Conservation Community Research Articles

Dry forests conservation: A comprehensive approach linking ecosystem services to ecological drivers and sustainable management

Assessing ecosystem services supply is an efficient way to facilitate ecosystem management, but there is no clear way to link ecosystem services to sustainable management decision-making. This study links sustainable supply of ecosystem services to sustainable management goals to evaluate the conservation value of dry forests. Hence, 11 ecosystem services (water yield, timber production, fruit production, carbon sequestration, soil retention, pollination, aesthetic, tourism, heritage, soil organic matter and habitat provision) were quantified in three dry forest communities. Evergreen forest communities were more successful in supplying ecosystem services than other ones. Pearson correlation analysis showed that water yield and carbon sequestration had a trade-off relationship with pollination (P < 0.001). Total ecosystem services of plant communities were estimated by considering both trade-off and synergy relationships between ecosystem services. Precipitation (R2 = 0.465) and leaf lifespan (R2 = 0.422) were the main ecological drivers of ecosystem services based on Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) showed that water yield and carbon sequestration services had the highest weights for sustainable management. Maximizing economic and social benefits was also the most important sustainable management criterion. The importance of plant communities for conservation was determined by integrating the relative importance of ecosystems for sustainable supply of services and the importance of services for sustainable management. The comprehensive approach presented in this study not only ecologically contributes to the ecosystem health and supports the sustainable supply of ESs, but also meets other goals of sustainable management and supports management decision-making towards optimization of sustainable supply of ESs.

Park conservation or degradation? iCLUE modelling of land use change projections in the upper Manafwa watershed on Mount Elgon, Uganda

Land use changes result from interactions between different factors over time. Land use models support natural resource conservation by helping stakeholders to understand and predict these changes. Through such model-based projections, governments and conservationists can identify hotspots of encroachment and formulate informed decisions for sustainable conservation. Land use on Mount Elgon has undergone rapid changes in the conservation area and community land since the 1970s. Park encroachment has threatened natural cover due to population pressure and increasing demand for agricultural land. To support conservation efforts, this study conducted near-future potential land use change projections using historical land use change and iCLUE model simulations. This study established hotspots of land use conversion, locations of park encroachment and the extent of land use intensification in the upper Manafwa watershed of Mount Elgon. The study applied remote sensing, a geographic information system, and a land use change model (iCLUE), while considering nine land use classes to project land use change for 2030, 2040 and 2050 using a “business-as-usual” scenario. Stakeholder verification of the model output was conducted in a dedicated workshop. The results showed that in 2050, agriculture (44.24%) and low-stocked tropical high forest (22.56%) will be the largest land cover classes with bushland and shrubs as the smallest land cover classes (∼0.5%). Most of the land use conversion in the park is projected to occur along the boundary of the conservation area by agriculture and built-up areas. This study will guide stakeholders and decision makers in planning future sustainable management strategies to conserve and enhance remaining forest tracts in Mount Elgon.

Understanding the perception of buffer zone communities to gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) conservation in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a Critically Endangered species found in Nepal and India. In Nepal, gharials are distributed in Chitwan and Bardia National Parks. Gharials are highly threatened due to various and severe anthropogenic activities. In this study, we assess the attitude, perception and willingness of a range of stakeholders living around Chitwan National Park to participate in gharial conservation. We conducted semi-structured questionnaire surveys with open ended questions. We interviewed national park officials (n = 8), local community group members (n = 54), hoteliers (n = 12), conservation partners (n = 5), local elected representatives (n = 38), fishing community members (n = 14), fishing net sellers (n = 15) and students (n = 9). Our study revealed that respondents are familiar with existing conservation awareness activities and expressed their willingness to participate in gharial conservation activities which can be capitalized on for future conservation initiatives for gharials. Further, we suggest to concentrate efforts particularly on local representatives, fishing net sellers and river dependent communities. These efforts include community level gharial knowledge sharing and interaction program, school teaching program, participating community in gharial conservation and its habitat management intervention and livelihood programs.

The Relationship Between the Agenda of Conservation Authorities and Community Development in Rural Areas of South Africa

This paper explores the relationship between the mandate of conservation authorities and the agenda of community development in rural areas and provides recommendations on how to improve the status quo. The analysis is based on qualitative data collected during five interviews with uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park’s (UDP) community liaison officers and traditional leaders of the communities surrounding the UDP. The results reveal disjointed coordination between the conservation authority and the surrounding communities regarding development. Problems include funding constraints, extreme poverty levels, poor communication, and communities’ overreliance on the UDP for material benefits. The authors provide recommendations on how to promote community-based tourism that relies on sustainability practices and argue that development activities cannot be effective without close cooperation between conservation authorities and communities.

Local heterogeneity of coral reef diversity and environmental stress provides opportunities for small‐scale conservation

AbstractAimStrong social‐ecological trade‐offs between resource extraction and protection have created challenges for large, protected area management in natural resource‐dependent countries. Therefore, local governments and community conservation activities are becoming common and information about low environmental exposure and high biodiversity can provide for planning localized conservation activities.LocationThe western Indian Ocean.MethodsCoral reef sites were evaluated for local‐scale environmental and species richness to elucidate local patterns in spatial heterogeneity. Local coral and fish taxonomic richness and coral community susceptibility to stress were normalized to partially account for common and heterogenous disturbances to coral cover and fish biomass. Residuals of these three response variables were evaluated for local geographic patterns and specific relationships with 21 environmental variables using machine learning methods.ResultsRichness was highly variable at local geographies and had a double‐peaked shape with latitudes. Thirteen of the 21 examined variables were selected and indicated complex, spatially heterogeneous and weak cumulative predictive relationships with specific environmental and human influences. For example, each selected variable contributed 7% to 25% of the variance but with different relationships for the three responses. Coral fish richness and coral community susceptibility correlations were positive but weak and therefore produced different local spatial patterns. Nevertheless, these spatial patterns exhibited some coarse‐scale similarities indicating locations with shared positive community attributes and potential climate refugia. Shared richness variables included depth and wave energy, temperature variables of SST skewness, excess heat and rate of rise. Human influences of distance to shore, human populations and cities were also selected for richness and community susceptibility responses.Main ConclusionsPlanning to include local stress and richness patterns variability could contribute to species persistence. From these specific data, sites in the Pemba Channel between the Tanzanian mainland and Pemba Island, and northern Mozambique and Madagascar fit refugia characteristics.

Raising Rarity: Creating meaningful and sustainable conservation outcomes through community-based outreach.

A priority in plant conservation science is the identification of species at risk of extinction, allowing for conservation efforts to be focused on those that are most critically endangered to prevent their loss. A 2023 revision of threatened plants in Victoria found that 1,557 species remain under direct threat of extinction, despite conservation work being undertaken across the state to safeguard both individual species and plant communities. Although conservation efforts are fundamental to the protection of our flora, the persistently high number of threatened species illustrates a need to reimagine the way in which we approach conservation. Central to this is a need to engage more people across a broader cross-section of the community so that they can contribute to initiatives that effectively reduce the number of species at risk.Raising Rarity is a community-based outreach programme run by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV). It is designed to actively engage distinct sectors of the Victorian community in local plant conservation. The programme acknowledges that although the expertise provided by RBGV in areas that include conservation horticulture, seed ecology, population genetics, outreach and education is critical to plant conservation efforts, the engagement and involvement of the broader community is fundamental to creating sustainable plant conservation solutions. Raising Rarity achieves this by working with volunteers, school groups, regional botanic gardens, local councils and members of the nursery industry to grow and display rare and threatened Victorian plants in accessible horticultural settings. The initiative aims to increase public knowledge, awareness and hands-on involvement in plant conservation.There are four key components to the Raising Rarity programme: (1) school outreach; (2)local government outreach; (3) botanic gardens outreach in an initiative called Care for the Rare; and (4) commercialisation of an RBGV rare plant collection. This article provides an overview of each of these components and outlines future objectives for the Raising Rarity programme.

Functional conservation of microbial communities determines composition predictability in anaerobic digestion.

A major challenge in managing and engineering microbial communities is determining whether and how microbial community responses to environmental alterations can be predicted and explained, especially in microorganism-driven systems. We addressed this challenge by monitoring microbial community responses to the periodic addition of the same feedstock throughout anaerobic digestion, a typical microorganism-driven system where microorganisms degrade and transform the feedstock. The immediate and delayed response consortia were assemblages of microorganisms whose abundances significantly increased on the first or third day after feedstock addition. The immediate response consortia were more predictable than the delayed response consortia and showed a reproducible and predictable order-level composition across multiple feedstock additions. These results stood in both present (16 S rRNA gene) and potentially active (16 S rRNA) microbial communities and in different feedstocks with different biodegradability and were validated by simulation modeling. Despite substantial species variability, the immediate response consortia aligned well with the reproducible CH4 production, which was attributed to the conservation of expressed functions by the response consortia throughout anaerobic digestion, based on metatranscriptomic data analyses. The high species variability might be attributed to intraspecific competition and contribute to biodiversity maintenance and functional redundancy. Our results demonstrate reproducible and predictable microbial community responses and their importance in stabilizing system functions.

Fight for the Wild: emotion and place in conservation, community formation, and national identity

ABSTRACT This study analyses the documentary series, Fight for the Wild, examining how emotional engagements with place facilitate a complex nexus of conservation practices, community formation, and feelings associated with national identity. The documentary charts the progress and challenges of the ‘Predator Free 2050’ campaign which seeks to eradicate Aotearoa New Zealand of all introduced predators and protect endangered native fauna and flora. The documentary portrays how the campaign in constituted through networks of scientists and conservation workers, community groups, and institutional and political leaders, spanning a diverse geographical spectrum from areas of wilderness to urban environments. The study argues the conservation work portrayed in the documentary, and indeed all environmental activity, derives from emotions generated by an individual’s experiential relationships with an environment. Such an argument declares that human assignations of environmental value originate from experiential engagements with an environment, and the accompanying emotional recognition of the affordances of that environment, and that cognitive, social, and representational engagements with environments follow such a process. The article’s significance derives from a demonstration of how this process of subject formation individually informs and connects the scientific processes of conservation work, local community engagement, and more broadly the invocation of a national identity.

‘Never forget’: examining changes in materiality and preservation practices at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, New York

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum commemorates specific traumatic moments in history—the February 26, 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center in New York and the catastrophic attacks of September 11, 2001. The recovered realia, exhibiting damage from the attacks, consists of many objects never intended to be preserved. Now 20 years later, the plastics, newspapers and corroded metals which served as placeholders connecting us with both the past and the innocent lives lost are beginning to age. In addition, the people who care for these artefacts may no longer have personal associations with the trauma; that is, the lived experience of the events which motivated the original caretakers. This paper discusses the current research conducted by museum staff related to how the conservation community navigates our own experiences, memories and evolving biases in interpreting trauma collections and how a human-centred approach of involving family members and survivors defines conservation priorities for objects meant to stay frozen in time.

Diversity of soil seed bank and influencing factors in the nascent wetland of the Yellow River Delta.

Soil seed bank is the growth and reproduction source of vegetation community, playing an important role in vegetation establishment, succession and renewal, biodiversity maintenance. This study has selected the nascent wetland in the Yellow River Delta (YRD) formed in 1996 as study area and investigated the diversity and key influencing factors of soil seed bank diversity. The study results show that: (1) The soil seed bank in the study area has a simple structure, containing relatively few species. A total of five plant species, which belong to four families and five genera, were found in this bank, with Phragmites australis and Suaeda salsa being the dominant plants. (2) All species are herbs without woody species. One herb is annual herb and the others are perennial herbs. (3) From the sea to the river, the changes rules of the overall density and diversity of the seed bank are not obvious. (4) The dispersal distance from salt and freshwater has a significant influence on the density of the soil seed bank but has no significant influence on the diversity. Meanwhile, the soil salt content has a significant negative influence on the diversity of seed banks. (5) Aboveground vegetation did not closely relationship with diversity of soil seed bank. All above results can provide basic data and scientific evidence for the conservation of vegetation communities in the nascent wetlands and vegetation restoration in the degraded wetlands in the YRD.

Rhizosphere bacteriome of Allium cepa after the application of chemical and endophyte-based fertilizer

The microbial community plays an important role in A. cepa productivity and soil fertility. In this study, we applied chemical (A2) and endophyte-based fertilizer (B) to A. cepa; where the use of B successfully improved productivity by the number of tubers and chlorophyll content compared to control (A1) and A2. We aimed to investigate how those fertilizers manipulate the rhizosphere bacterial community in A. cepa. The 16S-metagenomic analysis was conducted to investigate the bacterial community of the samples by amplifying the V3-V4 region. The application of A2 and B potentially enhanced the abundance of rhizosphere bacteria compared to the A1, possibly due to the increase in nutrient availability. Beta-diversity analysis showed that the B fertilizer did not highly change the bacterial community of indigenous rhizosphere bacteria, whereas the A2 fertilizer did. The endophytes themselves did not also greatly affect the original rhizosphere bacteria because they may enter the plant tissue and release the metabolites inside the plant host. The NGS data showed that the genus Aquicella was the most abundant in the rhizosphere treated with B and A1. Aquicella was discovered to boost plant resilience to contaminants by enhancing plant nutrition availability and encouraging plant root growth. Interestingly, Acidobacteria and Gemmatimonadetes decreased their population in the treatments of A2 or B. Overall, the use of B has a higher impact on plant productivity and soil properties without highly changing the composition of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere. Yet our metagenomic data support the hypothesis of phylogenetical conservation of bacterial communities concerning particular ecological conditions.

Promoting “batik eco-print” through training English digital storytelling (e-dst) by empowering local small medium enterprise perpetrators: a conservation strategy

Indonesian local cultural heritage is a worthwhile asset to develop in the recent era. It is an important industry generating millions of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue yearly. However, despite the tremendous economic and socio-cultural benefits, little attention is usually paid to its conservation and to developing innovative big-picture strategies to conserve and promote to be globally familiar. This perspective aims to compile some of the relevant global needs to explore alternative ways to conserve steps associated with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. From this perspective, it is conceptualized how emerging artificial intelligence (AI) and digital socio-technological models of conservation based on local culture “Batik Eco-print” through digital storytelling can represent an alternative transformative solution by going beyond the current global communication and technical limitations in the heritage conservation community, while also providing digital promotion to conservation practitioners, which can truly help the conservation process as the way promote local culture to be globally acknowledged. This article employed a qualitative research approach implementing a descriptive with a deductive research design. One of the results showed that social workers use digital media technologies that reflected the consistency of the social workers with the literature on social media engagement more generally. Another result showed that participants believed that their understanding of digital technology and digital storytelling was potential in reducing communication barriers in professional contexts.

Tourism and recreation in protected areas: An exploration of Community Based Tourism and local participation in Zimbabwe

Community-Based Tourism (CBT) is a growing niche in tourism across the world. Protected areas and conservancies in Zimbabwe have resulted in some local communities having negative attitudes towards conservation efforts and the enforcement of conservation-related regulations resulting in conflicts. This paper explores the role and value of CBT in tourism and recreation in protected areas in Zimbabwe in terms of the local participation of communities. This study sought to understand the management system and the perceptions of different stakeholders on community conservancies in Zimbabwe. Consequently, a qualitative methodology using a case study approach was used, using in-depth interviews with key informants. This paper brought insights into the current management system of CBTEs and the perceived challenges of the management system. There is over-dependence on private safari operators, which is affecting the growth and further development of CBTEs. CBT initiatives are for the community and should be managed and run by the communities.

Time delays shape the eco-evolutionary dynamics of cooperation

We study the intricate interplay between ecological and evolutionary processes through the lens of the prisoner’s dilemma game. But while previous studies on cooperation amongst selfish individuals often assume instantaneous interactions, we take into consideration delays to investigate how these might affect the causes underlying prosocial behavior. Through analytical calculations and numerical simulations, we demonstrate that delays can lead to oscillations, and by incorporating also the ecological variable of altruistic free space and the evolutionary strategy of punishment, we explore how these factors impact population and community dynamics. Depending on the parameter values and the initial fraction of each strategy, the studied eco-evolutionary model can mimic a cyclic dominance system and even exhibit chaotic behavior, thereby highlighting the importance of complex dynamics for the effective management and conservation of ecological communities. Our research thus contributes to the broader understanding of group decision-making and the emergence of moral behavior in multidimensional social systems.

Conserving the Sacred: Socially Innovative Efforts in the Loita Enaimina Enkiyio Forest in Kenya

Indigenous Communities residing inside or next to autochthonal forests conserved them through governance frameworks that invoked traditional sacral law and reverence for their resource commons. More recently, however, the link between communities and forest conservation has been mired by dynamics of dispossession and displacement. Through a qualitative case study approach, using key informant interviews, transect walks, focus groups, and interviews, the researchers explore the conservation dynamics in Loita, in the South of Kenya, specifically looking at the sacred Enaimina Enkiyio forest. The study evaluated how the Loita community has challenged two state initiatives predicating conservation efforts and mobilised the sacred to conserve their resource commons. It combines a social-ecological approach with social innovation theory, spiritual geography, cultural studies and literature on indigenous knowledge systems, looking at, among others, sacred values attributed to places, nature–culture relationships, and value and belief systems and rituals. The findings point to the embeddedness of the forest resource in the way of life of the Loita Maasai and the appropriation of the ritual/sacred element as a framework to negotiate and mediate access, use, and conservation outcomes. The Loita community is grappling with and responding to the pressures exerted by various forces on the Loita Enaimina Enkiyio in socially innovative ways, as exemplified in the conservation efforts by the Ilkimpa Community Conservation Association (ICCA). It leverages aspects of the sacred in negotiating its claims over the Enaimina Enkiyio forest, showing that community-driven initiatives present alternative approaches capable of maintaining the connection between communities and their resource commons by integrating the sacred in this connection.

A Comparative Analysis of Collaborative Natural Resource Governance in Two Protected Areas in Zambia

In Zambia, early models of natural resource governance were based on state-centric approaches to conservation and later, to some degree, based on Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) models. Both of the models delivered poorly in terms of improved biodiversity management, enhanced rural livelihoods, and rights-based benefits. A lack of productive dialogue, involvement, and participation of local communities in natural resource governance resulted in considerable conflicts between protected area managers and local communities, with substantial local political and socio-economic costs. Through a mixed-methods approach using a questionnaire, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews, the Environmental Governance Systems (EGS) framework was applied to compare how interactions among political, economic, and civil society actors influence resource use and the state of resources in the state-led Kaingu chiefdom and the community-managed Kaindu Community Conservancy. Results show limited communication, cooperation, and coordination among the actors in both cases. Conflicting interests over the use of land, wildlife, forests, and fisheries among actors have led to strained relationships, limited interactions, and many negative outcomes in both cases. Both protected areas exhibit a top-down structure of natural resources governance with limited community participation, conflictual relationships among actors, corruption, lack of transparency, and low accountability. The CBNRM structures and processes need to be changed legislatively to improve local ownership and a sense of responsibility and legitimacy by restructuring the constitutions of CBNRM organizations and developing their human resource, financial, and logistical capacities. The study proposes a proactive transformative model for mitigating negative impacts on the state of resources and resource use.

The Use of Probiotics in the Fermentation Process of Feed (Silage) for Conservation of Timor Deer (Cervus Timorensis) by the Empowerment Group of Timor Deer Breeders (Mammettang) in Cakura Village

Timor Deer (Cervus timorensis) is a rare species of deer that is threatened with extinction. In order to maintain the sustainability of this species, effective conservation measures are necessary. One important aspect of Timor deer conservation is ensuring adequate feed supply in the captive environment. Silage feed has been identified as a potential alternative feed due to its availability and high nutritional value. This research aims to evaluate the effect of silage feed on the conservation of Timor deer and the community empowerment group of Timor deer breeders (Mammettang) in Cakura Village. The research methods used include collecting primary data through direct observation, measuring deer growth, and analyzing the quality of silage feed. Secondary data were also collected from previous studies and official documentation related to Timor deer conservation. The results of the research indicate that the use of silage feed in the captive environment for Timor deer in Cakura Village has a positive impact on the health and growth of the deer. Deer fed with silage showed a significant increase in body weight compared to those fed with conventional feed. Moreover, the quality of silage feed was proven to meet the nutritional requirements of Timor deer, with appropriate levels of crude fiber, protein, and energy. These findings have significant implications for Timor deer conservation efforts and community empowerment in Cakura Village. The use of silage feed can improve feed efficiency, reduce dependency on conventional feed, and provide a more economical and sustainable alternative. Additionally, community involvement in Timor deer breeding can bring about significant social and economic benefits, including increased income and preservation of local culture. In conclusion, the use of silage feed in Timor deer conservation in Cakura Village has a positive impact on the health and growth of the deer. This opens opportunities for further development in implementing silage feed as an effective and sustainable conservation strategy for Timor deer species. Furthermore, community empowerment in Timor deer breeding also provides sustainable social and economic benefits for the local community.

Quantifying shrub encroachment through soil seed bank analysis in the Ethiopian highlands.

This study aimed to understand the impact of shrub encroachment on native species in the Guassa Community Conservation Area in Ethiopia. We assessed the soil seed bank composition and density across different elevations and aspects, and management systems within the area. The vegetation was stratified and eight blocks were selected across a range of elevation (<3350 m and >3350 m) and aspect (northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest). Within each block we established twenty 5m x 5m plots for a total of 160. We then collected soil samples from five subplots (1 m x 1 m) at three depths (0-3 cm, 3-6 cm and 6-9 cm) for a total of 480 samples, which were established in pots in greenhouse. We calculated species abundance by totaling the number of seedlings that emerged from each sample. To determine the variability in the abundance of Festuca macrophylla and Helichrysum splendidum in the soil seed bank along altitudinal gradient, we used two-way ANOVA using SAS statistical software version 9.0.1. Shannon diversity index was used to determine species diversity in the soil seedbank. After counting all the seeds, we identified 74 plant species represented in the soil seedbank which belong to 55 genera and 23 families. Eleven species are endemic to Ethiopia. At the lower elevation range, the effects of aspect (P <0.0088) and soil depth (P <0.005) are not significant to determine the abundance of seeds of H. splendidum and F. macrophylla. But when the factors are segregated, both aspect and soil depth play a significant role (p<0.0001) regarding the abundance of the seeds of the competing species at lower elevation. At higher elevation, only the effect of soil depth is significant (P<0.0001) for determining the abundance of H. splendidum. Soil depth and aspect have no significant effects on soil seed bank abundance at this elevation.

Mālama i ke kai: Exploring psychosocial factors associated with personal and community coral reef conservation behavior on Maui, Hawai‘i

AbstractLocal and community conservation efforts can increase coral reefs' capacity to adapt to climate change. In this community‐engaged study, we examine affective dimensions and other psychosocial factors associated with coastal user conservation intentions and behaviors on Maui, Hawai‘i. In October and November 2019, we surveyed coastal users (n = 299). We found natural place attachment, sense of responsibility, and concern for coral reef ecosystems were positively associated with personal conservation intentions; civic place attachment was positively associated with community conservation intentions; and natural place attachment was positively associated with signing the Pono Pledge, a voluntary conservation commitment. We found personal and community response efficacy were positively associated with corresponding levels of conservation intentions. Our results provide insights into psychosocial factors that may underpin coral reef conservation behavior and inform partner communications and outreach.

GeoPick: Georeferencing Made Easy

GeoPick is a new web application aimed at providing a simple yet powerful georeferencing tool to the natural history collections community (Fig. 1). Its conceptual foundation is based on the Georeferencing Best Practices by Chapman and Wieczorek (2020), whose guidelines it intends to implement. GeoPick also provides a close and direct relation between the tool’s output and the Darwin Core standard (Wieczorek et al. 2012). In the past two decades, institutions across the world have devoted significant resources to digitise their collections and bring them closer to their final users (Nelson and Ellis 2018), i.e., the research, conservation and education communities, and to the general public. Georeferencing is an important part of the digitisation process (Nelson et al. 2012). It provides the link between the preserved specimen and the natural habitat where it lived (Bloom et al. 2017). However, there is a gap between the data that have already been digitised and made accessible through public repositories such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the expected fully georeferenced information, including crucial information on coordinate uncertainty and precision, which is needed to conduct rigorous studies based upon digitised specimens (Marcer et al. 2022). In order to determine the reasons behind this mismatch between optimal and actual georeferenced data, we conducted a global survey on current georeferencing practices (Marcer et al. 2021a), which was used as the basis for discussion in a workshop organised by the MOBILISE Cost Action that took place in Warsaw (Poland) in 2020 (Marcer et al. 2020, Marcer et al. 2021a). Among other recommendations that came out of the workshop was the need to develop more user-friendly tools that help georeferencers follow standards and guidelines in a more effective way. According to the survey, only 16 percent of respondents used a specific georeferencing tool such as GeoLocate (Rios 2019), while the rest only used general tools (Google Maps/Earth was reported by 47% of the respondents). Moreover, about 75% of the respondents reported only following in-house ad hoc protocols or none at all. This discouraging situation and the need for a tool that is easy to use, yet effective, was discussed informally with attendees at the 2022 Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) and Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) conferences. The current version of GeoPick is the first step towards a tool that is powerful, accessible and simple enough to help georeferencers follow standards and best practices in order to improve the data that are finally made accessible through repositories such as GBIF. In this first version, GeoPick implements the point-radius (Wieczorek et al. 2004) and shape (Chapman and Wieczorek 2020) georeferencing methods. It calculates the centroid or corrected centre when necessary, the associated coordinate uncertainty, the spatial fits of the point-radius and the footprint, and provides the digitised geometry as Well-Known Text (WKT). The tool offers a map navigator with reference cartography and editing tools to digitise points, lines or polygons representing the locality description of a given location. Data are finally exported via the clipboard in Darwin Core standard format. The tool also offers search functionality for geographic features from OpenStreetMap data through the Nominatim API. The user can search and import a geometry provided by Nominatim and use it as the basis of a georeference. Technical implementation: HTML and JavaScript browser front end that accesses a private API developed in R (R Core Team 2022). Source code availabe at GitHub. License: GeoPick is open source with a AGPLv3 license. Public URL: https://geopick.gbif.org (available starting October 2023)