Top-Up2

Biodiversa+ uses funds from the European Commission (EC) to support existing monitoring activities in Biodiversa+ partner countries with additional funding, known as top-up funding. This amounts to approximately 20% of the costs incurred. For South Tyrol as a Biodiversa+ partner country, this has made it possible to increase the research funds used for biodiversity monitoring in South Tyrol between 2021 and 2023. The partners are obliged to use these funds for additional biodiversity monitoring activities or to strengthen existing monitoring programs.

The Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, as a third party of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano South Tyrol, uses the top-up funding in accordance with the guidelines of the European Commission and the Biodiversa+ partnership to strengthen monitoring activities already underway, in consultation with the Provincial Office for Nature and the Provincial Office for Scientific Research. All activities planned by Eurac Research are in line with the thematic priorities of Biodiversa+.

Specifically, the funds will be used to support project coordination and data management (project assistant 50%, data steward, coordinator of Biodiversa+ activities 50%). In addition, the funds will be used to hire a bryologist to strengthen this branch of research within the BMS and to hire a person to apply automated survey methods for recording birds in the BMS survey areas (50%).

The Top-Up2 project is the direct continuation of the Converis Top-Up1 project.