Highlights from the Eurosite Annual Meeting and BMD’s high-throughput monitoring workshop
From 2 to 4 November, BMD joined Europe's conservation community at the Eurosite Annual Meeting 2026 in Seville, Spain. The meeting brought together conservation professionals and experts to share knowledge, exchange experiences, and explore new approaches to nature restoration and protected area management. During the event, BMD coordinator Niels Raes (Naturalis Biodiversity Center) presented the project's progress over the past 20 months, highlighting its key achievements and contributions to biodiversity monitoring.
Hands-on training in biodiversity monitoring technologies
Immediately after the annual meeting, BMD hosted its High-throughput biodiversity monitoring workshop, bringing together site managers, practitioners, and researchers for a hands-on exploration of how emerging technologies, automated monitoring, and AI-powered analysis can support biodiversity conservation.
The workshop focused on tools and methods for detecting species listed under the Habitats and Birds Directives, helping participants discover how biodiversity data can be collected and analysed.
During the event, participants gained practical experience with technologies and workflows for collecting, analysing, and mobilising biodiversity data. Key topics included:
Camera traps: Using automated image analysis and AI-assisted species identification with the help of ARISE DSI.
Acoustic monitoring: Exploring how automated sound analysis can help detect and identify species through ARISE DSI.
BMD Biodiversity Analysis Tools (BATs): Discovering how BMD is developing tools to analyse biodiversity data and identify the key drivers of biodiversity change.
Data mobilisation: Learning how to publish and share biodiversity observations through GBIF, making them accessible for further research and conservation applications.
Adding an extra highlight to the workshop, BMD organised a giveaway, giving one lucky participant the chance to take home monitoring equipment and put it to use in their biodiversity conservation work.
By bringing together the Eurosite Annual Meeting and its own practical workshop, BMD strengthened its connections with Europe's biodiversity conservation community while showcasing how innovative monitoring technologies and accessible biodiversity data can support better-informed conservation decisions.
Couldn't make it to Seville? You can still explore BMD's resources!
Discover practical training materials, including video tutorials and guides to using camera traps and audio recorders, on the BMD Training Portal.
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