Translational Centre in Biodiversity Conservation

The Translational Centre in Biodiversity Conservation is a competence center for biodiversity. Jointly with key Swiss stakeholders, it identifies topics for knowledge transferperforms syntheses and translates, communicates and distributes synthesis products in close collaboration with stakeholders. In the longer run, the goal is to develop an "ETH Domain Competence Centre Biodiversity and Conservation".

The Translational Centre Biodiversity Conservation will be transdisciplinary and participatory. A Task Force, equally composed of natural and social scientists and stakeholders, will direct the centre. It will also act as contact point for a broad range of stakeholders.  

Activities and actors

To identify the needs for synthesis by stakeholders – especially Swiss cantons – , an iterative "horizon scan" will be carried out with stakeholders and scientists to identify burning biodiversity conservation topics. These topics can be narrow or broad, dealing with information on current trends, clear-cut management advice, best practice knowledge or legal aspects of biodiversity conservation, to name a few options.

From the list of hot topics, the Task Force will choose the most pressing ones for synthesis. Per topic, a specific expert group of relevant stakeholders and scientists from across all ETH Domain institutions (and beyond) will act as expert panel. Synthesis and outreach will be carried out by hired personnel (scientific collaborator and postdoc levels) in close collaboration with the expert groups.