innovation Fund is being used to develop the South African Integrated Spatial Information System (SA-ISIS) of which BioMap SA is a fundamental component. SA-ISIS will provide access to information on biodiversity, natural resources, and conservation via the World Wide Web to users with varying levels of requirements.