The Quebec Biodiversity Monitoring Network is a pioneering initiative, the first of its kind on a large scale, designed to address key environmental issues that the province of Quebec is facing. Recognized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as essential for understanding the impact of climate change on nature, networks like this one play an essential role in tracking and responding to environmental changes.
Through its work, the Quebec Biodiversity Monitoring Network assesses the capacity of natural environments and species communities to cope and adapt with the growing pressures of climate change. By deepening our understanding of the factors driving ecosystem changes – whether in habitats, species, or biodiversity as whole – the Network empowers decision-makers to take informed, proactive steps to manage and protect Quebec’s rich biodiversity.
The Network stems from collaborations between Quebec’s Ministry of the Environment, Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP), alongside a wide range of partners. Together, they collect, analyze, and share valuable data. Early results from vast monitoring campaigns are now made available through the Biodiversité Québec platform, providing an open resource for the public and experts alike.
How Biodiversity Québec is monitoring biodiversity with real data
Biodiversity Quebec is more than just a scientific platform – it’s a collective effort to communicate the state of biodiversity and its ongoing changes in Quebec. By collecting observation data, improving monitoring of biodiversity in Quebec and making syntheses and analyses, the initiative aims to raise awareness of biodiversity issues among Quebecers, and provide decision-makers and land managers with the biodiversity data they need to take meaningful action.
This scientific partnership, led by the Government of Quebec, academic researchers from Sherbrooke University, and the Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science, brings together experts from various fields. Their collective effort focusing on expanding knowledge, through field research, the valorization of data and the use of new technologies.
By pooling this valuable data, the initiative allows for new scientific advances that help anticipate the effects of climate and human activities on ecosystems.The data collected is made publicly available on the Biodiversité Quebec platform, encouraging transparency and community involvement.
By integrating data from monitoring, government, research, and citizen science, Biodiversity Quebec is advancing our understanding of biodiversity, benefiting everyone from land managers to financial institutions and investors.