Profile

ArcCona operates on a global scale with emphasis on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. The habitats include tundra, wet and dry grassland, coastal and inland marshes, bogs, riverine ecosystems, boreal and temperate and tropical forest, savannah, steppe and semi desert ecosystems. It offers species inventories and surveys on mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and selected terrestrial invertebrates, freshwater fishes and freshwater invertebrates. ArcCona offers baseline information alongside the data from other stakeholders, important in the decision making process in site management and the planning of other nature conservation activity.

Monitoring schemes of selected species are suggested and carried out by ArcCona. The selected species for monitoring are chosen for assessing the effectiveness of the management, providing regulatory instruments, and help detecting incipient changes. Alongside species the monitoring of selected physical parameters is necessary and can be taken on board partly by ArcCona or will be subcontracted.

ArcCona is dedicated to scientific research on the reasons for species decline and habitat degradation. Its research encompasses the biology of species and species communites, its reaction to changing environmental conditions. This research provides additional background information for assessing species vulnerability, status and risks and is essential in defining regional or habitat related indicators. This research is a vital platform for any ecosystem assessment and management planning.

Species inventories and surveys build the basis for assessing the status and value of an ecosystem. In comparing with neighbouring or equivalent ecosystems and habitats ArcCona provides services in site assessment. It also assesses the vulnerability of species and species communities and establishes risk assessment based on selected indicator species.

The collection, processing and presentation of GPS locations and the integration in sophisticated geo-referenced data systems (GIS) is an important tool in supporting the ecosystem assessment and site management. ArcCona also offers the manipulation and visual interpretation of satellite imagery and will provide a spatial analysis and interpretation of the results. In addition guidance on metadata systems and the discovery of existing data sources is offered.

ArcCona provides expertise in project evaluation in the field of nature conservation, including site and species protection. The evaluation covers the effectiveness in reaching the set targets, assessing the right methods and instruments, and offers a cost benefit analysis of restoration projects and management plans.

ArcCona offers training and capacity building in the field of species identification, surveys and monitoring, as well as in the data management, including GIS facility and the interpretation of satellite imagery and its presentation.

ArcCona is interested in linking scientific field data with GIS and images. For this purpose a modern fieldworker technology with GPS facilities is applied.

ArcCona has entensive experience in photo documentation of biodiversity and offers its services creating a photo database for clients and external users. In addition, ArcCona provides services for exhibitions, flyers and species guides for National Parks and touristic purposes.