Major Investment by France to Protect Biodiversity

The government of France has provided €45 million to enable a major research program in biodiversity science. Led by Wilfried Thuiller at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique and by Emmanuelle Porcher and Rodolphe Rougerie at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Dynabiod will reconstruct past biodiversity, evaluate present trends, and predict future change in terrestrial ecosystems both in France and its overseas territories. These goals will be achieved by studying historic collections, by developing new monitoring technologies, and by fostering citizen-science networks. The resultant knowledge will inform public policy, including France’s Stratégie nationale biodiversité 2030, by helping to identify the species most at risk, the habitats that should be prioritized for restoration, and how best to align land use decisions with biodiversity goals.

“Dynabiod presents a unique and thrilling opportunity for the research community, along with other actors of biodiversity science and conservation in France, to combine forces and expertise. Our objectives are closely aligned with those of iBOL and with its vision, with genetic and genomic methods being key components in characterising diversity within the program,” said Rodolphe Rougerie, co-director of Dynabiod.

“We congratulate our colleagues on securing this historic investment. It is certain to inform the actions required to reverse ongoing declines in biodiversity”, said Paul Hebert, Scientific Director of iBOL.

For more information about Dynabiod, visit: https://www.cnrs.fr/fr/actualite/suivre-comprendre-predire-et-scenariser-lavenir-de-la-biodiversite