Biodiversity Manager Platform

The CAR-WEN Working Group is developing the Biodiversity Manager Platform to strengthen wildlife enforcement and biodiversity governance across the Wider Caribbean. The Biodiversity Manager Platform was initially conceived as a dedicated data platform for the CAR-WEN. During its development, however, we recognised that many of the same information, coordination, and decision-support needs are shared by government agencies, civil society organisations, researchers, conservation practitioners, and other communities involved in biodiversity governance. The project has therefore evolved into a broader platform, with CAR-WEN as its first and leading deployment.

The Biodiversity Manager Platform provides a shared technical foundation that can be adapted to the responsibilities and working practices of different communities. We refer to these tailored deployments as “operating systems,” using the term broadly to describe the combination of information, tools, resources, and workflows that a community needs to organise and advance its work. Each deployment can draw on common data, infrastructure, and governance standards while remaining responsive to the people and purposes it serves.

The first deployment is the Caribbean Wildlife Enforcement Network Operating System, or CAR-WEN OS. It is being built specifically to support wildlife regulation, enforcement, and regional networking across the Wider Caribbean. Its initial content brings together verified public information on jurisdictions, wildlife laws and treaties, species listings, protected areas, institutions, research, and other resources relevant to the CAR-WEN and its partners.

CAR-WEN OS and the wider Biodiversity Manager Platform are currently in alpha development, with access limited to invited evaluation participants and authorised administrators. A forthcoming evaluation will assess the usefulness of CAR-WEN OS, identify opportunities for improvement, and support its progression toward a beta version for broader use. If you are interested in participating, contributing to the platform, or learning more about its potential applications, please contact us.