About Nature-GIS

Nature-GIS is a European thematic network in the context of the IST programme of the European Commission that brings together different stakeholders in protected areas, both users and experts in IT and in nature conservation; its aim was to answer the needs related to the use of GI in protected areas, with special attention given to the European policies in this field.

The objectives of the project are to offer a contribution to:

• Improve information for European policy making and evaluation, particularly for improving reporting related to the implementation of the EU Nature Protection and Biodiversity policy area.
• Raise awareness regarding the use of GI-GIS in this field. The project can be seen in the larger frame of the contributions given to the different European documents and conventions that require research, identification and exchange of information, to ease and promote conservation of biodiversity.
• Develop and broaden, as per the VI Environmental Action Plan, the dialogue among all levels of responsibility, from the EU to the local level. In other words the project is intended to support public access to data and information, in the EU and in the new Accession countries.