Biodiversity BGIS

The Biodiversity Geographic Information System (BGIS) is a vital resource for accessing spatial datasets concerning South Africa's diverse ecosystems. Users can find recently uploaded data on ecosystem threat status and protection levels across various environments, including coastal, estuary, marine, sub-Antarctic terrestrial, sub-Antarctic marine, terrestrial, and wetland ecosystems.

Beyond data, BGIS provides crucial guidelines such as the 2020 Species Environmental Assessment Best Practice Guideline. These guidelines standardize specialist studies required for Environmental Impact Assessments, ensuring consistent and robust reporting criteria for flora and fauna assessments in South Africa.

The platform also highlights favourite projects like the 2018 Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, the 2018 South African Inventory of Inland Aquatic Ecosystems (SAIIAE), and the 2018 National Biodiversity Assessment (NBA), showcasing key initiatives and comprehensive reports on the region's biodiversity.