By launching the next iteration of GBIF.fr through the hosted portal programme, one of the GBIF network's founding participants expects to redirect cost savings on developing and maintaining local infrastructure towards improving support of the data providers and users of scientific research, decision-making and policy development in France.
GBIF France's new hosted portal provides a higher profile for French and other publishers of data on organisms found in the country and its territories. Meanwhile, users gain access (en français) to the full range of data and services available through GBIF's global infrastructure. The new version of GBIF.fr is the 27th site delivered through GBIF's free service, joining recently additions from the European Journal of Taxonomy and SIB Uruguay.
"With GBIF France turning 20 next year, this hosted portal is a great way to reinforce France's long-term commitment to the GBIF network," said Eric Chenin, research engineer at the Institute of Research and Development (IRD) and head of delegation for GBIF France. "As the second-largest national data-publishing network and a historical contributor to the GBIF community, we are happy to rely on the hosted portal's free infrastructure to connect with our national and international partners, for the benefit of open science and environmental policies."
Based in Paris at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, GBIF France has served as the country's organizer and focal point for GBIF-related activities since its establishment in 2006. The portal's launch fosters collaboration between biodiversity data holders and the global scientific network, offering users a straightforward platform to explore French records. By functioning as the node's primary webpage and data access point, the new GBIF.fr encourages greater exchange, use and application of biodiversity data across France and its territories.
The new hosted portal provides access to more than 200 million records from metropolitan and overseas France. A network of 79 French institutions (and another six overseas) publishes more than 27,000 datasets comprising nearly 210 million species occurrences. Visitors to GBIF.fr also have access to almost 700 GBIF-enabled peer-reviewed publications by authors based at the nation's institutions.
In addition to its role as a one-stop shop for accessing French biodiversity data, the GBIF France portal features details about training opportunities, news updates and participation in the Biodiversity Information for Development (BID) and the Capacity Enhancement Support (CESP) programmes. To date, staff from GBIF France have collaborated in more than 10 projects in these programmes alongside other network nodes and partners.
"The hosted portal initiative provided us with a unique opportunity to update the GBIF France website, thanks to the collaborative work between our node staff and the GBIF web development & communication teams," said Anne-Sophie Archambeau, node manager of GBIF France and chair of GBIF's global Nodes Steering Group. "With its embedded functionalities and customizable editorial interface, the GBIF France hosted portal allows us to easily display the data published by our institutional partners on French territories (including overseas) and other countries, as well as the resources and services we offer to our community of both data publishers and users."
GBIF France is hosted by PatriNat and received funding from the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR) and the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB).