TrIAS is a Belgian project building an open data-driven framework to support policy on invasive species.

Vision

Imagine a future where dynamically, from year to year, we can track the progression of alien species, identify emerging species, assess their current and future risk and timely inform policy in a seamless data-driven workflow. One that is built on open science and open data infrastructures. By using international biodiversity standards and facilities, we ensure interoperability, repeatability and sustainability. This makes the process adaptable to future requirements in an evolving invasive alien species policy landscape both locally and internationally. The project Tracking Invasive Alien Species (TrIAS) aims to do this for Belgium. For a full project description, see Vanderhoeven et al. (2017).

Mission

The project builds on two components: 1) the establishment of a data mobilization framework for alien species data from diverse data sources and 2) the development of data-driven procedures for risk evaluation based on risk modelling, risk mapping and risk assessment. TrIAS uses services from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), standards from the Biodiversity Information Standards organization (TDWG) and expertise from the Open science lab for biodiversity to create and facilitate a systematic workflow.

More information on TrIAS is available at the project homepage. You can also follow TrIAS on Twitter.

Funding

TrIAS is funded by the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO) call for Belgian Research Action through Interdisciplinary Networks (BRAIN).