Research Projects
BIOPAMA : Web Applications
The Caribbean Protected Area Gateway
(https://thecpag.org)
The Caribbean Protected Area Gateway uses the internet to integrate a diverse range of relevant protected area and biodiversity data and information from different authoritative sources. A lot of this information is geospatial (maps and other data with a geographic reference), complemented with relevant literature, news and events. Typical information available in the RIS includes:
- Protected Areas boundaries (source: UNEP-WCMC World Database on Protected Areas)
- Species and Red List data (source: IUCN)
- Land cover data (source: JRC, various)
- Important Bird Areas (source: Birdlife International)
- Extractive industries and resource exploitation (source: various)
- Population, infrastructure and settlements data (source: various)
- Climate and meteorological data (source: JRC)
- Soil data (source: JRC)
- Satellite imagery (source: various)
- Training and capacity building opportunities
The Caribbean Protected Area Gateway is firmly based on the use of open source software and the internet and utilises the Digital Observatory for Protected Areas (DOPA;
http://dopa.jrc.ec.europa.eu/) as the main technical platform. The front-end is developed using Drupal, one of the leading content management frameworks. The back-end datastore is PostgreSQL with the PostGIS extension for geographic data.
Caribbean Protected Area Gateway GeoNode (Content Management System)
As part of the RRIS, GeoNode functions as a data repository for biodiversity and protected areas. Here you can discover and use maps, reports, data and other information sources, and upload your own to share with others. The themes of data you can find here cover a broad range of natural resource management and related topics.
The core development is done by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, based in Italy, and online mapping capabilities are provided by GeoServer and MapServer.
Action Component (Grant Facility)
The Action Component is a 20 million Euro grant-making facility managed by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) in the frame of the BIOPAMA (Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management) Programme. BIOPAMA is an initiative of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States financed by the European Union’s 11th European Development Fund
The Action Component is addressing priorities for action, supporting activities on the ground for strengthening the management effectiveness and governance of protected and conserved areas. By adopting a landscape approach, these actions will also contribute to enhancing the local livelihoods through sustainable use of the natural resources and ecosystem services, as well as increasing the resilience to the impacts of climate change.