Training and capacity development resources – produced by WCMC
1. Field Data Collection & Inventory Methods
| Resource | Language | Type | Purpose | Training Outcomes |
| SMART Conservation Software – Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool | English | Monitoring platform and field methods training | Supports capacity development in standardized biodiversity and protected-area monitoring. | Participants can design monitoring programmes, collect field data, analyse results, and generate management reports. |
| Home | Forest Monitoring | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | English | Technical guidance and training resources | Supports national forest inventory implementation and forest monitoring system development. | Users develop skills in inventory design, field data collection, forest data analysis, and reporting. |
| Accueil | Suivi des forêts | Organisations des Nations Unies pour l’alimentation et l’agriculture | French | Technical guidance and methodology manuals Guides techniques et manuels méthodologiques | Provides Francophone practitioners with forest inventory and monitoring methodologies relevant to Central Africa. Met à la disposition des praticiens francophones des méthodologies d’inventaire et de suivi forestiers adaptées à l’Afrique centrale. | Participants can implement forest inventory protocols and contribute to national monitoring systems. Les participants sont en mesure de mettre en œuvre des protocoles d’inventaire forestier et de contribuer aux systèmes nationaux de suivi. |
| Bienvenue au cours tutoré en ligne sur l’inventaire forestier national | French | Facilitated online course Cours en ligne accompagné | Practical training in planning and implementing national forest inventories. Formation pratique à la planification et à la mise en œuvre d’inventaires forestiers nationaux. | Learners gain competencies in inventory design, field measurements, quality control, data management, and reporting. Les apprenants acquièrent des compétences en matière de conception d’inventaires, de mesures sur le terrain, de contrôle qualité, de gestion des données et d’élaboration de rapports. |
2. Data Management, Quality Control & Database Development
| Resource | Language | Type | Purpose | Training Outcomes |
| Ecology Workshop Overview: Summary and Setup | English | Hands-on workshop | Builds skills in ecological data management, quality assurance, analysis, and reproducible workflows. [datacarpentry.org] | Participants learn spreadsheet best practice, QA/QC procedures, OpenRefine, databases, and introductory R/Python workflows. [datacarpentry.org] |
| https://docs.gbif.org/course-data-mobilization/fr/gestion-de-donnees-2.html | French | Module de formation en ligne en autonomie | Build practical skills in biodiversity data management, with a focus on data cleaning, standardisation, validation, documentation and preparation of datasets for sharing and publication. Développez des compétences pratiques en gestion des données sur la biodiversité, en mettant l’accent sur le nettoyage, la normalisation, la validation et la documentation des données, ainsi que sur la préparation des jeux de données en vue de leur partage et de leur publication. | Participants learn core data management concepts, apply best practices for cleaning and normalising biodiversity datasets, assess and improve data quality, and prepare data for publication using GBIF standards. Les participants acquièrent les concepts fondamentaux de la gestion des données, appliquent les meilleures pratiques pour nettoyer et normaliser les jeux de données sur la biodiversité, évaluent et améliorent la qualité des données, et préparent ces dernières pour leur publication en utilisant les normes du GBIF. |
3. Data Standards, Publishing & Sharing
| Resource | Language | Type | Purpose | Training Outcomes |
| Darwin Core Quick Reference Guide https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/ | English | Technical standards reference | Supports adoption of international biodiversity data standards. | Users learn how to structure biodiversity datasets using Darwin Core terms and improve interoperability. |
| GBIF Biodiversity Data Mobilisation Course https://docs.gbif.org/course-biodiversity-data-mobilization/fr/ | French | Structured online curriculum | Provides end-to-end training on biodiversity data mobilisation and publication. | Participants gain skills in Darwin Core mapping, metadata preparation, quality assurance, and publication through GBIF. |
| GBIF Integrated Publishing Toolkit (IPT) https://www.gbif.org/ipt | English (French translation available) | Software training and implementation resource | Enables institutions to publish and manage biodiversity datasets through GBIF. [gbif.org] | Users can create metadata records, manage repositories, and publish datasets using international standards. [gbif.org] |
| Mobilisation des données sur la biodiversité :: Cours de formation du GBIF | French/ English | Practical tutorial Cours en ligne structuré | Build capacity in biodiversity data management, quality control, standardisation and publication using GBIF standards. Renforcement des compétences en matière de gestion, de contrôle qualité, de normalisation et de publication de données sur la biodiversité, en s’appuyant sur les normes du GBIF. | Participants learn data cleaning, quality assessment, Darwin Core, metadata management, and dataset publication through GBIF. Les participants apprennent à nettoyer les données, à évaluer leur qualité, à utiliser le standard Darwin Core, à gérer les métadonnées et à publier des jeux de données via le GBIF. |
4. Spatial Analysis, GIS & AI Tools
| Resource | Language | Type | Purpose | Training Outcomes |
| QGIS Training https://docs.qgis.org/latest/en/docs/training_manual/ | English | Comprehensive GIS course | Develops geospatial analysis, mapping, and spatial data management skills. | Learners can create maps, undertake spatial analyses, manage spatial databases, and support biodiversity and forest monitoring. [docs.qgis.org] |
| Manual Manuel de formation QGIS https://docs.qgis.org/latest/fr/docs/training_manual/ | French | Comprehensive GIS course | Official French-language GIS training based on the QGIS curriculum. | Participants gain practical mapping, geospatial analysis, and spatial database management skills. |
| Wildlife Insights https://www.wildlifeinsights.org/ | English | AI-enabled camera trap analytics platform | Supports capacity development in camera trap data management and AI-assisted wildlife monitoring. | Users can automate species identification, process large image datasets, and generate analyses for conservation decision-making. |
| Pl@ntNet https://plantnet.org/ | French and English | AI-assisted species identification tool | Supports plant identification training and biodiversity data collection. | Participants can identify plant species from photographs and contribute biodiversity observations. |
5. Broader Biodiversity & Conservation Capacity Development
| Resource | Language | Type | Purpose | Training Outcomes |
| Learning for Nature https://www.learningfornature.org/en/catalogue/ | Primarily English, with some French-language courses | Self-paced online learning platform | Provides broader capacity development across biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management, protected areas, and sustainable development. | Participants strengthen technical and policy knowledge relevant to conservation planning, implementation, and governance. |
