This support came in response to the initial strategy document prepared by the GSAP-NHC Task Group.

Dr. James Hanken, Director, MCZ stated that ‘The MCZ, like many other institutions, benefit greatly from GBIF’s activities, products and services, and for this reason it regards financial support for GBIF as a high priority. The MCZ is pleased to support the development of a ‘GSAP-NHC’, which will advance these critical activities to the next, necessary levels’.

According to Dr. Hanken, Natural History museums, herbaria and comparable institutions must gain the ability to jointly and rapidly share information about the world’s biodiversity to address both scientific problems and societal needs. He further emphasized that it is essential that they devise ways to effectively and efficiently capture and deploy data regarding the billions of biological specimens within their vast collections, which have been amassed over hundreds of years. GBIF plays an essential role in this effort by developing professional, community-wide standards for electronic data capture, access and interoperability, and by promoting best-practices among institutions and countries around the globe, opined Dr. Hanken. He further appealed to other institutions to make their own contributions, at whatever level they can provide at this time, which would ensure timely development of the GSAP-NHC.

The GBIF Secretariat is highly appreciative of this proactive commitment by the MCZ and regards the MCZ pledge as an exciting indicator of recognition from a major natural history institution and hope it will quickly serve to catalyse similar buy-in and support from others, big and small, around the world.