The Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe held a capacity enhancement workshop on Data Use for Decision Makers in Bulawayo from the 25th to the 29th of June 2018. The aim of the workshop was to equip data users under the Biodiversity Information for Development (BID) projects with skills relating to packaging mobilised biodiversity datasets into information products that can feed into national decision-making processes.
The workshop was a follow-up to the Data use for decision-making workshop that was held in Cape Town in April 2018 and hosted by GBIF and SANBI. Miss Tsistsi Maponga and Miss Kudzi Mafuwe shared the skills they gained during the workshop in Cape Town. The workshop covered skills and concepts relating to using biodiversity data in ecological niche modelling, Red List assessments and national reporting. Experts in ecological niche modelling (Mr Henry Ndaimani and Mr Kudzai Mpakairi) were also invited from the University of Zimbabwe to assist with the training.
The workshop was attended by over 15 experts in Ecology and Biodiversity conservation in Zimbabwe from the University of Zimbabwe, Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, DAMBARI wildlife Trust, DEBSHAN Ranch, National University of Science and Technology and The Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe. All experts who attended this workshop are key users of the biodiversity data which is being mobilized through the BID projects listed below coordinated by the museum: