Near the Dutch city of Bergen op Zoom, in the Zoomland nature reserve, Conclusion, Trees for All and Brabants Landschap are working together on a data-driven approach to monitoring biodiversity. By combining fieldwork with historical and current data sources, the three parties want to gain insight into the ecological development of the area. The initiative builds on a previous collaboration in which eight acres of forest were planted, including lime, hornbeam, pedunculate oak and herb-rich fields.
The project focuses on measuring biodiversity by bringing together data on birds, insects, flora, soil and water. Until now, this was largely done manually. With the use of artificial intelligence, the data collected can be analyzed more quickly and provide a more complete picture of changes in the ecosystem. This data-driven approach should help to direct nature restoration efforts more effectively and monitor developments accurately.
According to Trees for All director Stef Röell, the project offers valuable insights into the role of trees for biodiversity. Brabants Landschap adds that combining data sources significantly improves the management of the area. Conclusion provides the technological expertise to link data sources and enable the analyses. Comparing the information with nearby farmland also provides insight into the effect of types of land use.
The partnership contributes to increasing knowledge about biodiversity and developing new ways to restore ecosystems. According to Raymond van Ek of Conclusion, this is of essential importance: “Data analysis enables us to monitor ecosystems, recognize trends and identify threats in a timely way. That is an important condition for the structural restoration of nature in the Netherlands.”
